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FOLLOWING the dry, cold spell up and down the country, rain is set to sweep in from early Saturday morning and that could signal a big change to the going descriptions at all of this afternoon’s meetings.

Haydock Park is the track that could be affected the most and that is the reason I shall be having two bets in the Stayers Premier Handicap Hurdle at 2.30. This looks a really good strength in depth renewal of what is normally a cracking heat, and the betting shape of the race will be slightly lop sided with last week’s Cheltenham winner, Doyen Quest, set for a quick reappearance under just a 5lbs penalty.

He is obviously quite a bit better than that five lengths success over Gowel Road suggests as he made an almighty mistake on the first circuit and then had to pick his way through the pack late on off what was hardly a rip-roaring pace. However, he makes the market for my two selections, namely Irish raider BACKMERSACKME and the bottom weight PATRIOTIK.