Saturday Review

Clive Cox has been involved with some top-class sprinters in recent times and the Lambourn trainer enjoyed another terrific day at Haydock with two of his latest speedsters. Harry Angel, who won the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury last Autumn, captured the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes with a devastating display. Runner-up on his reappearance at Ascot last month, the son of Dark Angel trounced his six rivals by upwards of four and a half lengths. The Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot is next and the six furlongs event is threatening to be one of the races of the meeting with Blue Point and Caravaggio expected to be in opposition. On this evidence, Harry Angel is all set to play a leading role next month.

Priceless emulated stablemate Profitable's victory twelve months earlier in the Group 2 Temple Stakes on the same card. A Listed winner at Bath on her reappearance, the daughter of Exceed And Excel had only finished fifth in the Palace House Stakes at HQ but she produced a career best to get the better of Goldream by half a length. The King's Stand Stakes will be her next for her.

Another trainer who had a day to remember was William Haggas with the head of Somerville Lodge sending out a handful of winners. Dal Harraild was back to his best in the Listed Grand Cup at York having run below par in the John Porter Stakes on his seasonal return. Haggas is thinking in terms of the Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup before a tilt at the Melbourne Cup in November. Fast ground is the key to the progressive four year old and he appears to have plenty more to offer. Fastnet Tempest followed up his Victoria Cup win by coming from last to first to win another competitive handicap at Chester under Franny Norton. The four year old enjoyed a trouble free passage along the far rail before running on strongly to win going away by a neck. He is seeking a sufficient rise in the ratings to book his place in the Royal Hunt Cup. Another from the stable who is evidently Ascot bound is winning juvenile Headway. Runner-up on his debut at Newbury, the Havana Gold colt confirmed the promise with a ready three lengths win on the Roodeye. The Coventry Stakes is expected to be next and he shouldn't be underestimated because he is held in high regard.

It was another frustrating day for the Top 40 with a couple of seconds and a third from four runners. Bounce was denied by half a length in the Listed Cecil Frail Stakes at Haydock. Henry Candy's team are in excellent form and the Bahamian Bounty filly deserves to win something similar after two good runs this term. Chessman also filled the runners-up berth at the Merseyide track. An unlucky second on his reappearance at Newbury, a similar fate awaited him here with his rider somehow managing to find plenty of traffic problems, despite the fact there were only five runners. A fast finishing neck second behind Silent Echo, he should have won. The third Mojito will benefit from the run against two race fit rivals and William Haggas' charge will appreciate a return to a mile. He remains a promising individual.

Ebbesbourne (12/1) in the Stable Gossip and Theydon Grey (5/1) in Significant Sales sections were a couple of nice priced winnners for Ahead On The Flat though.