Haydock Saturday

Betfair Sprint Cup (Group 1)

ALMERAQ (William Haggas/Tom Marquand) produced the outstanding performance of the afternoon in the Group 1 Betfair Sprint Cup. The 9/4 favourite was held up as Big Mojo and Marvelman helped force the pace, but Marquand moved smoothly towards the near side as the race developed and the four-year-old swept past Paborus (Edward Bethell/Daniel Tudhope) just inside the final furlong.

Almeraq quickly put the result beyond doubt, powering four and a half lengths clear of Paborus, with defending champion Big Mojo (Michael Appleby/William Buick) beaten a total of nine lengths in third. The victory gave the Royal Ascot winner a second Group 1 success and emphatically erased the memory of his below-par July Cup run.

Marquand reflected on the horse’s recovery from a horror incident at York a year earlier which effectively ended Jim Crowley’s career. “He has taken a lot of patching up from that fall at York, but to have him back in form and where he can do something like that is phenomenal,” he said.

“That was pretty impressive stuff - he is now a dual Group 1 winner already and is going from strength to strength.”

Maureen Haggas confirmed that Ascot will be Almeraq’s next stop, saying: “This was always his goal and then hopefully Champions Day. That was pretty unbelievable today, but he does like the ground.”

PERSICA (Richard Hannon/James Doyle) showed guts as well as class to take the Group 3 Betfair Backs Opinions Superior Mile on testing ground. Prominent behind a strong pace, the 10/3 chance moved up over two furlongs out, led inside the final furlong and then had to withstand a late surge from The Lost King (Andrew Balding/P J McDonald).

The pair flashed past together, with Persica confirmed the winner by a nose. Fondo Blanco (Roger Varian/Ray Dawson), who had taken over from the long-time leader, was three-quarters of a length back in third. It was satisfying compensation for Persica, who had been denied by the same margin in the Diomed Stakes at Epsom in June.

Writing on his blog, Hannon said: “Persica has always had plenty of ability, and it was great to see him rewarded with a big-race success. He has been a consistent performer for us and wears his heart on his sleeve.

“James gave him a lovely ride, allowing him to travel comfortably before asking him to do the business in the straight, and he certainly answered the call when it mattered.”

Rest of the card

First Law (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) maintained his unbeaten record in the Listed Ascendant Stakes, making the running on heavy ground and responding when Rocket Boy (Marco Botti/Marco Ghiani) challenged two furlongs out.

The 6/4 favourite found enough to prevail by three-quarters of a length, with Arthurian another half-length away in third. Still learning after his narrow Sandown debut success, the colt impressed connections with the way he rallied, and the Autumn Stakes was nominated as a possible next target.

Aegean Prince completed a double for Charlie Appleby and William Buick with a commanding success in the Old Borough Cup. The 7/4 favourite travelled strongly near the pace, took over three furlongs from home and drew readily clear, eased late to beat In The Breeze (Henrietta Knight/Ray Dawson) by seven and a half lengths.

Winning jockey William Buick hopes there is more to come from the easy winner, saying: “Aegean Prince was very promising last year and the team have taken their time with him and he’s repaid them.

“He doesn’t mind a bit of cut but doesn’t need it quite as soft as that. I couldn’t have expected a performance like that. He’s not short of a gear change so he could go back to a mile and a half and he’s going to be an exciting horse going forwards.”

Kempton Saturday

PRIDE Of Arras (Ralph Beckett/Rossa Ryan) returned to winning form in the Group 3 William Hill September Stakes over a mile and a half on Kempton’s Polytrack on Saturday. Sent off at 11/2, the four-year-old travelled in touch behind the odds-on Gethin (Owen Burrows/Callum Rodriguez), who made the running, before Ryan brought the winner through to lead a little over a furlong from home.

Gethin hung left when the pressure increased but rallied once headed, forcing Pride Of Arras to keep pulling out extra. The Beckett runner held on by a length, with Warrant Holder (John & Thady Gosden/Benoit de la Sayette) two lengths farther back in third.

Constitution Hill, stepping sharply up in class after two novice wins on the flat, briefly threatened before fading into fourth, and was later found to have bled, though Nicky Henderson reported him sound and eating up the next day.

Ryan felt the winner’s performance signalled that the gelding was rounding into peak form at the right time. “I think he’ll come on again for today. He’s just seeming to come to himself, maybe he’s an autumn type,” he told ITV Racing. “He’s becoming easier to manage now; I can put him wherever I like.”

Beckett added: “I think he’s a probable for the Canadian International in four weeks.”

MOONRISE (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy) made light of an outside draw and a 3lb penalty to dominate the Group 3 William Hill Sirenia Stakes. Murphy sent the 11/4 chance forward from stall nine and she controlled the six-furlong contest from the outset, quickening clear in the straight to win by three and three-quarter lengths from Shimmering Sun (Harry Eustace/Daniel Muscutt), with Social Symbol (Simon & Ed Crisford/Rob Hornby) a neck away in third.

The victory was Moonrise’s third from four starts and her second at Group 3 level, following the Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot; her only defeat came when narrowly beaten in the Windsor Castle Stakes.

Murphy was emphatic about the merit of the display. “She must be quite good because she had an outside draw and a 3lb penalty,” he said. “She’s improved with every start and that was a brilliant performance. She wants top of the ground really on turf and she’s a very easy mover.”

Asked if she might stay further, the winning rider was adamant: “She’s a sprinter and I don’t think she needs to be going further, she has plenty of speed.”

PERTH has long been a happy hunting ground for Irish stables and the track’s meeting on Monday saw three prizes go for export, with Ger Quinn saddling 7/2 chance Annie Agnew (Dara McGill) to win the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle for the Caherty Stables Racing Syndicate.

Gordon Elliott, not to be outdone at a track where he excels, landed a double courtesy of 8/15 favourite Cosmos d’Ainay in the novice hurdle and 7/4 shot Down Around in the closing three-mile handicap hurdle. Both horses were ridden by Sean Bowen.