Anmaat on course for Haydock comeback after long lay-off

Nick Robson
August 6, 2024 2:38 pm

Group One winner has been absent for over 14 months due to foot injury.

Anmaat is all lined up to make an anticipated return to action in Saturday’s Betfred Rose of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock, a race he won impressively two years ago.

Trained by Owen Burrows, the six-year-old was last seen winning the Group One Prix d’Ispahan in May 2023.

He was being lined up to run in last year’s Eclipse but picked up a complicated foot problem which has kept him off the track ever since.

“All being well, he’s going to run, we’ve had this in mind for him for a bit now, so fingers crossed we don’t have any last-minute hiccups. It will be nice to get him back,” said Burrows.

Anmaat wins the Group One Prix d’Ispahan with a brave and gutsy display down the outside by @JimCrowley1978 for @ojburrows74…pic.twitter.com/kHuYAeSkEB
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) May 29, 2023

“His form has really worked out. He worked the Saturday before last year’s Eclipse and worked the best I’ve seen him work.

“Obviously, he was up against Paddington and Emily Upjohn, so it wasn’t as if I was thinking we were going there and definitely winning, but I thought he’d run a big race.

“He just picked up a very complex foot issue and obviously he’s had plenty of time, so it will be so good to get him back.

“He wouldn’t want the ground very quick. Not because he can’t handle it, in France they called it good to soft but it was more like good to firm, it’s more the fact with him being off so long.

“Looking at the forecast, there is a drop of rain due on Thursday, so good ground will be perfect, we’d have no qualms then.”