SALLAAL can secure victory in the Betway Rose Of Lancaster Stakes (2.25pm) at Haydock Park on Saturday afternoon.
Roger Varian's improving four-year-old can bring up a hat-trick of victories for the season in the Group Three feature at the Merseyside track.
Despite his fine progress this season, Sallaal still remains open to plenty of improvement and looks ready for this step up to Group Three company. A winner on his debut in a seven-furlong maiden at Yarmouth in October 2024, he was campaigned over a mile and 1m½f during his three-year-old career, winning a Novice Stakes event and handicap at Hamilton in five starts. He couldn't add to that in a couple of Listed events at Sandown and Leopardstown, and the son of Frankel was gelded last November.
Sallaal's Progress
It appears to have helped his progress, and having been runner-up to Rathgar in a 1m2f handicap at Epsom on his seasonal return at the end of April, he turned a usually-competitive handicap back over course and distance at Epsom on Betfred Oaks day into a route, scoring by six-and-a-half lengths having come through to lead a furlong from home. That was a superb effort, and he built on that to land another excellent victory stepped back up to Listed level, beating the consistent Group Three performer Persica by a length-and-three-quarters.
Sallaal can continue that fine form and land a first Group Three victory at Haydock ahead of chiefly the Liverpool FC fan Karl Burke-trained Convergent and Danger Bay, from the Ed Bethell stable.
Other Selections at Haydock
North Yorkshire trainer Burke can get his talented FALLEN ANGEL back on track with victory in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Dick Hern Stakes (3pm). The five-year-old daughter of Too Darn Hot is a top level performer, having won five Group Ones including the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket at two, the Irish 1,000 Guineas at three, and three straight wins last season – the last of which was a decisive victory over current star miler Blue Bolt in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket last October.
Having been last of four on her seasonal return over 1m2½f in the Group Two Middleton Fillies' Stakes at York in May, she drops back to the mile over which she has had so much success and down to Listed level – most likely as a confidence-booster. Fallen Angel can get that boost with victory before stepping back up to the top level later in the season.
William Knight's BRIGHTON VIEW, to be ridden by the in-form Oisin Murphy, can follow his win over 1m4f at Yarmouth last week with another in the opener at Haydock, the 1m2½f Betway Leigh Handicap (1.50pm), despite a 6lb penalty.
CRIMSON SPIRIT can land another win in the Betway Ashton Heath Handicap (3.34pm). The Daniel and Clare Kubler-trained five-year-old scored for the second time this season at last week's Qatar Glorious Goodwood Festival, beating The Liffey by three-quarters-of-a-length in the seven-furlong HJKC World Pool Handicap. And the gelded son of Harry Angel can land a quickfire double.
Kevin Frost's GALBA has been knocking on the door for most of the season, and the three-year-old can get his head in front for the first time in the Betway Tanners Bridge Handicap (4.09pm). The three-year-old has been third twice at Leicester and Sandown and was only just beaten a neck by Home Hero back at the latter track on his most recent start at the end of last month. He can finally land a first career win on his seventh start.
Another from the Burke stable, INSPIRED, can win the Betway Capital City Handicap (London Mile Series Qualifier) (4.40pm). The four-year-old gelded son of Dubawi had run well without winning in a few big-field handicaps at York. But Inspired got off the mark for the season when scoring at Hamilton last month. He can back that up with another success on Merseyside.
Jack Channon's SUNSHINE AND ROSES broke her duck at the 12th attempt on the all-weather at Wolverhampton last month, and she can follow up back on Turf in the finale, the Betway Apprentice Handicap (5.10pm).
Ascot Selections
At Ascot at the Shergar Cup meeting, HOSEKI can win the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic (GBBPlus Race) (3.55pm) under Great Britain and Ireland's Saffie Osborne. The William Haggas-trained daughter of Saxon Warrior has won three from three this season, scoring first at Redcar in May when stepped up to 1m2f. She has since landed two more victories over the same distance at Chester and over course and distance, stepped up to 1m4f, holding off Nochebuena by a short head last month. She keeps rising in the weights for her successes, but the improvement hasn't stopped yet, and she can bring up a four-timer.
