Group Three John Of Gaunt Stakes Haydock Guide 2023

Tim Easterby sends one runner to this Haydock contest on Saturday with Boardman. The seven-year-old has already raced five times in 2023, winning on his most recent outing at Chester last month in a class two handicap by three lengths. This will be his first foray into grouped company in his career, after several runs at class two level in the last couple of years. He has managed four wins in that time, and Easterby now thinks he’s ready for this type of company.

Much tougher test for this Kingman gelding into group three territory, but not completely ruled out against some out of form runners. Phil Dennis does the steering.

Leon and Troy Corstens send their seven-year-old The Astrologist to the John Of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock on Saturday for his third run of 2023. The gelding began the year with a second-place finish in the Group One Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan in March, a head behind winner Danyah before finishing seventh in the Group Two Duke Of York Clipper Stakes at York last month, when priced at 8/1. That run was probably a little disappointing after his performance at Meydan, but he has a chance to rectify that here.

A lot of the runners in this contest are hoping to bounce back from some indifferent form, but he has a part to play down in class here. Ryan Moore will do the steering.

Eve Johnson Houghton sends one runner to this event at Haydock on Saturday with Jumby. The five-year-old last recorded victory in the Group Two Hungerford Stakes at Newbury back in August last year but has failed to finish in the top four of races since, including Group Three Abernant Stakes (fifth) and the Group One Lockinge Stakes most recently (11th of 12). This New Bay horse’s best days seem to be in the past but a return to group three company could help.

Probably has more of a chance here but needs to show some of that form in the past if Jumby is to win here. Charles Bishop is booked to ride.

Karl Burke boasts one runner in the John Of Gaunt Stakes in the form of El Caballo. The four-year-old entered 2023 with six wins in eight runs, including the Group Two Sandy Lane Stakes here in May last year and the Listed Coral Spring Cup Stakes at Lingfield, but on his last two outings, he finished 18th of 20 in the Group One Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and last of ten in the Listed Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster on reappearance in April.

Much like a few here, running in this company gives him more opportunity but this looks a competitive race with most runners searching for form.

Stan Moore sends one to the John Of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock on Saturday with The Wizard Of Eye. The four-year-old arrives at Haydock on the back of some below-par runs this term, following a third-place finish at Newcastle with finishes of sixth and ninth at Haydock (Listed Trophy Stakes) and Newbury last time out (Group One Lockinge Stakes). This colt won the Listed Hyde Stakes at Kempton back in November but has largely struggled at this sort of level over the last year or so.

Much like the others here, this looks easier, but he will need to go better than he has done since that Kempton win last year.

Charlie Fellows sends one runner to the John Of Gaunt Stakes in the form of market outsider Gorak. The four-year-old has never run at this level before, only running twice at class three level in his career but does come here on the back of winning a class three handicap here last month by a neck to Ffion. That adds to a couple of runner-up finishes at Chester and Leicester this term but faces an uphill task on grouped debut here.

Gorak is priced at around 66/1 for this contest and while he would be a very unlikely winner, you cannot completely rule him out here.