‘Favourite’s chance’ of a deserved Group One for Minzaal

Burrows stalwart all set for Haydock challenge.

Owens Burrows would love to see “yard favourite” Minzaal shine in the Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes at Haydock on Saturday.

The four-year-old finished third behind John Quinn’s Highfield Princess in the Duke of York Stakes in May, after which he bounced back from a disappointing Platinum Jubilee run with a smart Group Three victory in the Hackwood at Newbury in July.

The bay son of Mehmas then set sail for Deauville to contest the Prix Maurice de Gheest, a Group One in which he crossed paths with Highfield Princess once again and this time came home just three-quarters of a length behind her as the runner up.

Highfield Princess then went on to a storming success in the Nunthorpe at York, a performance that left Minzaal’s two encounters with her looking even more impressive ahead of his Sprint Cup tilt.

“We’ve been very pleased with him since France, I think he goes there with a favourite’s chance,” said Burrows.

Jim Crowley and Minzaal after their Hackwood success
Jim Crowley and Minzaal after their Hackwood success (Zac Goodwin/PA)

“Highfield Princess is something else, she certainly franked the form. She seems to be versatile over five, six and seven. We got to three-quarters of a length from her and I think she won the Nunthorpe by two and half – it certainly boosted our form anyway.

“The sprinters tend to beat one another on their given days, Naval Crown beat us at Royal Ascot and was behind us in France. We’ve still got a bit to find on the ratings with him, so it’ll be tough – these races always are.

“He’s been placed in Group Ones at two, three and four. He’s yet to get his head in front in one and of course I’d love to have another Group One winner. He’s a yard favourite and having been so consistent he certainly deserves it.”

Third in the Maurice de Gheest was David Evans’ Rohaan, who landed the Wokingham at Royal Ascot and heads to Haydock, with Deauville fifth Naval Crown – winner of the Platinum Jubilee at the Royal meeting – representing Charlie Appleby.

“Naval Crown has enjoyed a little break since the Prix Maurice de Gheest and heads to Haydock in great shape,” Appleby said on the Godolphin website.

“These Group One sprints are always very competitive but Naval Crown ticks a lot of boxes, having already won at this level in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes.”

Hugo Palmer has three hands to play in the race, with Brad The Brief, Flaming Rib and Dubawi Legend all representing his Manor House base in what is another leg of the Qipco British Champions Series.

Brad The Brief (right) winning the Greenlands Stakes
Brad The Brief (right) winning the Greenlands Stakes (Brian Lawless/PA)

Brad The Brief has won both of his two runs this season, taking a good conditions race at Haydock in May and then landing the Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh later in the same month.

He has not been seen since as his preferred softer ground has been hard to come by throughout the summer, but with rain forecast his conditions may materialise at the weekend.

“It’s been a frustrating summer for any horse wanting decent ground, and looking back I’m over the moon that we found two good opportunities for Brad The Brief and that he won both times,” said Palmer.

“It looks as if there’s a fair chance he’s going to get some ground on Saturday, as Kirkland (Tellwright, clerk of the course) told me there might be 2-4mm on Friday and another 8-10mm on Saturday.

“He doesn’t need it soft – there was no real cut in it at the Curragh – but he doesn’t want fast ground, and having waited so long I wouldn’t want to go and jar him up out of frustration.”

Flaming Rib at Chester
Flaming Rib at Chester (Tim Goode/PA)

Flaming Rib, second in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot in June, does not have such strong preferences regarding the going and will look to bounce back from his ninth-placed run in the July Cup at Newmarket.

“Flaming Rib is ground versatile, so the weather holds no fears,” said Palmer.

“We were very disappointed after the July Cup, having supplemented, but he was drawn away from the action and it’s not as if he finished out with the washing.

“This has been the target really since then, and he’s right back to himself now, although it’s taken a little while.”

Palmer’s third hope, Dubawi Legend, was a Group Three winner at Baden-Baden last weekend and makes a swift return to action having pleased his trainer at home.

Palmer said: “Dubawi Legend is amazing. He was very happy and fresh when we gave him a quiet canter on Wednesday morning, and although it’s a big leap from a German Group Three we are keen to give it a go.”

Ralph Beckett’s Kinross was a winner at York’s Ebor meeting when landing the seven-furlong City of York Stakes and will step down in trip at Haydock as he is primed for the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp later in the term.

Beckett said: “There’s no seven-furlong race before the Foret and he’s in good shape, so we are inclined to run for that reason.

“It’s possible he might be going forward, as the ratings suggest it was a career best when he beat Pogo at York. We’ll see.”

Tim Easterby’s Art Power made a long-awaited comeback in the City of York Stakes, finishing fourth on what was a first run for 308 days for the grey son of Dark Angel.

Kinross (left) and Art Power (grey, second from right) in the City of York Stakes
Kinross (left) and Art Power (grey, second from right) in the City of York Stakes (Mike Egerton/PA)

He joins a Yorkshire-trained contingent that includes Kevin Ryan’s Hala Hala Athmani and reigning champion Emaraaty Ana, alongside Richard Fahey’s Umm Kulthum.

The latter is reliant on some give in the going, with Fahey saying: “We’ve just been waiting for some decent ground for her. She’s declared at Haydock, but if it was very quick I wouldn’t run.

“She just needs some decent ground. The season started so well for her when she had some decent ground but it’s been fast ground ever since, we’ve just had a massive dry spell that we can’t do anything about.”

Phoenix Sprint Stakes winner Go Bears Go takes his chance for David Loughane, with Fozzy Stack set to saddle Castle Star and Clive Cox’s Harry Three back on home turf after two runs in Deauville – latterly a 10th-placed effort in the Maurice de Gheest.

Cox said: “I’m very happy with him. It was a big step up for him to run over six and a half furlongs in the Maurice de Gheest. The last 50 yards was a long way for him with the step up in trip, so I’m very happy to be running him back over six furlongs.

“The form of the Maurice de Gheest has been seriously franked with the Nunthorpe winner being so impressive.”

Charlie Hills’ Khaadem comes into the race off the back of a highly creditable fourth in the Nunthorpe and Andrew Balding’s Chil Chil and Ed Walker’s Great Ambassador complete the field.

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