Owens Burrows would love to see "yard favourite" Minzaal shine in the Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes at Haydock on Saturday.
The four-year-old finished third behind John Quinn's Highfield Princess in the Duke of York Stakes in May, after which he bounced back from a disappointing Platinum Jubilee run with a smart Group Three victory in the Hackwood at Newbury in July.
The bay son of Mehmas then set sail for Deauville to contest the Prix Maurice de Gheest, a Group One in which he crossed paths with Highfield Princess once again and this time came home just three-quarters of a length behind her as the runner up.
Highfield Princess then went on to a storming success in the Nunthorpe at York, a performance that left Minzaal’s two encounters with her looking even more impressive ahead of his Sprint Cup tilt.
"We’ve been very pleased with him since France, I think he goes there with a favourite’s chance," said Burrows.
"Highfield Princess is something else, she certainly franked the form. She seems to be versatile over five, six and seven. We got to three-quarters of a length from her and I think she won the Nunthorpe by two and half – it certainly boosted our form anyway.
"The sprinters tend to beat one another on their given days, Naval Crown beat us at Royal Ascot and was behind us in France. We’ve still got a bit to find on the ratings with him, so it’ll be tough – these races always are.
"He’s been placed in Group Ones at two, three and four. He’s yet to get his head in front in one and of course I’d love to have another Group One winner. He’s a yard favourite and having been so consistent he certainly deserves it."
Third in the Maurice de Gheest was David Evans’ Rohaan, who landed the Wokingham at Royal Ascot and heads to Haydock,
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