Haydock Saturday Preview

Sir Michael Stoute’s highly rated Telescope holds some ambitious future engagements including the Juddmonte International Stakes and the Champion Stakes. If he is to justify those entries he must put up an impressive display in Saturday’s Group 3 Rose of Lancaster Stakes.

The son of Galileo was touted as a leading Derby contender earlier in the season but suffered a few minor injuries that kept him off the track until last month. He finally reappeared in a three-runner race at Leicester where he was driven out to record a 24-length success.

Godolphin’s City Style is the pick of the opposition on official ratings but the seven-year-old will be making his seasonal debut after racing in Dubai in the spring. A bigger danger may be Lady Cecil’s Noble Mission who was last seen finishing a fair fourth at Royal Ascot.

Stoute and stable jockey Ryan Moore could be in line for a big-race double when Ultrasonic lines up for the Listed Dick Hern Fillies’ Stakes at 3.25. The four-year-old has yet to win this season but has put up some decent efforts, notably when an unlucky third to Gifted Girl at Pontefract.

Charlie Appleby has got off to a flying start in his training career and he saddles the exciting prospect Expressly. The chestnut filly won very impressively at Ascot on her debut and looks the pick of the three Godolphin runners.

The meeting gets under way at 1.45 with Moore again in the hot seat when he partners easy Goodwood winner Ascription. Hugo Palmer’s gelding bolted up by four and a half lengths at the Sussex track but now races off an 11lbs higher mark.

Strictly on the book, Invincible Hero should have the measure of Ascription as he is 10lbs better off than when beating him half a length at Nottingham in May. However, Declan Carroll’s gelding has been beaten in all five subsequent starts.

William Haggas is turning himself into the handicap king this season and the grey Danchai bids to follow up his Magnet Cup success in the 2.20. Niceofyoutotellme was bitterly disappointing that day and the hood is applied in an effort to recapture the sparkle of his excellent win at Newmarket.

Labarinto ran well at Goodwood but is difficult to win with and a safer option could be the progressive Sennockian Star from Mark Johnston’s in-form stable. He is up 6lbs for his recent Ascot victory but the form has been boosted by the third home, Viewpoint.