Old Newton Cup Tips: An Epic Winner In Store

One of the big betting races of the weekend takes place up at Haydock, where an unpredictable weather forecast means things are even trickier than they would be with a settled day of sunshine. The Old Newton Cup could play out on any surface and so backing one with proven ground versatility could be key, and Billy Grimshaw provides us with his most likely winner here...

Haydock is notorious for its propensity to turn into a mudbath at the mere sight of grey clouds in the sky, and so although it is reportedly good as I type this piece I'm aware a shower in the North West could turn the surface heavy in no time. Things have improved with the switching of the clerks of the course but the staff there really are at the mercy of the weather gods.

This race is packed with hardy handicappers who should, providing it doesn't become very wet indeed, handle the surface come what may and the market leader Relentless Voyager looks the type who won't mind it either way for Andrew Balding. He was arguably a smidgen unlucky to only come third at York last time out in a listed race but the time before that he dotted up at Epsom in a handicap in the manner of a horse going places. He is respected, but the price has gone for now.

La Yakel comes next in the betting but I think he'll drift. William Haggas' charge could of course be reborn at five but reappearing in a race this tough on potentially messy ground does not seem the type of task a horse like this, who was in and out last season, will relish. 

I was very close to tipping up Sheer Rocks and may indeed have a saver on Eve Johnson Houghton's charge, with a low draw on his side and his pipe opener at Ascot surely putting him cherry ripe to go a few places better in the 2024 edition of this race than he did in 2023 when finishing fifth. He should go close and has a big chance.

Despite wanting a horse to be drawn low, I'm siding with one in box 15 because of the sheer weight of positives that outweigh the negative of his draw; EPIC POET. David O'Meara's charge has a very similar profile to 2022 winner Get Shirty - who came from the same stable and was a stable switcher the winter before, as Epic Poet is.

If anything Epic Poet has had a better prep by finishing a brilliant second in the Duke Of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot last time out and a mark of 100 must underestimate him if O'Meara has unlocked the key to getting this horse to put in his all each time he is sent to the track.

The reason I'm so sure he can overcome the draw is the way he has been ridden throughout his career, ice cold. Danny Tudhope is a fantastic judge of pace and while at Ascot the fact the horse was so far back got him in trouble when attempting to mount a challenge, in here where there is no immediate pace on he should be able to totally switch his runner off at the back before picking the ideal spot to make his hopefully winning run.

I can't see him out of the places with a normal run not blocked multiple times, so he rates a strong each-way play.