FREE Horse racing tips: The Betting Spy’s top picks for Saturday’s racing at Sandown and Haydock

THE Coral-Eclipse is the big race of the day - but my big fancy Masar pulled out late last night!

I'm happy to sit back and have a spy without a bet now, before the big game kicks off later in the day.

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HADDAF can upset some higher-rated rivals in the opening Coral Charge (12.20).

He bounced back to his best when winning over this course and distance three weeks ago, with the re-opposing Sound And Silence, Koditime and Tricksy Spirit all behind.

That was a Listed race against his own age group but he can handle this rise in class and complete the same double that Battaash last year and Waady in 2015 also achieved.

Muthmir is set to go off favourite after winning at Haydock last time. But he only just held on and this stiffer finish may not suit him so well.

And, as an eight-year-old, his improving days are surely over. The same is probably true of Judicial, who got no run in Muthmir's Haydock race before winning a moderate event at Beverley.

Mr Lupton should go well and is a danger while Different League has to be respected after an excellent sixth in the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes at Ascot but she has not won for over a year.

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With doubts about all his rivals Haddaf is a decent bet at current odds.

PREENING is the one to be with in the Listed Coral Distaff (1.30), over a mile, for three-year-old fillies.

She turned what looked like a competitive handicap over course and distance into a procession three weeks ago, and was heavily backed to do so.

The lightly-raced daughter of Dutch Art still has something to find on the figures but is surely a Group-race filly in the making.

Narella is favourite but is hard to assess. She won her first two starts in Germany before finishing last in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day.

Not seen since she is one to take on. Gavota and Tajaanus are others still to prove they can match their good two-year-old form at three.

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Desert Diamond and Di Fede, like my fancy, have produced solid handicap form this season but they seem to have found their level and may not have that bit extra that will be needed today.

Awesometank is the big danger. She showed improved form on her reappearance at Chelmsford and will be hard to keep out of the frame.

At Haydock GOD GIVEN can take the Lancashire Oaks (1.10).

Luca Cumani's filly won the Pinnacle Stakes here last month over today's trip, battling on well when challenged in a slowly-run race that did not play to her strengths. She is better than she was able to show that day.

Horseplay is likely to head the betting after an excellent reappearance at York in a race that has worked out well with the winner, Coronet, going agonisingly close in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud last Sunday.

The worries for Horseplay backers are that she ran a terrific race on her first start of 2017 but never bettered it, and she has been beaten on the three occasions she has tackled this trip.

Her stamina seems sure to be tested by Flattering, an all-the-way winner at Cork last time over this trip, and big danger Precious Ramotswe, who improved when winning over almost 1m6f at York last time having made most.

The Betting Spy's top tips for Saturday

12.20 Sandown - Haddaf: 'bounced back to his best when winning over this course and distance three weeks ago, can handle rise in class'  

1.30 Sandown - Preening: 'turned what looked like a competitive handicap over course and distance into a procession three weeks ago, and was heavily backed to do so'  

1.10 Haydock - God Given: 'won the Pinnacle Stakes here last month over today's trip, battling on well when challenged in a slowly-run race'