Saturday: Betfair Sprint Cup, Haydock

Minzaal has long promised to deliver a Group 1 for his connections, and he did that in brilliant style by romping to victory in Haydock’s Betfair Sprint Cup on Saturday.

Trained by Owen Burrows and ridden by Jim Crowley, Minzaal travelled well and hit the front a furlong from home but stayed on powerfully to record an impressive victory.

He returned at 7-2, while last year’s winner Emaraaty Ana was second at 7-1 with Rohaan, another 7-1 chance, third.

A 140,000gns yearling, Minzaal is owned by Shadwell, whose late supremo Hamdan Al Maktoum set up Burrows as a private trainer in 2016.

The son Of Mehmas was smart at two and won the Gimcrack before finishing third in the Middle Park, but he suffered a setback turning three and did not appear until late last term.

He was third at the highest level in the British Champions Sprint Stakes, but his camp anticipated a better version of the sprinter at four and his most recent efforts – a win in Newbury’s Hackwood Stakes and second in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest – were judged his best on Racing Post Ratings.

 

Minzaal cut through his Sprint Cup rivals with ease - GROSSICK RACING

Building on those outings, he perhaps took his form to a new level when thumping his Haydock rivals by three and three-quarter lengths.

Crowley, the lucky rider of Baaeed, who is also owned by Shadwell, said: “He deserved that. He’s a remarkable horse because he’s so laid-back. The bell goes and he’s like a boxer, he just wakes up.

“He’s got a great temperament and it’s lovely to make him a Group 1 winner.

“The race went smoothly. He has been a bit slow away in the past, which might have cost him a couple of races, but he jumped nicely and they went a nice pace. He was always travelling comfortably and, as soon as he got the split, he was away and gone.

“He’s equally effective on good to soft as he is fast ground. The main aim is probably Champions Day now.”

Paddy Power and Betfair make Minzaal 5-2 (from 9-2) for the Ascot prize he was third in last year.

Burrows, who landed his first Group 1 when the now-sidelined Hukum struck in the Coronation Cup in June, has enjoyed a fine campaign, which was important given he will no longer be a salaried trainer in 2023.

He said: “I can’t really put it into words, all credit to the team back home. They’ve worked hard and we seem to be able to rock up on these Saturdays and get the job done, which is amazing.

“You soon forgotten in the game. We don’t have a lot of horses to run and big winners on a Saturday are hard to come by, but he deserved it. He was knocking on the door at two, and had an interrupted time last year. He ran a big race in France last time and that was a big performance there.

“He’s a pleasure to deal with and has a temperament to die for. For a sprinter, he’s so laid-back about life.”

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fonte : Racing Post