Talking Horses: Jumby’s big chance to outshine The Astrologist at Haydock

M ost horses with targets at Royal Ascot later this month will be ticking over until the meeting opens on 20 June, but Australian-trained sprinter The Astrologist thrives on racing and will have a late prep for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes in the John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock on Saturday.

Troy Corstens, who trains The Astrologist with his father, Leon, felt that the seven-year-old was short of fitness after an eight-week break when he finished down the field on his British debut in the Duke Of York Stakes last month.

Corstens will hope to see something much closer to The Astrologist’s top-class form in March’s Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai when he runs in Saturday’s seven-furlong Group Three. The decision to squeeze in another run will pitch his gelding in against some specialists at the trip, though, and Jumby (3.35) could be primed to take advantage.

He was outclassed when upped to a mile in the Group One Lockinge Stakes last month but he took a seven-furlong Group Two on quick ground with something to spare at Newbury last summer and has an obvious chance on Saturday if he is anywhere close to that form.

Haydock 1.15 Regional and Korker are closely matched on their form when first and second respectively in one of the strongest five-furlong handicaps of the season at York last month. Korker was finishing best of all there after being slow to stride and a price of around 10-1 could look very big if he can get away a little more speedily here.

Haydock 1.50 Mr Wagyu has progressed steadily this year and registered his best run of the campaign so far when third at Epsom last Saturday, form that gives him an obvious chance from the same mark.

Beverley 2.05 Andrew Balding’s juveniles tend to improve significantly for