O'Neill - trains Saphir Des Bois.
DON'T DESERT SAHARA
By Ashley Iveson, Press Association Sport
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HAYDOCK: 12.50 Original Fly, 1.20 Riptide, 1.55 According To John, 2.30 Weird Al, 3.05 Catch Bob, 3.40 Sonny Mullen, 4.10 Sure Josie Sure.
LEOPARDSTOWN: 12.05 Frenka, 12.35 Don Leone, 1.05 Blaze Brightly, 1.40 Libano, 2.15 Mikhail Glinka, 2.50 Rite Of Passage, 3.25 Fingal Rock, 3.55 Tin Town Boy.
LINGFIELD: 1.10 Vinces, 1.45 SAHARA KINGDOM (NAP), 2.20 Ravi River, 2.55 Cecily, 3.30 Master Lightfoot, 4.00 Benozzo Gozzoli.
THURLES: 12.45 Terrible Times, 1.15 Rebel Princess, 1.50 Conker Nails, 2.25 Chelsea Harbour, 3.00 Bob Lingo, 3.35 Maree Prince, 4.05 Jewel In The Sun.
TOWCESTER: 1.00 Minella Mistake, 1.30 Wasntme, 2.05 Tabaran, 2.40 Saphir Des Bois, 3.15 Alfatrix, 3.50 Micksgirl.
DOUBLE: Sahara Kingdom and Benozzo Gozzoli.
Sahara Kingdom justified a good deal of stable confidence with a runaway debut success at Lingfield and can follow up on his return to the track in the Eastwell Manor Novice Stakes.
Godolphin's juvenile was sent off a well-backed 6-4 chance for his introduction over course and distance and, despite a tardy start, effortlessly went through the gears in the home straight to winning going away.
Connections admitted afterwards his homework had been catching the eye and although he has more on his plate this time, Sahara Kingdom should prove up to the task.
Benozzo Gozzoli barely broke sweat when scoring at Nottingham last week and a 6lb penalty is unlikely to stop him going in again in the Vines BMW Handicap.
The son of Medicean had shown precious little on his first nine starts of the year but, running off a mark of just 46 on his latest outing, he powered clear to score by nine lengths.
He is clearly nothing out of the ordinary but this is an ordinary race and connections clearly think he can strike again while the iron is hot.
Saphir Des Bois holds a logical claim to secure top honours in the ladbrokes.com Handicap Hurdle at Towcester.
The Jonjo O'Neill-trained five-year-old earlier this year posted some pretty fair efforts since his switch from France.
One blip on heavy ground at Haydock aside, Saphir Des Bois looks pretty progressive and should be a lot stronger with another summer on his back.
Still open to plenty of improvement, he rates as a danger to all off his current rating.
According To John should be given another chance in Haydock's Betdaq The Betting Exchange Handicap Chase.
Injury kept him off the track from November 2007 until January this year, when he showed plenty of promise with a reappearance fourth at Sandown.
Nicky Richards' charge did not look quite so good at Aintree on his next outing, trailing home in fourth behind Don't Push It as the ground just did not seem easy enough.
Worse was to come though as he unseated his rider early on when well faniced at Punchestown in May and he has been given a break since.
However, it should not be forgotten that the nine-year-old was good enough to finish third in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham just a couple of years ago and is still relatively lightly raced over fences.
The Haydock ground is certain to be testing and as According To John has shown winning form in such conditions, he is worth supporting here.
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