Haydock preview: Achilles Stakes (15.10)

Music Master has some top class form to his name, and can take advantage of a drop in class and land the Achilles Stakes at Haydock (15.10).

The Henry Candy trained five-year-old developed into a very sort last season when showing progressive form to climb the sprinting ranks.

After easily landing a conditions’ contest at Windsor on his seasonal reappearance, Music Master went on to run a stormer at Royal Ascot when finishing a 2 3/4 length fourth of 14 to the brilliant Slade Power in the Group 1 Diamond Jubliee Stakes.

The son of Piccolo then got back on the winning trail in a Group 3 contest at Newbury, before rounding off the campaign with an excellent third of 17 to G Force in a Group 1 contest over 6f at this venue.

Music Master was then off the track for 222 days before shaping really well on seasonal reappearance at Newmarket last month when a running on 1 3/4 length third of 11 to Astaire in the Group 3 Abernant Stakes.

That run suggested that Music Master was in for a good campaign, and he is sure to come on a bundle for the outing.

This Listed contest also represents the easiest opportunity Music Master has faced for some time, and on the form of his runs behind Slade Power and G Force he is going to be very hard to beat.

Pretend has looked potentially high class on the all-weather in recent months and is a big player if proving as effective on turf.