Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Crown can triumph
NAVAL Crown can put a disappointing effort behind him and claim a second Group One verdict in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock today.
Charlie Appleby’s charge has found his niche dropped back to sprint distances this year, having been tried over longer in the past, most notably when finishing fourth in last year’s 2,000 Guineas.
Trying six furlongs for the first time at Meydan in March, he ran a cracker to finish a two-length fourth behind A Case Of You in the Al Quoz Sprint and showed that was no fluke when running out a surprise 33-1 winner of the Platinum Jubilee at Royal Ascot.
He found Alcohol Free just a touch too good subsequently in the July Cup and while he has to turn around Prix Maurice de Gheest form with Minzaal here, Naval Crown was a bit keen that day and patently was not at his best in finishing fifth.
Naval Crown has reserved his best for quicker going, so a better surface may suit, but if it does rain the Godolphin runner can at least handle some cut.
Stablemate Naval Power also turns out at Haydock and it will be a surprise if he is beaten in the Betfair Daily Tips On Betting Betfair Ascendant Stakes.
Unbeaten in three, he graduated to Listed level in style with a six-anda-half-length romp at Ascot and a penalty should not stop him.
Reach For The Moon returns after his Royal Ascot flop in the Best Odds
On The Betfair Exchange Superior Mile Stakes.
The ten furlongs of the Hampton Court Stakes looked beyond him as Claymore repelled his challenge with ease, so moving back to a trip we know is within his scope looks the right move.
Korker enjoyed no luck at Beverley last week and cannot be ruled out of the Betfair Be Friendly Handicap, while David and Nicola Barron’s Contact can return to winning ways in the Betfair Exchange Old Borough Cup off the same mark which he was placed at Royal Ascot.
Dubai Honour is a tentative selection for the Unibet September Stakes as he has not been firing on all cylinders so far this term.
His nine-length defeat the hands of brilliant stablemate Baaeed in the Juddmonte International was fair enough, but his narrow reverse previously at the hands of Sir Busker was something of a surprise, although it does not look that big a shock now Hopefully those two runs have got his to concert pitch and while the all-weather surface is a question mark, the conditions of the race favour him greatly.
Appleby should also be on the mark in Sunbury with hat-trick seeker Mischief Magic in the Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Sirenia Stakes. He makes the leap to Group Three level.