Alan Dudman's Big Race Verdict: Keep the faith with returning Anmaat at Haydock

• No Almaqam, but Anmaat has shortened this week

• Bracken's Laugh a key rival

• Alan Dudman previews Saturday's Group 3 Rose Of Lancaster Stakes

• Get a FREE bet every time your team scores a goal in August!

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Saturday Ryan Moore Superboost

The feature race across the UK and Ireland on Saturday is the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.

Betfair ambassador Ryan Moore has six rides across the card but his best chance on the day looks to be on the odds-on favourite in the 16:35.

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Listen to Racing Only Bettor Saturday Tips...

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Previous winner Anmaat strong on the Sportsbook

There are a couple of factors you like to see when you've put a bet up for a weekend race, and I'm pleased to see not only Anmaat in for the the Rose Of Lancaster Stakes on Saturday, but also his strength in the betting.

I made him a standout tip in Tuesday's Antepost column at 11/43.75, and he's now 15/82.88.

That price has contracted mainly due to Almaqam not in the declarations having held an entry on Tuesday, but I said at the time the prices looked wrong as Almaqam was beaten in the 2,000 Guineas easily and had but a Listed win to his name.

Anmaat is a super smooth horse to watch and I've revisited the replay of his Duke Of Lancaster Stakes victory in 2022 - and as Nastenka often said in Dostoyevsky's White Nights: "Oh what joy".

His passage was thus: settled mid div, travelled easily, three furlongs to go - motored, two furlongs to go - gone. Payout.

He was the only horse to clock a sub 12-second sectional at the ninth, and the only horse to clock a sub 13-second sectional in the tenth furlong.

Grocer Jack was 4L behind in second rated 118 and the Godolphin horse Passion And Glory (rated 112) was a distance behind in sixth.

I would suggest with only one three-year-old in the field and the veteran Lord North in here, that the 2022 renewal was stronger.

Obviously the lay-off of 440 days comes into it as he missed the Coral Eclipse through a setback in his preparation, but his trainer Owen Burrows has said there still could be more to come from him.

His trainer said: "It will be great to see him back and all being well he'll run a nice race and we can start planning then for the rest of the year. He needed his first run last year in the Gordon Richards behind Adayar when he had a penalty and I'm sure it will be similar this time, but as long as he runs a nice race and shows his old enthusiasm we can look forward then."

I don't dwell too much on these pre-race quotes, as saying "running a nice race" could mean anything and covers all bases.

Hard facts tell us he's a Group 1 horse, top rated here and possibly still to achieve his peak. And at least with this selection the ground holds no fears.

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Where are the three-year-olds?

Not a single horse from the Classic generation was represented in this race 24 months ago behind Anmaat, although there was sole representative last year with Midnight Mile - who subsequently moved to America. It's a common occurrence in the great game.

A pair of three-year-olds filled first and second spot in 2021 and the classy Intilaaq won it in 2015. So it can be done.

And it brings us on nicely to Richard Hughes' Bracken's Laugh - the only runner this year from the three-year-old range and in concession of a big weight swing, and well done to Hughes from not ducking and diving out of races trying to find an easy spot.

He's a classy operator what we've seen so far with a second in the Dee Stakes and a subsequent fifth in the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot.

Like most at Ascot that week, he would have found the ground rattling fast, and my gut feeling is that he wants some ease in the ground, although a nice flat track like Haydock with an emphasis on speed will suit him.

The Hampton Court seemed to be the number one target for Hughes, who said before the Royal week: "Bracken's Laugh has done nothing wrong all year and this has always been the plan. He's had two lovely prep races and goes there in great form."

And that must be a new thing - two prep races.

I don't think the 5/16.00 on the Sportsbook is the worst price ever for an improving three-year-old, but I'd want to see rain for him.

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Will ageing North be able to lord it over his rivals?

Lord North has been a fine servant for his trainer and owners, but has never really achieved elite status, although you could call him anything you like if I owned him as he has netted over £6million in prize money.

He's like a hydra as he keeps coming back, but one has to wonder whether he is quite the horse of old. His rating is down from 120 to 113 these days and he was thumped at Royal Ascot behind Auguste Rodin.

The Dubai Turf has got his name on it as a multiple winner of that race, and considering he failed to defend his crown in the Winter Derby at Southwell, that form shouldn't be anywhere near good enough to trouble a peak Anmmat.

Kieran Shoemark might try and dictate here, and he is certainly one of the potential pace angles.

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Haggas in a red hot spell at the moment

I've often heard some pundits on TV say x or y trainer is in form - and heard one such comment with a yard operating at about 6%.

There's that form, and Haggas form, as at the moment William is flying, and he truly is with a 42% strike-rate in the last two weeks and has won nine races with his last 13 runners (at the time of writing on Friday).

Al Aasy won this race 12 months ago for Haggas, but Goodwood came calling for him so it's Al Mubhir.

He has been promoted out of the handicap ranks and a Listed race for a crack at something fancy, but the caveat with him is much like Adeybb for Haggas (a previous winner), he needs some cut in the ground.

Any bet on him or forecast plays might be worth holding fire until Saturday morning, as while he won at Sandown last time on officially good ground, he's best with rain.

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Certain Lad tries again for Rose Of Lancaster honours

Jack Channon's Certain Lad is priced at 6/17.00, but he was a little uneasy on the Sportsbook on Friday afternoon with a drift from an earlier 9/25.50.

Channon must love this hardy old fella, who is rated 112 and produced one of his best runs last time in France at Compiegne.

He has finished third and second in this race previously although didn't run in the contest 12 months ago. He likes Haydock, seems fairly versatile with ground (although does a lot of his racing on soft) and would be of interest as an each-way play if we had more runners.

"Certain Lad has been a brilliant horse for us the last few years and he's been in great form since France, we've just been waiting for some decent ground that overlaps with the right race for him," said Channon of the eight-year-old.

"Haydock is a course that suits him down to the ground, he has a great record there and if the ground is good then it will be perfect for him and I think he goes there with a great chance."

In short, an honest customer that lacks the class of Anmaat, but another who might be leading with Lord North.

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Now read more tips from Betfair's team of racing writers ahead of the weekend

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