SAM BARTON can grab victory in the Challenger Staying Chase Series Final Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (2.40pm) at Haydock Park on Saturday afternoon.
Ahead of next week’s Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse, fellow Merseyside track Haydock Park plays host to the Challenger Series finals day and Emma Lavelle’s eight-year-old can land a chase victory.
Sam Barton has only won once in 10 starts over fences, but he rarely runs a bad race. That victory came over 2m7f at Wincanton in October as he was driven out to score by a neck. He disappointed when fourth at Ludlow and was then pulled up at Wincanton having been badly hampered at the first fence by Fantastikas. But Sam Barton bounced back to be second to Flash Collonges over three miles at Newbury last month, having led for much of the way. He is still open to more improvement and stepping back up in trip slightly to 3m2f can help him land another victory in the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings.
