An important Saturday of racing with Haydock’s Group 1 Sprint Cup taking centre stage with French raider Lazzat Unibet 17/8 a very strong favourite followed by Kind Of Blue Unibet 7/1, who was runner-up in the 2024 renewal.

The Royal Ascot winner Lazzat will certainly handle the conditions, is top rated and stall 10 is certainly a good draw based on recent renewals, though outside of the favourite this looks wide open as we have seen in the summer sprints with for example No Half Measures winning the July Cup at 66/1.

At Kempton in the Unibet September Stakes Group 3 the Arc favourite Kalpana is Unibet 7/15 on to follow up on her 2024 success, with Longchamp in October her target. Giovellotto Unibet 5/2 provides strong opposition on his first start since the Derby meeting.

Ascot has a competitive card, particularly in the Ascot Handicap over seven furlongs with a full field of 20 runners.

Enjoy whether at the races or watching #athome on ITV Racing.

See you at Ascot!

Cheers

The Wine Tipster

1:50 Haydock – Stakes (Listed Race)  (1m)

Bow Echo won very impressively on debut at Newbury and can finish ahead of his key rival Publish, who has looked very smart on his two starts, including his success at Sandown on his most recent performance.

Having rewatched Bow Echo’s debut he tucked in well after the start and then moved through smoothly to win by an easy 4½ lengths, despite looking a bit green late on and he recorded a good time figure.

The second home Be The Standard upheld the form by winning at Thirsk on his next start, the form looks more than believable. Bow Echo looks very exciting, and the drier than expected forecast works in his favour, so he can step up again today.

Unibet 15/8 win

2:25 Haydock – Handicap (1m 6f)

Pole Star is looking for his third Haydock success, having won over this trip here in July, with Valiancy back in third, though he is better off at the weights you can’t see him reversing the form with Pole Star, as he was beaten next time out when odds on favourite at Sandown. 

Pole Star was very brave that day at Haydock, and he followed up on softer ground at Yarmouth next time out. In the Melrose at York on his latest start he never looked comfortable and though it took him some time to get going from off the pace he stayed on late to finish sixth, which certainly suggested he was still in form.

He is not ground dependent, has a good attitude and returning to Haydock has to work in his favour.

Unibet 15/2 each way

2.40 Ascot – Schweppes Handicap (7f)

King’s Lynn form figures in 2025 are 631632 and whilst his victory at Haydock in July was his first success since May 2022 this eight-year-old clearly retains his ability to reward each way players.

Unibet 14/1 each way

3.00 Haydock – Old Borough Cup Handicap (1m 6f)

Torcello is an eleven-year-old who still retains his enthusiasm, and whilst he didn’t get in the mix at Epsom back in the Derby meeting on his first start for eight months, he did win at Pontefract last season over one mile four furlongs.

Torcello will like the good to soft going, and with five places being paid by Unibet, he can get in the each way mix.

Unibet 50/1 each way

3.35 Haydock – Sprint Cup Stakes (Group 1) (6f)

Time For Sandals (nap) returns to six furlongs after finishing a good third to Jm Jungle at Goodwood over the minimum trip in the King George Stakes on good to soft ground. Her trainer has been keen to bring her back to this distance after her Commonwealth Cup success at Royal Ascot on good to firm, where the second Arizona Blaze was on the opposite side of course, giving the form a strong look with Big Mojo seventh and Sky Majesty in eighth both reopposing.

There were concerns on Thursday about how much rain might fall, yet Haydock is dry on Friday at the time of writing and Saturday has no rain forecast currently, which all benefits Time For Sandals’ chances of taking another Group 1.

Unibet 13/2 each way

Big Mojo was marked up in my Unibet blog for the July Cup and he ran a blinder to finish runner-up to No Half Measures, who reopposes here, when headed near the line after having to take up the running from a furlong out. At Goodwood he was fifth to Jm Jungle in the same race as Time For Sandals and this season it is clear that Big Mojo is best over six furlongs. Big Mojo had a slow start in the Commonwealth Cup, didn’t get a clear run and instead you can expect him to deliver another strong performance.

Unibet 12/1 each way

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