Haydock hosts one of its primary Flat fixtures of the season on Saturday, the Group 1 Betfair Sprint Cup over 6f, the undoubted highlight of a high-class eight-race card.
Also on the card are the Old Borough Cup, of the principal staying handicaps of the year, and the Group 3 Superior Mile Stakes.
Our expert, Marcus Buckland, has a trio of selections on the card including one in the opener, one in the Listed Ascendant Stakes and another in the three-year-old staying handicap
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Saturday’s tips
1.15 Haydock – Prague @ 5/1
The opening Group 3 Superior Mile should provide Dylan Cunha’s Prague with a good opportunity to turn the tables on the likely favourite, Make Me King, from their meeting at Pontefract in July. This flatter, sharper track is sure to suit the selection.
The five-year-old was unraced for Aidan O’Brien, but he has done tremendously well for this yard, winning at 40/1 on his debut at Sandown last season and continuing on an upward curve, including when runner-up in this race 12 months ago and when fourth in the Group 2 Summer Mile at Ascot this past July.
He was too keen at Pontefract and was overhauled approaching the final furlong, fading late on to be beaten three-and-a-half lengths by Hamad Al Jelani’s representative. However, this track favours front-runners and he could take plenty of passing.
1.50 Haydock – Publish @ 5/4
John and Thady Gosden’s Publish didn’t manage to win on his debut over 7f at Sandown, but he ran a mighty race in the circumstances, rallying strongly late on, having completely lost his position after being hemmed in against the far rail for much of the final 2f.
He righted those wrongs when winning a similar race over the same course and distance subsequently and, while more workmanlike than impressive on that occasion, he’s clearly a colt with huge potential, as his ante-post price of 16/1 for next season’s 2,000 Guineas suggests.
He would have been a short-priced favourite for the Group 3 Solario Stakes at Sandown last weekend, but bypassed that engagement due to the testing ground.
This looks a logical alternative for the Kingman colt, with the step up to a mile a big plus given the way he has come home in his two previous outings.
2.25 Haydock – Valiancy @ 7/2
Saffie Osborne has a strong book of rides at Haydock and the William Haggas-trained Valiancy is arguably the best of them.
The three-year-old has made steady progress throughout his first season, albeit his only win in five starts so far was in a maiden at Hamilton at long odds-on.
He has twice finished behind the opposing Pole Star, including once over this course and distance, but he has improved again since and meets Charlie Johnston’s runner on considerably better terms this time around.
Haggas has reached for first-time cheekpieces for the son of Cracksman and they could give him the edge for a yard that has won two of the last five runnings of this handicap.
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