Sprint star Lazzat aiming for victorious Ascot return

Jerome Reynier’s Lazzat is bidding to return to winning form as he reappears at the scene of his former Ascot glory in the Qipco British Champions Sprint.

The French-trained four-year-old contested the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes in June, triumphing over the Japanese contender Satono Reve under owner Wathnan Racing’s retained rider James Doyle.

He has been seen twice since that victory, once when narrowly missing out in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville and then when fifth in the Sprint Cup at Haydock.

Reynier said: “Lazzat has had a busy campaign and at Royal Ascot he was unreal. He was very good that day.

“He had a very tough battle against the Japanese contender and they beat the course record, I was a bit scared that race was going to be a bit tough on him but mentally and physically he was still the same.

“We were aiming for the Prix Maurice de Gheest and we were quite disappointed to be beaten, but Sajir that day was very good and if you take him out of the race, it would be have a very good battle with Woodshauna.

“At Haydock he ran a good race but he was drawn in the middle and there was a big draw bias to the outside, he wasn’t beaten too far but he was always under pressure and that’s not the way he is usually.

“This time he seems spot on and we can only be hopeful with him because he’s working so well and he looks great.

“He’s fit, he’s happy and now he needs to show the world he is the best European sprinter on Saturday.”

When Lazzat finished fifth in the Sprint Cup there were two Wathnan-owned horses ahead of him, with the James Fanshawe-trained Kind Of Blue second and Andrew Balding’s Flora Of Bermuda in third.

Both line up at Ascot for their respective trainers, with Balding saying of his contender: “She’s drawn in stall one so we just hope there is a draw bias to the far side which can help her.

“It doesn’t give us many options with what we do from there. She’s been placed in three or four Group Ones now and been unlucky in a few, she really deserves to have her day in the sunshine and I would love to think it could be Saturday.”

Richard Brown, racing manager to the owner, added of last year’s winner Kind Of Blue: “They say he’s in the form of his life at home and absolutely bouncing. He was impressive in this last year and we really hope he can run a big race.”

Mick Appleby’s Big Mojo was the Sprint Cup winner at Haydock, and he rolls the dice at Ascot from stall 20.

“The ground is looking good for us but whether we’re drawn on the right side or not, I don’t know,” the trainer said.

“We’ve just got to hope it will favour the stands side.

“He’s in great order and all has been good since Haydock, so he’s going there well. If anything is to hold him back, I think it will be the draw.

“Tom (Marquand) is back on board and missed out at Haydock but hopefully he can get the win on him this time, he gets on really well with him. Hopefully we can get some luck.”

Appleby feels victory in the race would endow Big Mojo with a similarly exalted reputation as his former speedy stablemate Big Evs, who was four times a Group winner over five furlongs.

He added: “I think if he wins this he steps out of Big Evs’ shadow. Big Mojo is a bit more versatile than Big Mojo who was all five furlongs, whereas Mojo can go five or six and is probably a bit better at six.

“He’s going to stay in training next season and hopefully he gets the job done Saturday, but I think he will improve again next year.”

William Haggas’ Montassib, fifth in the race last season, tries his luck again with Kevin Ryan’s Inisherin and Tim Easterby’s 2023 winner Art Power other notable contenders in a field of 19.