CLASSIC Seniority can defy his rising rating and bring up a hat-trick in the Crispy Cod Knowsley Road Handicap at Haydock.

The four-year-old has seen plenty of racing with 37 outings under his belt so far and with eight wins on his record, Classic Seniority is far from a back-number and now sits on a career-high rating of 90.

That is obviously a stiff enough mark, but his recent victory in the Bronze Cup at Ayr showed just what he is capable of as he repelled all challengers to claim a famous success for Marjorie Fife.

That win supplemented his previous verdict over seven furlongs at Chester, demonstrating an admirable versatility in terms of trip in the process.

Classic Seniority has gone up a total of 10lb in the last month for those two wins but he is clearly in the form of his life and make hay while his confidence is riding high.

Raising Sand certainly seems to have been a shrewd buy for current connections and he can maintain his excellent record of two wins and a second in the David Smith Famous Christmas Parties Handicap.

This son of Oasis Dream hails from the famous family of Reprocolor but after winning one of four starts for Roger Varian, he was sent to the sales in July and was snapped up by his new owners for just 16,000 guineas.

That looked money well spent as he promptly won first time out for Jamie Osborne later that month, before claiming a fair second in August and another victory last month.

He benefited from a fine George Baker ride that day but won in convincing fashion and looked as though he would surely progress again in due course.

Weekender can become the latest winning son of Frankel in the first division of the St Helens Windows EBF Maiden Stakes.

His dam, Very Good News, is a daughter of supermare Hasili and counts the likes of Banks Hill, Dansili and Cacique among her many top-class siblings.

Weekender will be making his racecourse bow for John Gosden here and with such a pedigree, connections must surely be hopeful of victory.

Gun Case can make the most of a drop back in trip in Division One of the Racing UK In Glorious HD Handicap at Redcar after seemingly finding a mile a touch too far at Newcastle last time.

Conversely, Paper Faces should appreciate moving up to a mile in the Jewsons Durham Fillies' Handicap at Newcastle.

The three-year-old has a lovely pedigree and connections will surely be keen to enhance her breeding value by bagging an all-important victory.

SELECTIONS

FAKENHAM: 2.05 Courtesy Call, 2.40 Osgood, 3.15 Its'afreebee, 3.50 Barkis, 4.25 Keltus, 5.00 Al Reesha.

HAYDOCK: 1.30 Coral Sea, 2.00 Classical Times, 2.35 CLASSIC SENIORITY (NAP), 3.10 Raising Sand, 3.45 Weekender, 4.20 Nathan Mayer, 4.55 Cool Climate, 5.30 Withhold.

NEWCASTLE: 5.50 High Command, 6.20 Tamayef, 6.50 Newspeak, 7.20 Manatee Bay, 7.50 Yosemite, 8.20 Paper Faces, 8.50 Right Rebel, 9.20 Scarpach.

REDCAR: 1.45 Dal Riata, 2.15 Chevalier Du Lac, 2.50 Khamaary, 3.25 Harry Champion, 4.00 Gun Case, 4.35 Reflation, 5.05 Gabrielle, 5.35 The Excel Queen.

WINCANTON: 1.50 Beat The Tide, 2.25 Moonday Sun, 3.00 Gentleman Jon, 3.35 Prettylittlething, 4.10 On Demand, 4.45 Murifield.

DOUBLE: Classic Seniority and Raising Sand.