JUMBY can win the Sky Bet John Of Gaunt Stakes (3.35pm) at Haydock Park on Saturday afternoon.
Eve Johnson Houghton’s five-year-old looks to have all the right conditions to land the Group Three feature at the Merseyside track. Jumby’s best efforts have been on this firmer surface in the past most notably when landing the Group Two BetVictor Hungerford Stakes at Newbury last August. Jumby has not won since, but has mostly been running at a slightly higher level than this Group Three contest. He was unusually slowly away in the six-furlong Abernant Stakes at Newmarket on his return to action, so to be beaten less than three lengths in fifth was still a decent effort. The mile and the Group One company in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes when 11th of 12 behind Modern Games back at Newbury last time were probably too much. But back down to seven furlongs and into Group Three level on the highly likely quick ground means he has a big chance of another victory.
Jumby also ran two fine races when third in big-field handicaps last season – the six-furlong Wokingham at Royal Ascot and the seven-furlong Bunbury Cup at Newmarket – so is battle-hardened. So with everything seemingly in place he can land the John Of Gaunt and book a possibly return to Royal Ascot for the Jersey Stakes.
