The defection of the top two in the market, Advertise and Ten Sovereigns, leaves the Betfair Sprint at Haydock wide open with the age range running from the seven-year-olds, last year’s winner The Tin Man, and Brando, to five three-year-olds including three Irish-trained fillies.
Quiet Reflection won this for their age group in 2016 and So Perfect looks over priced at 20/1 considering she was just over three lengths behind Advertise in the Maurice de Gheest and this six furlongs will suit her better than the fast five furlongs at York. She has form with a bit of cut, winning her debut on yielding.
The German runner Waldpfad is also worth noting as Dominik Moser has a good record with his UK raiders. He brought Waldpfad to Newbury in July for the Hackwood Stakes and he finished in front of Khaadem. Most recently he finished second at Baden-Baden after reportedly being bumped coming out of the stalls.
Susan can take charge
The feature race of the opening day of the Listowel Harvest Festival is the Kerry Group Handicap Chase over two and a half miles and Willie Mullins-trained mare Ask Susan looks to have a big chance of getting off the mark for the yard after some solid placed efforts. She ran well at Galway when chasing home Great Trango in a valuable hurdle, her first start since a good run behind Peregrine Run in the Mayo National. Cabaret Queen is interesting as she makes her first start for Mullins having been bought out of Dan Skelton’s yard.
Mullins’ star Wicklow Brave is the best horse in action at the Kerry venue with Group and Grade 1 wins to his name and he bids to extend his novice chasing record to three after an impressive win at Galway.
International raiders in Korea and the US
Korea stages its fourth international races tomorrow and the international challenge sees runners travel from the UK and the US.
Paul D’Arcy sends Pass The Vino to Seoul where he will be ridden by David Egan in the six furlong Keeneland Korea Sprint (Local Grade 1 on dirt). Egan will also partner Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Ambassadorial in the Keeneland Korea Cup (Local Grade 1). US trainer Kenny McPeek runs Harvey Wallbanger, winner of the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes in February at Gulfstream, while Glorious Artist, an Irish-bred son of Zoffany represents Hong Kong, trained by Frankie Lor and ridden by Vincent Ho.
It’s a quiet weekend in the US but the feature race at Belmont is the valuable Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes over a mile and a half with the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy winner Spanish Mission representing David Simcock and the mount of Jamie Spencer. The first prize is over $500,000.
The Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes for three-year-old fillies has three European challengers, the Jane Chapple-Hyam trained Love So Deep (Spencer), and two from France including the Aga Khan’s Edisa, trained by Alain de Royer Dupre.