Horse power: alyanaabi can win the john of gaunt stakes at haydock park

ALYANAABI can secure victory in the Betfred John Of Gaunt Stakes (3.33pm) at Haydock Park on Saturday afternoon. Owen Burrows’ four-year-old can back up a recent course and distance victory

with another in the Group Three feature at the Merseyside track. The Shadwell Stud Estate-owned Alyanaabi won the Group Three Tattersalls Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket at the end

of his juvenile campaign, but he failed to win last year when pitched into Group One company and stepped up to a mile and further. He ran well enough to be fifth in both the 2,000 Guineas at

Newmarket and in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. But he disappointed when only fourth of five in the 1m2f Listed Steventon Stakes. And he was last of nine on his final start in

the 1m1f Group Three Strensall Stakes at York in August. He was gelded over the winter and dropped back to seven furlongs, it seemed to do the trick on his seasonal return in the Listed

Pertemps Network Spring Trophy at Haydock. He beat a solid seven-furlong performer in Tiber Flow – who won this John Of Gaunt Stakes last year – well that day. And it hinted that he is ready

to resume his early promise at the intermediate trip that suits some horses well. This is a step up in grade and opposition, but he looks well up to the task and can take the feature on

Merseyside. He faces another previous winner of this race in the returning KINROSS, who scored in 2021. He is now an eight-year-old but has won at the top level and is generally a consistent

performer. Ralph Beckett’s veteran can go well again but may have to cede to his race-fit, younger rival. While another Group One winner in John and Thady Gosden’s AUDIENCE – who landed the

Lockinge Stakes on his seasonal return last year – is another who will be a big danger to Alyanaabi. But on this occasion Burrows’ four-year-old can come out on top. The Gosdens' SHAHA

can win the Group Three Betfred Nifty 50 Lester Piggott Fillies’ Stakes (Formerly Known As The Pinnacle Stakes) (2.58pm). The four-year-old daughter of the stable’s smart Coronation Cup and

Champion Stakes winner Cracksman is clearly well-regarded by connections as she holds an entry in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe later in the season. She has only run four times so still

remains open to plenty of improvement. Shaha won over a mile at Southwell in October 2024 on her second career start and made a winning return stepped up to 1m4f in a Listed event at

Goodwood earlier this month. She appears to have progressed well and stayed on to score by a length-and-a-quarter from Scenic, who was a Listed winner at York last season. The likes of

Godolphin’s BEAUTIFUL LOVE and the David O’Meara-trained ESTRANGE are similarly progressive types, but Shaha can score again en route to potentially bigger and better things as the season

progresses. LEOVANNI, under Liverpool FC fan William Buick, can return with a victory in the Listed Betfred “The Classic Bookmaker” Achilles Stakes (2.23pm). Fellow Liverpool FC fan Karl

Burke’s speedy Kodi Bear filly was a winner of the Group Two Queen Mary Stakes at last year’s Royal Ascot. She failed to win in two further runs when stepped up to six furlongs – although

she was third in the Group Two Lowther Stakes at York. Dropping back to five furlongs and down to Listed company, she can return to winning ways on her seasonal reappearance especially

getting an age and sex allowance against all her rivals. Jim Goldie’s FAYLAQ can bring up a hat-trick of victories in the opener at Haydock, the Betfred “Play Fred’s £5 Million” Handicap

(GBBPlus Race) (1.13pm). The nine-year-old is thriving at present having won back-to-back at Hamilton over the past two weeks. He may be able to eek out another victory. Mick Appleby’s KODI

LION can make it third time lucky having been second on his last two starts at Doncaster and Ascot to return to winning ways in the Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Reverence Handicap

(1.48pm). Others who can triumph at Haydock are Ed Bethell’s OOLONG POOBONG – who was second at Newcastle earlier this month – in the Betfred ‘Join Our Sports Club’ Fillies’ Handicap

