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Horse Power: Ramazan can win the John Of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock Park

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Horse Power: Ramazan can win the John Of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock Park

RAMAZAN can win the Betfred John Of Gaunt Stakes (3.35pm) at Haydock Park on Saturday afternoon.

Richard Fahey’s progressive four-year-old can take the step up to Group Three company in his stride and land the feature on Merseyside. The gelded son of Kodiac has won on both his previous trips to Haydock and has generally been consistent in some top handicaps over the past couple of seasons. He is still open to improvement and looks a real seven-furlong specialist. While he has run well on most conditions so any worsening of the ground would not inconvenience Ramazan.




Ramazan won at Haydock over six furlongs as a juvenile and also scored over this course and distance in a handicap last July. He has won one – at Chepstow – and been runner-up four times in his six starts since that success. A fine second in the Ayr Gold Cup over six furlongs was followed by a narrow nose defeat by Vafortino in a Listed contest over seven furlongs at Redcar. Ramazan has also been runner-up on his two starts this season in a conditions event at Thirsk on his seasonal return and then another narrow defeat in the Victoria Cup at Ascot last month. That competitive contest shows both his well-being and his ability. And stepping up into Group company Ramazan can make it third time lucky this season and land a deserved success.

Others who could go close are Richard Hannon’s Witch Hunter, the Ed Bethell-trained Point Lynas and Noble Dynasty – for Godolphin trainer Charlie Appley and jockey and Liverpool FC fan William Buick.

SEA THEME can give trainer Willie Haggas a third win in a row in the Group Three Betfred Lester Piggott Fillies’ Stakes (Formerly Known As The Pinnacle Stakes) (3pm). Since the race has changed it’s name from the Pinnacle Stakes to honour legendary rider Lester Piggott, Haggas has had the two winners. It is pretty apt as Maureen Haggas, who is the trainer’s wife and assistant, is Piggott’s daughter. And the stable clearly target the contest with Sea La Rosa and Sea Silk Road winning the last two runnings of the near 1m4f contest.

Like those two fillies, Sea Theme is a daughter of Sea The Stars and has a similarly progressive profile. The four-year-old won two of her four starts last season, including a Listed event over 1m4f at York in August. Although she disapointed on her final start in a Group Three at Newmarket last September, she will have been targeted at this contest ever since. Following a break, she will be ready to go on her seasonal return and can give Haggas a third win in a row. Both Sea La Rosa and Sea Silk Road went on to score at the top level and Sea Theme is sure to be aimed at similar Group One contests should she also triumph on Merseyside.

With a run under his belt Adam West’s Nunthorpe Stakes hero LIVE IN THE DREAM can return to winning ways in the Listed Betfred Passionate About Sport Achilles Stakes (1.50pm) back at Haydock. The five-year-old gelded son of Prince Of Lir landed his and his trainer’s biggest career victory in the Group One Nunthorpe at York last August. And he ran a fine race to be a close-up fourth at the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita in November. He was probably just a little short of fitness on his seasonal return but still ran another good race when a half-length second to Kerdos over course and distance in the Group Two Betfred Temple Stakes two weeks ago. Dropped down in grade and with that run under his belt, he can return to winning ways before bigger targets at the top level later in the season.

MAGHLAAK can bounce back to make it two wins from three runs this season in the Betfred ‘Play Fred’s 5 Million’ Handicap (2.25pm). Charlie Hills’ five-year-old won on his seasonal return at Goodwood at the start of last month but was disappointing in seventh when sent off favourite for the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar a couple of weeks ago. He is better than that and can resume winning ways stepped up in trip to 1m4f.

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