Only one Irish-trained horse in over half a century has won Haydock’s Group One Betfair Sprint Cup, but My Mate Alfie will try to put that statistic right on Saturday.
It is My Mate Alfie’s first start outside Ireland and he takes on a bumper field of 16 opponents with Gary Carroll taking the ride.
Trainer Ger Lyons usually prefers to focus his efforts domestically and it is 14 years since his sole top-flight success to date in Britain with Lightening Pearl in the Cheveley Park Stakes.
My Mate Alfie was prolific last season but has yet to score in four starts so far this term, including when runner-up to Bucanero Fuerte at the Curragh last time.
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Perhaps the most pertinent stat of all is how Gordon Lord Byron (2013) remains the only Irish winner of the race since Vincent O’Brien’s Abergwaun in 1972.
My Mate Alfie will have to overcome some established sprinting names, none more than the French star Lazzat. He followed up a Royal Ascot victory with a good second at Deauville last time.
“It’s a very different feeling when you bring a Group One horse as a favourite and everyone is waiting for you to fail. That’s a lot of pressure, but he could be the champion of the year and that’s very important for the team,” Lazzat’s trainer Jerome Reynier said.
Time For Sandals is another Group One Royal Ascot winner and is one of a trio of three-year-old fillies in the race.
My Mate Alfie’s usual jockey Colin Keane is also in cross-channel action on Saturday, partnering Kalpana in Kempton in her prep for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
The Group Three September Stakes was used in the past by the Arc stalwart Enable to prepare for Longchamp and Juddmonte’s latest star filly will face a handful of opponents.
They include last year’s Hong Kong Vase winner Giavellotto who will be ridden by Oisin Murphy. He partnered Kalpana in her last start when runner-up to Calandagan in the King George. Keane missed that date due to suspension.
Ireland’s champion jockey will team up with Michael O’Callaghan in Kempton’s other Group Three prize on the all-weather Sirenia Stakes for Ninth Crusade.
The Kodiac colt won on his debut at Wolverhampton but failed to fire when travelling cross-channel again at Newcastle in June. Ger Lyons’ Love Lockdown was the last Irish-trained winner of the Sirenia in 2009.
Navan hosts the sole domestic weekend action on Saturday where Wayne Lordan has a full book of eight rides.
On Friday, the Derby winning jockey failed in his appeal to the British Horseracing Authority against a 10-day whip ban that rules him out Irish Champions Festival. Lordan will be on the sidelines between September 9th and 18th.
His best spin at Navan could come on the Ballydoyle colt Saratoga in the concluding 10-furlong maiden. The half-brother to top stayers Capri and Tower Of London found only Slaney Drive too good on his belated return to action this season at the Curragh. He still holds entries in the English and Irish Legers as well as Ascot’s Long-Distance Cup.
Dylan Browne McMonagle will hope to extend his lead at the top of the jockeys championship with seven rides at Navan. They include the recent Naas winner Fresh Fade. He showed a good attitude at Naas and will relish any drying out of the ground. Apprentice Freya Frain has her first ride on the Ballydoyle hope Cactus in the same conditions event.