(4.08pm); and the Burrows-trained recent Windsor winner AL SHABIBI, also to be ridden by Buick in the finale, the Betfred “Bet Builder” Sankey Handicap (4.43pm). At Chester the Hugo

Palmer-trained BOX TO BOX – from the nearby Manor House Stables of former Liverpool FC and England star Michael Owen – can give the Cheshire yard a home win in the Seat Unique Handicap

(GBBPlus Race) (3.55pm). Roger Varian’s BOBBY BENNU – a winner on the Roodee last June and a decent third at Wolverhampton in January – can make his seasonal return a winning one in the

Ladbrokes Handicap (2.10pm). Another course scorer, the Charlie Johnston-trained DREAMS ADOZEN – who was fourth at the Chester May Festival at the start of the month – can return to winning

ways in the King Kabs Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (3.20pm). Ollie Sangster’s progressive three-year-old filly NAZUKI – who has won twice on the all-weather at Southwell – can take advantage of a

good draw in stall two to score again in the Kids Pass Fillies’ Handicap (4.30pm). Others who can triumph on the Roodee are the Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole-trained PRINCESS AMBER in

the Radnor Hills Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (GBB Race) (1.35pm); Richard Fahey’s COME ON OVER in the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes (GBB Race) (2.45pm); TOO DON JUAN, from the Ralph

Beckettt stable, in Division One of the Going Is Good Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (5.05pm); and in Division Two of the Going Is Good Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (5.35pm), Julie Camacho’s DIVINE

LEGACY. At York the Gosdens’ SUENO, who was fourth behind stable-mate Shaha at Goodwood, can give that form a boost with victory in the Group Three William Hill Bronte Cup Fillies’ Stakes

(2.25pm). Tim Easterby’s veteran DANZAN can return to winning ways in the opener, the William Hill Keep Your Raceday Positive Handicap (1.30pm). Others who can score on the Knavesmire are

Nigel Tinkler’s course and distance winner DURAN in the William Hill Extra Place Races Daily Handicap (2.40pm); the Andrew Balding-trained WHITE CROWN STAR in the Reg Bond “Always And

Forever” Handicap (3.50pm); Karl Burke’s TELE RED in the finale, the William Hill Epic Boost Handicap (5pm); and the unbeaten twice-raced MUNSIF, from the Varian stable, in the Royal

Yorkshire Regiment Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (4.25pm). WRIGHT ONES HAYDOCK PARK 1.13pm Faylaq 1.48pm Kodi Lion 2.23pm Leovanni 2.58pm Shaha (NAP) 3.33pm Alyanaabi 4.08pm Oolong Poobong 4.43pm

Al Shababi YORK 1.30pm Danzan 2.05pm Art Lover 2.40pm Duran 3.15pm Sueno 3.50pm White Crown Star 4.25pm Munsif 5pm Tele Red CHESTER 1.35pm Princess Amber 2.10pm Bobby Bennu 2.45pm Come On

Over 3.20pm Dreams Adozen 3.55pm Box To Box 4.30pm Nazuki 5.05pm Too Don Juan 5.35pm Divine Legacy STRATFORD 5.30pm Old Bridge 6pm Mary 6.30pm Northern Rose 7pm Jo’s Rainbow 7.30pm Bethpage

8pm Stans The Man 8.30pm Romanor 9pm Hillsin LINGFIELD 5.40pm Golden Phase 6.10pm Cavalry Call 6.40pm Twilight Star 7.10pm Private Project 7.40pm Blue Wonder 8.10pm City Cyclone 8.40pm

Spanish Star SOUTHWELL 4.20pm Street Life 4.55pm Master Zack 5.25pm Alligator Alley 5.55pm L’Eagle Aid 6.25pm Understudy 6.55pm Kingdom Of Time 7.25pm Sam’s Hope SUNDAY'S NAP:

Signcastle City (Chelmsford City 5.15pm)