Ralph Beckett believes the track at Haydock will play to the strengths of Lezoo, who looks set to fly the flag for the Classic-winning trainer in the Betfair Sprint Cup on Saturday after stablemate Kinross was deemed an unlikely runner.
The daughter of Zoustar will go in search of adding to her breakthrough success at the top level in last year’s Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket when attempting to secure Beckett a first victory in the £400,000 six-furlong feature.
While all roads lead to the Sprint Cup for Lezoo an appearance in the race for Kinross, who followed up his victory in the Group Two World Pool Lennox Stakes at Goodwood at the same level in the Sky Bet City of York Stakes at York, appears to be in doubt.
Although the ground conditions at the course are currently described as Good to Soft the track appears set for a largely dry week which Beckett insists would work against Kinross, who is the current 7/2 second favourite with race sponsor Betfair. Lezoo is a 16/1 chance.
Beckett said: “Lezoo will go to Haydock for the Sprint Cup as it doesn’t matter what the ground is. I don’t know who will ride her yet and we will find that out in the coming days.
“It depends on the weather for Kinross as he won’t run unless it is good or softer. I’m not going to run him over six furlongs on quick ground at Haydock Park as that won’t play to his strengths.
“My best guess is that he won’t run, but we will probably leave him in on Monday.”
After failing to feature in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot on her penultimate start, Lezoo made the most of a drop in grade in the Listed JenningsBet Hopeful Stakes at Newmarket last time out.
He said: “It was nice to see Lezoo win at Newmarket because when they dance as many dances as she did last year it is tough to get them to do it again.
“Things then didn’t go well in the spring and mid-summer. Timeform thought she ran to a mark of 110 and that is good whatever way you look at it. To make her a Stakes winner at three was good as well.
“I don’t know how it will pan out now but having won a Listed race it makes sense to go back to a Group One on a track that will play to the strengths of her, and we will go from there.”
Although Lezoo bounced back to form on her latest appearance to make it five wins from eight career starts Beckett admits that despite being physically in good shape she is a hard filly to gauge at home.
However, with her confidence restored the Kimpton Down handler is confident she can be competitive on her return to the top table at the Merseyside venue.
Beckett added: “She has never been a good work filly. She has never won a gallop. She has never gone through and worked really well so you are going through all the time having to second guess her.
“However, physically she has done very well in the last couple of months. She is a big girl now. She weighs 465kg and so she is a big girl for the filly she is.
“If we get beat, we get beat, but it is more that this is the right race for her. If she was to go and finish in the first four that would be great as well.”
The Betfair Sprint Cup is part of the QIPCO British Champions Series.
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