Weekend racing tips: The big questions ahead of Ascot, Haydock and Kempton on Saturday

Can Lazzat get a grip on the open sprint division and win his second G1 of the year in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock?

Andrew Asquith: I think he’s very hard to oppose at Haydock on Saturday up against a sub-standard home challenge. His level of form when winning the Prix Maurice de Gheest last season and the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot this very much stands out. Lazzat wasn’t at his best in his defence of the Prix Maurice de Gheest last time, but he may have done too much too soon, and at his best he shouldn’t have any issues in this Group 1.

Matt Brocklebank: I was fortunate enough to sit in on a press call with Jerome Reynier organised by The Jockey Club on Thursday and my main takeaway was just how confident Lazzat’s trainer was despite the surprise defeat last time. They’ve prepped him on the track at Deauville right up to the day almost and are happy that he won’t be anywhere near as fresh as he was in the early stages in the Maurice de Gheest. I was looking to take him on with Kind Of Blue had the rain really emerged but that doesn’t appear to be the case so I’m struggling a little to find a suitable alternative at this stage. Perhaps Time For Sandals is the one getting the fillies’ allowance as she’s got the gears to trouble the favourite on this speedy track, but Lazzat may simply be too classy.

Ben Linfoot: He is the one horse in the race that might have the tools to blow it apart and win convincingly. Impressive in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, I’d be inclined to forgive him his reverse in the Prix Maurice de Gheest where he was a bit too keen over the six-and-a-half furlong distance at Deauville last time. However, I think a stiff six is his optimum and it was interesting to see the forecast thunderstorms missed Haydock on Thursday meaning we are looking at a good ground renewal. With that in mind, I might just try and find a nippier type and take him on, for all that he’s respected.

On the undercard, are you Bow Echo or Publish in an intriguing Listed Betting.Betfair Ascendant Stakes?

Andrew Asquith: Both Bow Echo and Publish have the Timeform Large P attached to their rating, denoting they are open to significant improvement, and I’d be firmly in the camp of the latter, who is arguably unlucky not to be two from two. He was impressive at Sandown last time, comfortably beating another very promising sort and producing a very good timefigure. That form was boosted when the runner-up bolted up next time, albeit in a weak race, and Publish looks a colt set to go right to the very top – he has an entry in the Dewhurst.

Matt Brocklebank: I’m going to be sitting this one out from a punting perspective but you’ve got to have a huge amount of respect for Publish as he’s evidently held in very high regard as he holds entries in the Champagne Stakes, Royal Lodge and Group 1 Dewhurst as well. Bourbon Blues has an official rating of 102 and I’ve still got a feeling Midnight Tango has more to offer now granted a relative stamina test, but on potential it’s all about the unbeaten pair and if Publish puts Bow Echo in his place then I think we could be looking at a colt with genuine Classic credentials for next year.

Ben Linfoot: I bet the Gosdens took a degree of satisfaction out of missing that Solario brawl in soft ground with Publish last Saturday. And they will be delighted to see the rainfall miss Haydock for once, too. The son of Kingman is a colt with clear potential and moving up to a mile could well see him in an even better light. Bow Echo definitely looks the one to give him most to do after an impressive debut win at Newbury, but this is a good opportunity for Publish at what looks a gentle enough step up in grade.

What are you expecting from Kalpana in the Group 3 Unibet September Stakes at Kempton?

Andrew Asquith: Kalpana was an easy winner of this race 12 months ago and it would take a brave man to lay her in her repeat bid in my opinion. She has taken her form to new heights without winning this year, proving better than ever when a length second to Calandagan in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last time, collared only in the final 100 yards having briefly looking like she’d stolen a march. That run promoted her into favouritism for the Arc and this should be a routine warm up for the big one at Longchamp.

Matt Brocklebank: I’m expecting a similar performance to last year as she swept to the front halfway down the straight and came nicely clear of her rivals. It’s a bit of a shame she’s not pitching up in the Vermeille but the big rematch with Whirl hopefully lies ahead in the Arc itself and all that Kalpana’s connections will presumably want to see here is a straightforward success for a filly who has yet to get her head in front this year but appears to have been brought to the boil for the autumn all along.

Ben Linfoot: A victory on her final prep for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Giavellotto is a horse that I have a lot of time for but he has a tough task conceding 3lb to a filly that has got better as she has gone up in distance this year. That King George second sets the standard and she should have too many gears for Giavellotto around here as she bids for back-to-back September Stakes victories.

Give us one horse you’re looking forward to seeing at Ascot?

Andrew Asquith: As expected, Push The Limit showed much improved form faced with his stiffest test of stamina to date when winning a handicap at Goodwood last time, and he looks one to keep on the right side. He belied a lack of experience at a tricky track to win in the style of one who will be a fixture in all the big handicaps at the back end of this season, and with this extra distance sure to suit, it will be disappointing if he isn’t able to follow up from a 7lb higher mark.

Matt Brocklebank: The antepost Cambridgeshire favourite Crown Of Oaks skipped an engagement at Beverley last weekend but has been declared for the 10-furlong handicap at Ascot and he smacks of another seriously well-treated three-year-old from the William Haggas yard. This six-runner contest will be a very different test to what might await at Newmarket at the end of the month but he ended up winning very cosily at Ayr last time and time will surely tell that a subsequent 6lb rise in the ratings vastly underestimated his superiority on the day. He needs to win something en route to the Cambridgeshire to stand any chance of making the cut and this looks a gilt-edged opportunity.

Ben Linfoot: With 44mm of rain in the last week Ascot is soft and that will presumably be of no detriment to the chances of Noche Clasica for James Owen. She is unproven on such a surface, but she’s by Night Of Thunder out of Isabel De Urbina, a mare who loved a bit of cut in the ground, and I would expect this filly to relish conditions. She’s up 7lb after winning easily on stable debut at Goodwood last time, but she looks most progressive and I like this spot for her on the Ascot straight course over a mile with Jamie Spencer on board.

And finally, one handicapper that’s on the radar this Saturday?

Andrew Asquith: I’m looking forward to seeing The Reverand in the Old Borough Cup at Haydock. He absolutely dotted up on handicap debut in a race which William Haggas likes to target at Ascot last season and he had excuses afterwards. He shaped well in a race which has worked out extremely well on his return at York before completing a simple task in style at Ripon last time. I think he’s got much more to offer, particularly when the ground is on the easy side, while he should also appreciate the return to this longer trip.

Matt Brocklebank: Crown Of Oaks is likely to be quite a short all things considered so at what seems bound to be a bigger price, I wonder if Rohaan might be worth one final roll of the dice back at his favourite haunt later on the same card. His four most recent wins have all come over this course and distance and he loves getting his toe in the ground too. He’s on the downgrade at the age of seven but he still caught the eye with his finishing effort from off the pace at Southwell last week and he’s obviously absolutely thrown in running off a mark of 81 these days.

Ben Linfoot: Baldomero looks interesting in the Betfair Be Friendly Handicap over 5f at Haydock for Mick Appleby and the Horse Watchers. He returned from two months off with no headgear on over seven furlongs at Kempton last time and ran like he needed it by weakening late on. He’s back at five furlongs on Saturday with the blinkers reapplied and, while he hasn’t raced too often over the distance, it's one he won over at Doncaster just three starts ago. He might well have more to offer over the minimum trip.

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