Back

Horse Racing

Lyra Lea to take Haydock honours

September 2025

Rod Millman's Lyra Lea can prevail in the the Book Your Venue At thetankwa1.co.uk Nursery Handicap at Haydock on Thursday.

After placing in her first three career starts, she made a breakthrough last time out on the all-weather at Lingfield when a wide-margin winner of a maiden.

Her prior form includes some fair efforts on turf, however, and she looks to have plenty more to offer as even under a 6lb penalty, she is still 3lb well-in.

John Berry has his small string in very good order and his Double Meaning looks capable of also carrying a penalty to victory in the At The Races App Expert Tips Handicap at Lingfield.

A Godolphin cast-off, Berry picked him up for 25,000 guineas, and won by 10 lengths on just his third run for him.

The handicapper raised him 11lb but he carries just a 6lb penalty here, which puts the weights firmly in his favour.

Charlie Appleby's Commanding Officer appeals when ridden by James Doyle in the McCoys Racing Lounge EBF Novice Stakes over 1600m.

The Teofilo two-year-old made his debut at Haydock in a 1400m maiden in May, beaten two lengths into third with the fellow Godolphin-owned runner Morris Dancer coming home first.

Morris Dancer has since finished second to the high-class Zavateri in the Group Two Vintage Stakes at Goodwood and subsequently won the Listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury by four lengths.

Commanding Officer made his next start in a novice over 1400m at York and though it is fair to say he failed to build on his debut when fourth, a step up in trip may be to his liking as he returns following a break.

Capall Rasa can build on his debut in the Shop Local At The HIVEWA1 Restricted Maiden Stakes over 1400m.

Trained by Tom Dascombe, the two-year-old was unruly in his first two visits to the racecourse and never made it into the stalls after getting loose at Epsom and then refusing to load at Chester.

He was subsequently gelded and that seemed to have brought him in line when he then contested a Yarmouth maiden in mid-August, finishing third behind two smart types from the Godolphin and Amo-Al Shaqab operations.

He was beaten a considerable margin by the winner, whose form links with Juddmonte's highly-regarded Publish, but he will likely have less on his plate at Haydock against several newcomers.

On the all-weather at Lingfield, it is Ed Walker's Dreamasar who can come out on top in the Download The At The Races App Fillies' Restricted Novice Stakes.

The filly has run once so far, finishing third when running in a Newbury novice over 1600m in June.

The winner that day was Blue Bolt, since a Listed scorer and the runner-up in the Group Three Atalanta Stakes, form that points to more to come from Dreamasar on her next start. - Press Association

TAB is betting on 4 UK meetings on Thursday. Here are the tips.

SOUTHWELL: Race 1: 14.50 Night Tara, Race 2: 15.20 Fiery Damsel, Race 3: 15.50 Dream Forever, Race 4: 16.20 Lady In Havana, Race 5: 16.55 Secret Sonata, Race 6: 17.25 Leap Day, Race 7: 18.00 Popeye Doyle, Race 8: 18.35 Back From Dubai.

HAYDOCK: Race 1: 15.00 Spartan Times, Race 2: 15.30 Commanding Officer, Race 3: 16.00 Capall Rasa, Race 4: 16.30 LYRA LEA (NAP), Race 5: 17.02 Division, Race 6: 17.37 Albany, Race 7: 18.12 War Supremo.

LINGFIELD: Race 1: 16.40 Raintown, Race 2: 17.10 Double Meaning, Race 3: 17.43 Harlington, Race 4: 18.18 Dagger Strike, Race 5: 18.50 Dreamasar, Race 6: 19.20 Moulin Booj, Race 7: 19.50 Coma Cluster, Race 8: 20.20 Sarabi.

SEDGEFIELD: Race 1: 17.53 Voodoo Angel, Race 2: 18.28 Rory's Story, Race 3: 19.00 Spitalfield, Race 4: 19.30 Limerick Leader, Race 5: 20.00 Spot On Soph, Race 6: 20.30 Frammy.

ALL TO COME: Lyra Lea (Haydock, Race 4) and Dreamasar (Lingfield, Race 5).

 

Recent posts like this

Lyra Lea to take Haydock honours

Rod Millman's Lyra Lea can prevail in the the Book Your Venue At

Read more

CAPITALIZATION THE KEMPTON SELECTION

By Anita Chambers, PA

Read more

Elusive Winter stands out in the Cape

Jack Milner

Read more