Despite Haydock's G1 Betfair Sprint Cup looking a fascinating renewal, Saturday belongs to Frankie's “Queen” as Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) goes through the motions in Kempton's G3 Unibet September S. She came here to beat Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) en route to Arc glory two years ago and there is nothing of that calibre in this line-up, with those brave enough to take her on including Saeed bel Obaida's Prince of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}). Third in this last year before taking the G3 Geelong Cup and finishing a promoted second in the G1 Melbourne Cup, he is being geared towards a return to the Nov. 3 Flemington feature. John Gosden is taking nothing for granted.
“I always respect the opposition–I've learnt down the years you better,” he said. “We made no secret of the fact it took a while for her to get to her racing weight and match fitness this year, but it was a great run in the Eclipse and we all saw what she did in the King George. We let her down after Ascot and brought her back up again. The timing has worked well and this race also works well on timing in that it's nicely four weeks from the Arc.”
Charlie Fellowes also has an eye on another day for Prince of Arran and he said, “He's in good form, he loves Kempton, but this is very much a stepping stone to bigger things–quite like the horse we all have to beat. He's had a bit of a break since Ascot, where he absolutely loathed the soft ground, and he's a 7-year-old now and does take a bit of getting fit. Enable is going to have to lose a leg to get beat and no one wants that to happen, but I'd be quite happy to spoil the party by some miracle. He's not 100%, but he's fit enough to run a good race, like he did last year. We want him in top form for the first Tuesday in November. The plan is to have one run in Australia and then on to the Melbourne Cup.”
Dreams Favoured In Deep Sprint Cup
In the Sprint Cup, Saeed Suhail's Dream of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead) occupies pole position following his seven-length demolition in Newbury's G2 Hungerford S. on similarly soft ground over seven furlongs on Aug. 15. Building on a second consecutive runner-up finish in Royal Ascot's G1 Diamond Jubilee S. on June 20 when slamming the subsequent G3 Prix de Meautry winner Breathtaking Look (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) there, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained 6-year-old will again be partnered by Oisin Murphy. “He is a really lovely horse and he gave me a good feel at Newbury and this has been the target since. If he is in the same form he will go very well,” he said. “It would be lovely if he could win a Group 1, as he has gone close in two Diamond Jubilees. I'd never ridden him before Newbury, but he has got an incredibly high cruising speed and he just gave me a super ride. I don't think coming back to the six furlongs is any issue and he doesn't seem ground-dependent.”
Just a fast-diminishing head in front of Dream of Dreams in the Diamond Jubilee, Hello Youmzain (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}) looks for back-to-back successes in this having held on from the 2018 winner The Tin Man (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) 12 months ago. Second to Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in Deauville's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest on Aug. 9, Haras d'Etreham and Cambridge Stud's 4-year-old had the re-opposing Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) behind in third and fifth respectively in a strong renewal of that 6 1/2-furlong sprint. “Hello Youmzain came out of France in great order. He takes his racing very well and is exactly where we want him at this point,” trainer Kevin Ryan's son and assistant Adam commented. “I think you have to be confident about his chance. He has great form at Haydock–the only time he has been beaten there was on his second start as a 2-year-old and that was by a horse who would go on to finish third in the French 2000 Guineas. Haydock clearly plays to his strengths and he goes there as the defending champion. I think it is fair to say that he is arguably the one they all have to beat. He has been a pleasure to train this year and has definitely proved himself as one of the best sprinters around.”
Of the 3-year-old contingent there are live contenders in Ballydoyle's aforementioned 'TDN Rising Star' Lope Y Fernandez, who reverts to six having also finished third in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh on June 12 and second in the seven-furlong G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville on July 12, and King Power's Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Impressive when taking the July 4 G3 Lacken S. over this trip at Naas, the grey still enjoys a lofty reputation despite finishing sixth in the G1 Nunthorpe S. over five furlongs at York on Aug. 21. Trainer Tim Easterby said, “Six furlongs will suit him better and I'm very happy with him. It was the trip at York. It was just too short for him. He wasn't sharp enough early. The ground will not be a problem.” Also from that generation is the June 19 G1 Commonwealth Cup hero and G1 July Cup third Golden Horde, who is the subject of a positive bulletin from trainer Clive Cox. “I'm very happy with him and he is in great nick–I couldn't be more pleased,” he said. “I hope they don't get any more rain, just so that the ground isn't an extreme. He has continued to please me throughout and I've still got the same great buzz about him as I had earlier in the year.”
In a deep edition, there is also the impressive July 18 G3 Hackwood S. scorer Tabdeed (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) who bids to prolong Shadwell's golden spell. The operation's racing manager Angus Gold said, “It's a big jump up in class. That's going to be the big question for him, whether he's up to it. I don't think anybody has necessarily ever felt he was a Group 1 horse, so we're jumping in the deep end here. But any soft ground will help him and you never know. He won well the other day, but this is a different level.”
Battle For Superiority
Also at Haydock, the G3 Betfair Superior Mile looks an intriguing affair with the July 31 G3 Thoroughbred S. second and third My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Khaloosy (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) re-opposing. The latter, who had previously won Royal Ascot's Britannia H. in impressive fashion on June 18, was disappointing as the 4-7 favourite for the Goodwood contest but trainer Roger Varian is expecting him to bounce back. “It just didn't happen for him at Goodwood, but I think he will bounce back on Saturday,” he said. “”It was a messy five-runner race at Goodwood and the ground was very firm. I think he will be much more professional this time. He should handle the ground it looks like they are going to get at Haydock on Saturday. He won at Royal Ascot like a very good horse. There are no easy group races and this is no different as the competition looks stiff, but I think he is a very smart horse.”
Saeed Manana's Top Rank (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) proved himself a high-class handicapper when losing his unbeaten record in third behind Montatham (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) and the subsequent G2 Celebration Mile second Sir Busker (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) in a competitive York handicap over this trip on Aug. 20. “He's fantastic after York,” trainer James Tate said. “I think, to be honest, York was probably the first real race of his life. He'd never really had a race before, all his other races had been relatively easy for him. He seems to have come out of it really well, it's sharpened him up so he's running at Haydock on Saturday. Obviously he'll need to take a step forward, but we're pretty confident he will do.” The race also features 'TDN Rising Star' Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who is back at a mile having finished eighth in Deauville's G1 Prix Jean Prat over seven on July 12.
Haydock's card includes the Listed Betfair Exchange Ascendant S. for 2-year-olds over a mile, where Richard Hannon saddles Michael Pescod's Aug. 21 Listed Stonehenge S. runner-up Fancy Man (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) and Sun Bloodstock Racing Limited's Aug. 11 course-and-distance novice winner River Alwen (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). “Fancy Man won on soft ground on his debut at the track then he ran a very good race upped to a mile in listed company last time out,” he said. “The front two that day pulled nicely clear and he is improving all the time. We've been happy with him since Salisbury and he looks the one to beat in the race.
“River Alwen is a very nice colt who improved from his first to second start and is also going there as a course winner. The ground and trip we know will suit him and we expect him to go well. The step up to a mile last time definitely helped him and he handled it really well.” At
Kempton, the speed juveniles have something to aim at in the six-furlong G3 Unibet 3 Uniboosts a Day Sirenia S., in which King Power Racing's Aug. 21 G2 Gimcrack S. third Mystery Smiles (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) sets the standard.
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