It’s day two of the 2025 Haydock Sprint Cup meeting on Friday with an eight-race card for racing fans to enjoy.

Competitive handicaps dominate, but the feature event is a fillies’ Novice Stakes worth £40,000, which has produced some very talented sorts in recent years.

Our expert, Liam Watson, has a trio of selections to take in.

Friday Haydock Tips

  • 13:32 Haydock – Mission Possible @ SP 
  • 14:42 Haydock – Changeofmind @ SP 
  • 16:55 Haydock – Catalyse @ SP

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13:32 Haydock – Mission Possible @ SP

The William Haggas-trained Mission Possible is tackling 1m 6f for the first time in this fiercely competitive apprentice handicap  

She was a real eye-catcher at Ffos Las on her last start, as she stayed on well to the line to finish a good third over a 1m4f, and the three-year-old looks like the type who will relish tackling further.

Friday’s Haydock outing will be her first start in a handicap, so there could be vast improvement to come from a very workable opening mark of 69.

A danger is David O’Meara’s gelding, The Crafty Mole, who won well at Newmarket last time out and has the potential to kick on.

14:42 Haydock – Changeofmind @ SP

Declan Carroll’s yard has been in good form of late, and his gelding Changeofmind is fancied to continue that form in race three on the card.

He was drawn poorly at York on his last start but battled hard and negated the draw to finish seventh, roughly two lengths behind the winner. That’s good form as the winner has won at Glorious Goodwood since.

Changeofmind has been drawn well for this race and looks to have a strong chance of returning to winning ways for the first time since his two-year-old campaign.

Ruth Carr’s Alligator Alley drops in grade and looks like a significant danger after finishing a close second at Redcar. A switch-up in tactics might be on the cards as he has always looked better when front running, and could be the early pace angle.

16:55 Catalyse – Haydock @ SP

The penultimate race is another tricky handicap, but three-year-old Catalyse, trained by Richard Fahey, stands out.

Catalyse has run well without winning so far this year, and has had fair excuses in his two starts for not finishing closer.

The ground was against him at Doncaster on his penultimate start before he was severely hampered at the start over course and distance last time out.

The handicapper has been lenient, giving him a chance off 83, and he should be competitive on that as he was once rated 91 after his two-year-old campaign.

The standout danger is one for Ed Walker, Ata Rangi, who arrives in good form after finishing a close second at York. Dropping back down in trip could bring out the best in him.

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