Osborne could have a chance of winning the Silver Saddle for leading jockey at the Shergar Cup event, and RED SPELLS DANGER can give her another victory in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint (3.20pm). The consistent Tim Easterby-trained three-year-old gelding has not won in his last three starts since a quickfire double in May at Ripon and Hamilton. But he has run well finishing second and fifth in big-field handicaps at York and fourth at Newmarket's July meeting. He can land another deserved success against his old rival, the Haggas-trained Thunder Call.
The Rest Of The World jockeys have picked up some good rides and may have some success with one of India's most decorated riders Suraj Narredu likely to partner the Gary and Josh Moore-trained recent Sandown scorer MARNIER to victory in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers (GBBPlus Race) (2.10pm). While Australian Jamie Melham can win the finale, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile (4.30pm), on the David O'Meara-trained CERULEAN BAY.
Kate McGivern's KENDALL ROY can win the opener, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash (1.35pm), under Europe's Norwegian rider Frida Valle Skar. And Shergar Cup debutant – Dylan Browne McMonagle, who is having a spectacularly successful season including in the Classics and the biggest meetings of Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood, may land another winner for Great Britain and Ireland with Ian Williams' course and distance scorer NIGHT BREEZE in the six-furlong Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge (GBBPlus Race) (2.45pm).
Newmarket and Other Meetings
At Newmarket, it could be a good day for local trainer, Godolphin's Charlie Appleby, and GRACEFUL SONG – who won her only start over course and distance last month – can get the ball rolling under championship-chasing Billy Loughnane stepped up to Group Three company for the first time in the opener, the Newsells Park Stud Sweet Solera Stakes (1.55pm).
Stable-mates MYSTERIOUS TIMES and CASTLE ROCK can also win the William Hill Epic Boost Nursery (2.30pm) and the William Hill Extra Place Races Daily Handicap (3.40pm) respectively.
Others who can win at Headquarters are Simon and Ed Crisford's debutant LEX VICTORIA in the Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Newcomers' 'Confined' Maiden Fillies' Stakes (Horses Which Have Never Run) (3.05pm); the Adrian Nicholls-trained hat-trick-seeking THORNABY PEARL in the Keep Your Raceday Positive Handicap (4.50pm); and DRYMEE, from the James Fanshawe stable, in the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap (4.14pm).
At Redcar, Kevin Frost's course and distance winner PALADIN can score again in the Marske Fabrications & Engineering Straight Mile Handicap (3.12pm); and the Ivan Furtado-trained PARK LANE PENNY can drop in in the Celebrate The Life Of Ann Allport Handicap (2.47pm).
Wright Ones
HAYDOCK PARK: 1.50pm Brighton View, 2.25pm Sallaal (NAP), 3pm Fallen Angel, 3.34pm Crimson Spirit, 4.09pm Galba, 4.40pm Inspired, 5.10pm Sunshine And Roses.
ASCOT: 1.35pm Kendall Roy, 2.10pm Marnier, 2.45pm Night Breeze, 3.20pm Red Spells Danger (NAP), 3.55pm Hoseki, 4.30pm Cerulean Bay.
NEWMARKET: 1.55pm Graceful Song, 2.30pm Mysterious Times, 3.05pm Lex Victoria, 3.40pm Castle Rock, 4.14pm Drymee, 4.50pm Thornaby Pearl, 5.23pm Prince Quattro.
REDCAR: 2.02pm Yimmna, 2.37pm Park Lane Penny, 3.12pm Paladin, 3.47pm Rosenpur, 4.19pm Brave Bob, 4.57pm Billy Bathgate, 5.31pm French Affair.
LINGFIELD: 5.40pm Si White, 6.10pm Sunlit Sea, 6.40pm Darkest Red, 7.10pm Kanzi, 7.40pm Red Hat Eagle, 8.10pm Edergole's Gift.
AYR: 5.27pm Mick's The Boy, 6pm Water Of Leith, 6.30pm Annandale, 7pm Theoryofeverything, 7.30pm Mr Cool, 8pm Yaaser, 8.30pm Patrick Street.
WEXFORD: 2.15pm Felicity Smoak, 2.50pm Ocean Murphy, 3.25pm Nadia's Boy, 4pm Freddie Robdal, 4.35pm Rockonliam, 5.05pm Rightfolksplease, 5.35pm Alicious.
SUNDAY'S NAP: Robusto (Leicester 3.34pm).
