Weekend Preview/Review
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Phil Thompson /
27 May 2011 /
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Haydock Park provides the pick of Saturday’s action with the Group 3 Timeform Jury Stakes

“The pick of Sunday’s action is undoubtedly the listed Saval Beg Stakes in which four-time Group 1 winner Fame And Glory steps up in trip to tackle last season’s Ascot Gold Cup victor Rite of Passage”

Timeform look over this weekend’s racing, the pick of which is the Jury Stakes at Haydock on Saturday…

With the Derby now a week away and the build-up slowly gathering pace, we could be forgiven for looking past this weekend’s racing. However, this Saturday provides a whole host of quality racing all over Britain and Ireland, with a number of races looking sure to have an impact on events later in the season.

The pick of the seven meetings taking place on Saturday has to be at Haydock Park, which provides a quality seven-race card that includes two listed events and the Group 3 Timeform Jury Stakes.

The latter event, registered as The John of Gaunt Stakes, is the pick of the day’s action, and features dual Group 1 winner and smart-performer Regal Parade as well as regular pattern race performers The Cheka, High Standing and Shakespearean.

Haydock also hosts the 6f Sandy Lane Stakes, a listed event for three-year-old sprinters, and an 11 furlong listed event for fillies. The latter race features a strong line-up with the likes of dual Group 2 winner Crystal Capella, Henry Cecil’s unbeaten Vita Nova and Meeznah, who finished second past the post in last year’s Oaks prior to her disqualification.

Newmarket also stages an interesting Saturday card that includes a valuable three-year-old sprint and the listed Fairway Stakes run over a 1¼m, the latter won in recent times by subsequent Group winners Palavicini, Lucarno and Red Rocks.

Although the main action is centred around the Flat on Saturday, with further competitive meetings at Catterick, Navan and Beverley, the latter card including the Continental Two Year Old Trophy, where a number of the juveniles involved also hold Royal Ascot ambitions. National Hunt fans will also be able to take in Cartmel and Stratford in the evening.

On Sunday the main action takes place at Leopardstown, and includes the Group 3 Ballycorus Stakes, in which the Aidan O’Brien-trained Zoffany makes his belated seasonal debut after missing the Irish 2000 Guineas due to being diagnosed with Colic in the lead up to the race.

However, the pick of Sunday’s action is undoubtedly the listed Saval Beg Stakes in which four-time Group 1 winner Fame And Glory steps up in trip to tackle last season’s Ascot Gold Cup victor Rite of Passage, who is making his seasonal debut enroute to another crack at the Ascot showpiece. With last year’s Ebor Handicap winner Dirar and previous listed-winner Fictional Account also thrown in for good measure, it looks set to be a fascinating clash that looks set to cause ripple’s in the betting market for the premier stayers’ event at Royal Ascot in June.

Back on these shores, we are treated to National Hunt action at Uttoxeter and Fontwell, and Flat enthusiasts can look forward to an eight-race card at Nottingham.

Timeform Jury Stakes: Haydock, Saturday, 15:35

Haydock stage a top-quality card for the second week running, the highlight of which is Saturday’s Timeform Jury Stakes. Timeform’s Paul Robson runs the rule over the field……

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