RACING:DAVID WACHMAN hopes the decision to skip the Northumberland Plate last weekend with Mount Athos pays dividends in the bet365 Old Newton Cup at Haydock today.

The Irish handler was sent the four-year-old by prominent owner Dr Marwan Koukash after he paid 190,000 guineas at the sales to buy him from out of John Hills’ yard.

The Montjeu gelding won his first start for the stable at Dundalk on the all-weather and then ran a cracker to finish fourth in the Chester Cup on his most recent outing.

“We decided to skip the Northumberland Plate with him last week as the ground went a bit slow,” said Wachman.

“There’s only the two Godolphin horses (Kidnapped and Bay Willow) above him in the weights but I hadn’t paid much attention to that to be honest, I suppose it’s handy.

“John did a good job with him last year, he improved a lot last season and hopefully he keeps improving. Last weekend’s race was very valuable, this is not as valuable but it’s still worth a bit.

“You need a lot of luck in races like these but he’s in good form and we’ll hope for the best.”

Clive Cox’s Dansili Dancer is a former winner of the race having scored in 2007 off a mark of 95.

Four years later his handicap mark is 89 and Cox feels he will have more in his favour than most.

“I can’t believe it’s four years since he won it and he’s a bit better handicapped now!” he said.

“I think, even though he’s a nine-year-old, he proved when he ran on the all-weather in the winter that he’s no back number, dead-heating with Mastery who went on to win the Hong Kong Vase.

“I’m very happy with how he has trained going into the race.”