Turf Talk: Dan Skelton looks a good bet to extend his lead in Trainers' Championship

His Grey Dawning has missed several engagements already this season but hopefully he will finally make his seasonal debut in the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park.

He won the novice chase on this card last year and went on to be a convincing winner of the Turners Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

So, we know he handles the tricky Haydock drop fences and his style of running suggests the step up to three miles should not be a problem. All he needs now is the word ‘soft’ to appear in the going description and he should be given the OK to race.

Ahoy Senor is his biggest danger and the one for the forecast, plus he is my idea of the winner if Grey Dawning is an absentee.

Skelton has both Doyen Quest and Catch Him Derry engaged in the Stayers Handicap Hurdle and both should run well.

Emmett Mullins let me down with Jacovec Cavern last week but I am giving him another chance by tipping his Backmersackme in this race. He was given a quiet ride at Thurles on his seasonal debut and that kindness can hopefully pay off in Lancashire on Saturday.

The Graduation Chase that Grey Dawning won last year can this year fall to Iroko. He was fifth behind Grey Dawning in that Turners Chase which is good enough form to win this race.

Hillcrest, a former promising hurdler, is an interesting runner in this race returning from a 981-day absence.

There are also three televised races at Ascot where the feature race is the Grade Two Ascot Hurdle.

Golden Ace proved a revelation for trainer Jeremy Scott by winning all her four races last year and this looks a perfect place to start this year. She won the Mares Hurdle at the Festival and is clearly progressive.

Garlick’s Goodies: Haydock 1:55 - Iroko; 2:30 – Backmersackme; 3:05 – Grey Dawning; Ascot 2:45 – Golden Ace.