Pinnacle Highlight On Saturday

[Wandering Eyes]

Sandwiched between Epsom’s Derby meeting and Royal Ascot, Saturday’s action is relatively low-key with Haydock staging the main events in Europe in the G3 Pinnacle S. and G3 John of Gaunt S. The former sees True Self (Ire) (Oscar {Ire}) bid to provide the Willie Mullins stable with further ammunition on the flat as she reverts to a mile and a half. The yard had an impressive winner at The Curragh on Friday evening in Micro Manage (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) and the 6-year-old mare who used to ply her trade over hurdles has won three listed races on the bounce including on her return in Gowran Park’s Vintage Tipple S. on May 8. “She won well at Gowran on her first run back and we’re hoping she’s capable of stepping up from that,” Mullins’s assistant David Casey said. “She’ll have improved plenty from the run, we think. She’s done nothing wrong and improved all way through last season on the flat, so we think she warrants the opportunity and we’re very happy with her.”

Facing True Self are the potentially progressive 4-year-olds Klassique (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who represents Yvonne Jacques and William Haggas and was runner-up in the Listed Daisy Warwick S. at Goodwood on May 4, and the G3 Princess Royal S. scorer Highgarden (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}).

The card’s John of Gaunt over seven furlongs features the track specialist Safe Voyage (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) who comes off a win in the course-and-distance May 11 Listed Spring Trophy. Trainer John Quinn has campaigned the 6-year-old expertly and is happy that conditions are ideal again. “We’re very happy with him, he’s in very good form and seems to really like Haydock and cut in the ground,” he said. “It’s a decent race, but he’s in good nick.” Among his opponents are last year’s G1 2000 Guineas runner-up Tip Two Win (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), the 2017 GI Shadwell Turf Mile hero Suedois (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) and Sir Dancealot (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}), who has lost his way since winning last year’s G2 Hungerford S. and G2 Lennox S.

Elsewhere, Royal Ascot clues could be available in Beverley’s Hilary Needler Trophy for 2-year-old fillies which formerly enjoyed listed status and was once won by Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}). The unraced Richard Fahey representative Moon of Love (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) is favourite, which suggests she has been showing all the right signs at home. Her owner Peter Swann said, “She’ll probably end up favourite on Saturday, but she is a horse we are very excited about. It’s not going to be easy against horses that have already raced, but Richard likes her a lot.”

While there is a lack of black-type action, there is plenty of intrigue in Britain and Ireland. At Navan, Ballydoyle’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Goddess (Camelot {GB}) reappears in the closing Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race over a mile which will be her first start since her flop in the G3 Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown in July. Newmarket’s six-furlong novice contest for 2-year-olds sees the half-sister to Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), Daily Times (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), debut for owner-breeder Allan Belshaw and John Gosden.

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