Horse Racing: Balding's Baptist can emerge on high from Haydock outing

Baptist's recent foray to Newmarket puts him bang in the frame for top honours at Haydock.

The Tapit colt made an immediate splash for Andrew Balding, winning on debut last September before being pitched into the Autumn Stakes, in which he was not disgraced. Highclere's three-year-old found things a little too hot in the Britannia at Royal Ascot, but gave a telling reminder of his worth at the July meeting. Baptist travelled supremely well in a competitive one-mile handicap, in which he stayed on for third behind Albaasil and Dimension.

Balding will be thrilled the handicapper has left him alone for the TurfTV.co.uk Handicap, in which he can fully exploit a mark of 87.

Plattsburgh, an encouraging second at Ffos Las at the end of July, should also go well in the Dynamic New Corsa Now At Frosts Challenge Cup at Brighton.