Horse Power: Big Mojo can win the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock Park
BIG MOJO can secure victory in the Betfred Sandy Lane Stakes (3pm) at Haydock Park on Saturday afternoon. While RUMSTAR can land the Group Two feature, the Betfred Temple Stakes (3.30pm).
Mick Appleby's Big Mojo can seal another win and book his ticket to Royal Ascot and a crack at the Group One Commonwealth Cup. The three-year-old son of Mohaather showed some smart form during his juvenile campaign last year, winning the Group Three Molecomb Stakes over five furlongs at the Glorious Goodwood Festival last July. Big Mojo was also fourth in the Gimcrack Stakes over six furlongs at York; second in the Group Two Flyting Childers at Doncaster and a fine fourth in the Group One Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar on his final start in November.
Following wind surgery in February, Big Mojo returned to action with victory in the Group Three Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes at Ascot and he looks a progressive young sprinter who can score again. And he will be a big player back in Berkshire at the Royal meeting next month.
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Jonathan Portman's Rumstar can win the Temple Stakes, the five-furlong feature of the seven-race card at Haydock. The five-year-old had run well in some top sprint handicaps last year without winning. But he finally put it all together when scoring on his final start of the campaign, beating Beautiful Diamond by two lengths in the Listed BetMGM Rous Stakes at Ascot in October. Despite being in rear early on he came through to score well having led in the final furlong.
He built on that success with an even better effort on his seasonal return in the Group Three Palace House Stakes at Newmarket at the start of the month. He had a couple of his rivals at Haydock behind and he can confirm the form and add another victory at Haydock before potentially moving into Group One company for a crack at the King Charles III Stakes on the opening day of the Royal meeting next month. Jim Goldie's in-form, hat-trick-seeking American Affair and the Ed Walker-trained French import Mgheera can also go well. But Rumstar should be able to come out on top.
Liverpool FC fan Burke's OUR MIGHTY MO can win the Betfred Silver Bowl Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (1.50pm). The three-year-old, who won a Nursery Handicap over seven furlongs at Haydock last October, has run reasonably well in two starts so far this season, finishing fourth at both Musselburgh and at the recent Boodles Chester May Festival. He wasn't beaten far on the Roodee and should still be improving. With those two runs to get him going again, Our Mighty Mo can book his ticket to Royal Ascot with victory in the prestigious mile handicap back at Haydock.
Charlie Appleby's DIAMOND RAIN, to be ridden by Liverpool FC fan William Buick, can make a winning return to action in the Listed Betfred 'Nifty 50' British EBF Hedge Of Oak Stakes (2.25pm). The four-year-old daughter of Shamardal won twice in four starts last season and although she disappointed when last of 12 in the Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, she ran well enough to be fourth on her final start of the season in a similar Listed contest at Doncaster. She still remains open to improvement, particularly at this 1m2f trip. Many of Appleby's starters this season have hit the ground running and this looks an ideal place for Diamond Rain to get back on track.
Tim Easterby's CANDONOMORE can bring up a hat-trick of wins this season with victory in the opener, the Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Hell Nook Handicap (1.15pm). The four-year-old gelded son of Almanzor has already won twice over a mile at Wetherby and Leicester in the past month and he can score again.
Willie Haggas' MAELSTROM is another who has won both starts this season – at Yarmouth and over course and distance last month – and the three-year-old can also bring up a treble in the Betfred 'The Classic Bookmaker' Edge Green Handicap (4.10pm).
George Scott's CABALLO DE MAR saw his run of five victories come to an end in the Ladbrokes Chester Cup at the start of the month but he can return to winning ways in the CarFinance247 New Boston Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (4.45pm). The four-year-old ran a fine race to be second to East India Dock in the Roodee feature, but dropped back slightly in trip to two miles and in a less competitive contest, he can get back on the winning trail.
At Beverley the unbeaten ALI SHUFFLE can make it four in a row in the Hilary Needler Trophy EBF Fillies' Conditions Stakes (GBB Race) (2.10pm). Karl Burke's two-year-old filly scored over course and distance in April and followed up with a fine victory in the Lily Agnes EBF Conditions Stakes at Chester's May Festival. She can go in again to book a trip to Royal Ascot in the Group Two Queen Mary Stakes which Burke has won twice in the past three seasons with Dramatised (2022) and Leovanni last year.
Burke stable-mate and debutant NAVAL LIGHT can give him a juvenile double at Beverley in the bet365 Two Year Old Trophy EBF Conditions Stakes (2.45pm).
Others who can score at the Yorkshire track are the Richard Fahey-trained duo MY HARRISON GEORGE and LIFE ON THE ROCKS in the Never Ordinary At bet365 Handicap (3.20pm) and the Best Odds Guaranteed At bet365 Handicap (4.25pm) respectively; and David Loughnane's course and distance winner BILLYB in the bet365 Handicap (3.55pm).
At Goodwood Ralph Beckett's unbeaten AMILOC can land a fourth career win stepped up to an extended 1m3f for the first time in the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Cocked Hat Stakes (2.05pm).
The once-raced Beckett stable-mate PERFECT YOUR CRAFT – who won at Salisbury over a mile last October – can also improve for the step up in trip to take the Listed BetGoodwin Height Of Fashion Stakes (Fillies') (3.15pm).
Charlie Hills' BOB MALI can take the opener, the BetGoodwin Harroways Handicap (1.30pm). While others who can score at Goodwood are Archie Watson's debutant BLUE NGURU in the James Reid 60th Birthday EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes (GBB Race) (2.35pm); stable-mate CARADOS in the finale, the Goodwood Horseracing Club Membership Handicap (4.55pm); and the John and Thady Gosden-trained recent Newmarket runner-up FRENCH MASTER in the BetGoodwin Download The App Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (3.45pm).
In Ireland at the Curragh Aidan O'Brien's OFFICER can win the Group One Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas (No Geldings) (3.40pm), while stable-mate – Australian import STORM BOY – can also score in the Group Two Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes (3.05pm).
HAYDOCK PARK
1.15pm Candonomore1.50pm Our Mighty Mo2.25pm Rose Prick3pm Big Mojo (NAP)3.30pm Rumstar4.10pm Maelstrom4.40pm Caballo De Mar
GOODWOOD
1.30pm Bob Mali2.05pm Amiloc2.35pm Blue Nguru3.15pm Perfect Your Craft3.45pm French Master4.20pm Mythical Bird4.55pm Carados
BEVERLEY
1.35pm Tarriance2.10pm Ali Shuffle2.45pm Naval Light3.20pm My Harrison George3.55pm Billyb4.25pm Life On The Rocks5pm Triple Force
CATTERICK
1.40pm Champion Again Ole2.15pm Hype Merchant2.50pm Red Force One3.35pm Reservardo4.05pm Irish Dancer4.35pm Synergism5.13pm Danzan
WINDSOR
5.30pm Al Waseela6pm Angel Of Anfield6.30pm Maraaheb7pm Fleetwater7.35pm Strike8.05pm Phaedra8.35pm Newfangled
SALISBURY
4.45pm Sands Of Spain5.20pm Billy Mill5.50pm Stanhope Gardens6.20pm Realign6.50pm Jarraaf7.20pm Key Witness7.50pm Babylon8.20pm Robusto
CURRAGH
3.05pm Storm Boy3.40pm Officer4.15pm Orandi
SUNDAY'S NAP: Lake Victoria (Curragh 3.40pm)
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