Stat Selector: Saturday 2 July

Eshaada - 14:40 Haydock Park

Smart Stat: 22% - Jim Crowley's strike rate at Haydock Park

Eshaada ended last season on a high with victory in the Fillies’ & Mares’ Stakes at Ascot, producing a career best to beat Albaflora by a short head. Admittedly, she wasn’t in the same form on her reappearance at Newbury in May, but that run is likely to have blown the cobwebs away. She is clearly a very smart filly on her day and a repeat of her Ascot form will give her every chance of resuming winning ways under Jim Crowley, who rides this track particularly well.

Picual - 16:45 Sandown Park

Smart Stat: 23% - Ryan Moore's strike rate at Sandown Park

Picual showed improved form to make a successful handicap debut at Nottingham three weeks ago, only winning by a neck but looking value for extra after being caught further back than ideal in a steadily-run contest. She is only 4 lb higher in the weights today and the small 'p' attached to her Timeform rating denotes that she is likely to progress further. Ryan Moore has enjoyed plenty of success at Sandown Park in recent years and Picual provides the rider with arguably his best opportunity to add to that tally on Saturday.

Spirit of Nguru - 16:55 Haydock Park

Smart Stat: 22% - William Haggas' strike rate with handicap debutants

Spirit of Nguru shaped well on his debut before recording back-to-back wins at Kempton towards the end of 2021, first getting off the mark in novice company in November and then defying a penalty to follow up in a similar event 16 days later. He is clearly useful and it’s still early days in his career, so he may yet have more to offer. With that in mind, he remains very much one to keep on the right side now making the switch to handicaps from an opening BHA mark of 89.