Alan Dudman Antepost Tips: Four to back on Betfair Chase Day at Haydock

• Mullins' runner supplemented but Dawning looks the one

• Dan Skelton has some major chances on Betfair Chase Day

• Alan Dudman previews Haydock this Saturday with four antepost tips

• It's Safer Gambling Week - explore all the tools available to Betfair customers here

Betfair Chase for Grey Dawning beckons?

Ah hello rain and hello Betfair Chase Day at Haydock. Five races from the north west on Saturday are on ITV and a high-octane card is already priced up on the Sportsbook.

News this morning on the wires is that Grey Dawning is primed for his best according to the Racing Post headline from Dan Skelton, and the step up to Gold Cup contender, so often the chimera of the UK staying division over fences which has been unachievable for many.

Bold claims, but not the bold price as he's 7/42.75 favourite on the Sportsbook for Saturday. And as ever with these top class runners, the first run of the season is not March for all the headline says he's primed.

Capodanno who was fourth in the Ryanair is another seasonal first-starter for Willie Mullins and I think he'll be much happier at this trip for Saturday rather than the intermediate avion distance as he was a 3m winner as a novice and his stamina won't be found lacking as a Grand National participant.

Fans of Bravemansgame have had their loyalty tested to the max and he has to reverse form with The Real Whacker from the Charlie Hall. Both had their ground that day and Bravemansgame didn't find as much as anticipated in the finish and hit a low of 1.511/2 in-running.

The 9/110.00 price underrates him for all there is an element of frustration, although he has to find 6L on Royal Pagaille from the race 12 months ago.

Whether the latter is good enough to defend his crown as a 10-year-old in what looks a stronger renewal is question posed by the Sportsbook at 9/25.50.

Capodanno will be the first ever Willie Mullins runner in the Betfair Chase, supplemented instead of Corbetts Cross following a bad scope and drafted in by JP McManus to avoid the John Durkan on Sunday - which apparently will be too hot to handle.

I don't usually like going with a favourite at 7/42.75 for the column but if the forecast is to be believed and Saturday could be wet, the ground will certainly suit Grey Dawning, as does the track as he won his Graduation Chase on this card 12 months ago by a big margin.

Take a punt on Punta for Skelton

The first of the televised races begins on Saturday with the Haydock 13:15 Betfair Racing Podcasts Handicap Hurdle over 2m3f and my antepost selection for Cheltenham in last week's column was Beat The Bat - who was a non-runner at the weekend but tops the betting at 7/24.50 so to rehash what I thought about his chances:

"He was very lightly-raced last season, which is typical of the stable as Harry Fry doesn't over-race his horses, and he had Champagne Twist back in a well-beaten fourth when winning a Maiden Hurdle at Ascot.

Beat The Bat made up some stylish ground into contention and down the straight jumped really well over the final two hurdles with the pair 15L clear to the third, and the form was obviously franked with Champagne Twist winning at Sandown, but the second, the one locked in battle Welcome To Cartries for Paul Nicholls subsequently finished second in a Grade 2 at Doncaster."

I think he's a well-handicapped horse from 132 and his trainer probably didn't want to go on the quick ground last weekend. I wouldn't put anyone off backing him at all for Saturday but with the field I am thinking more an each-way angle.

Punta Del Este is another Dan Skelton selection, and if it's soft this weekend or with soft in there somewhere, he's got to be a player at 9/110.00.

He was impressive winning at Haydock over 2m3f last winter in a stroll and subsequent adventures over further trips came to nothing in two tries to test the stamina. He then popped up at a massive 25/126.00 at the Ayr Scottish Grand National meeting and seemed happier down in trip.

With the 2m3f Saturday, we could well have found his optimum distance and Skelton with these handicap hurdlers does so well.

With fitness on his side too following his comeback run last month at Carlisle, I am happy to side with him at the price especially with the ground in mind. Carlisle looked a bit of a prep run with the way he was held up plus he also met trouble.

Note Punta Del Este is also entered in the 14:30 Betfair Stayers' Handicap Hurdle for Saturday.

Catch Derry for Skelton over Doyen Quest

Will Doyen Quest be turned out quickly to back up his Cheltenham win from the weekend? He's 3/14.00 favourite for the Haydock 14:30 Betfair Stayers' Handicap Hurdle and he'll carry a 5lb penalty for his 5L beating of Gowel Road if he does.

Catch Him Derry is also in for Skeltons at 6/17.00 and Tristan Durrell has been pencilled in with his 3lb claim - and I love a claiming jockey in a big handicap.

He's got a completely unexposed profile and once again if we're looking at potentially soft ground, Catch Him Derry could have a nice weight and clearly is going to be winning more races from his current mark and this column is fast turning into a Skelton love-in.

I watched his winning performance again this morning from Ayr last April and he had so much in hand that day over 2m5f it was unreal. He was the hot favourite so he wasn't missed, but he was waited with out the back by Harry Skelton and picked them off with ease. One by one they were taken and Skelton gave him a beautiful ride.

His jumping was excellent in the straight over the three hurdles but the key aspect with Saturday in mind was just how strong in the finish he was in terms of stamina, and while he travels well too, stamina is his forte.

An easy win at Newton Abbot last time puts him spot on for this, but I'd like rain and soft.

Haydock to bring out the best in last year's winner

Famous Bridge lines up in the Saturday 15:40 Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase over 3m and he defends his victory in the race from 12 months ago. I am backing him to do so again at 7/18.00.

The chaser is a proper old-fashioned one in looks and he needed a bit of driving to win last year on the card with a reminder down the straight. He flew the last and it's good to see him jumping well which hasn't always been the case and he won't be lacking for stamina.

He's also a selection less reliant on ground as he has winning form in all types with good, soft and heavy victories to his name.

I remember backing him for the Great Yorkshire Chase last winter, but he made a bad error early on and he was never travelling after that but he jumped well in this race last year, especially when the pressure was on and he should be sharper for his comeback run at Kelso last month, where his fencing was less than adequate at times.

That really did smack of a run that was needed at the Borders track as in the closing stages he looked slower than soil erosion, but with a bit of fitness for Nicky Richards, I'll expect better.

Now read Daryl Carter's latest Cheltenham Festival Focus column here!