MICKY Hammond, who caused an upset in the final race at Sedgefield yesterday when he saddled 8-1 shot Meltemison to beat Martin Pipe's 8-1-on favourite Bahamian Knight, can carry on his good run at Haydock tomorrow.
The Middleham trainer looks to have another ace in Campaign, who has strong claims in the Queen of Hearts Handicap Hurdle. Russ Garritty, Hammond's stable jockey and rider of Meltemison yesterday, has the mount.
Twice a winner this season, Campaign arguably produced his best performance when third to Tompetoo in a hot handicap at Ascot last time.
Five subsequent winners have come from that race, most notably Gysart, the runner-up who has since scored at Ascot, and recent Sandown winner Buckhouse Boy, who had finished six lengths behind Campaign in fourth place.
Tomorrow's event is no cake-walk but Campaign has the credentials to come out on top.
Duke's Mount will take all the beating in the Tweedle Dum 'National Hunt' Novices' Handicap Hurdle.
David Nicholson's charge, absent all last season but previously a dual 'bumper' winner, returned to action last month and won at Plumpton by three lengths from Ile De Librate. With Adrian Maguire in the saddle tomorrow, Duke's Mount can oblige again.
Supporters of Menshaar came unstuck at Newcastle last Saturday when the well-backed gelding unseated his rider early in a conditional riders' race, but those losses can be recovered tomorrow in the Microgen Handicap Hurdle.
Len Lungo's six-year-old, a winner at Ayr two outings ago, will have the services of Robbie Supple tomorrow.
At Kempton the exasperating Andanito can break his duck by winning the Kempton Park 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle.
In the frame in all his four races this season, Lady Herries' gelding looked sure to score at Huntingdon last time, but a mistake at the second-last flight knocked the stuffing out of him and he was beaten three lengths into second by Decoupage.
With Richard Dunwoody on board tomorrow, Andanito is worth one more chance.
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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