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Liverpool Echo

Sport

Chris Wright

Horse Power: King's Lynn can win the Temple Stakes at Haydock Park

Andrew Balding Haydock Haydock Park Merseyside Royal Ascot (Organization)

KING'S LYNN can win the Cazoo Temple Stakes (3.45pm) for The Queen at Haydock Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Andrew Balding-trained five-year-old can go one better than at Chester last time to upset favourite Winter Power in the Group Two feature on Merseyside. And he can book his ticket to the King’s Stand Stakes and bid to give Her Majesty a Royal Ascot winner in her Platinum Jubilee year next month.

The Temple Stakes looks a really high-class contest and Tim Easterby’s Nunthorpe Stakes heroine Winter Power returns to action and will be in the firing line again, as well as Twilight Calls from the Henry Candy stable.

But King’s Lynn, who won the Listed Achilles Stakes over course and distance last year, can build on that recent second to Flaming Rib in the Boodles Secret Garden Conditions Stakes on the Roodee to land a first success at Group Two level.

King’s Lynn, who was also third in last year’s Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot, may have needed the run at Chester on his seasonal reappearance.

Having won over six furlongs in a Listed event at Doncaster and also been second in a Group Three at Ascot last autumn, he stays further – which has sometimes been a plus for this five-furlong event. But he has plenty of speed and from a decent draw in stall two, King’s Lynn may just land a deserved Group Two victory after so many creditable runs over the past two seasons.

King’s Lynn’s conqueror on the Roodee, FLAMING RIB, may also go in again in the other Group Two contest on the card, the Cazoo Sandy Lane Stakes (3.10pm). And with victory he too can book his ticket to Royal Ascot and a crack at the Group One Commonwealth Cup.

Hugo Palmer, who took over as trainer at former Liverpool FC striker Michael Owen’s Manor House Stables in Cheshire this summer, runs two in the six-furlong contest – Flaming Rib and Ever Given – both winners at Chester’s May Festival earlier this month.

Both look to hold good chances of victory, but Flaming Rib – who was winning for a fifth time in his last six runs at Chester – can come out on top.

The Ribchester colt won over both five and six furlongs last season and showed plenty of speed over the minimum distance on the Roodee last time. But this extra distance contest looks an ideal race for Flaming Rib and he can land a first Group Two victory before stepping up to the top level at the Royal meeting next month.

The Cazoo Silver Bowl Handicap (2.35pm) has also been used as a stepping stone to Royal Ascot in the past and the Grant Tuer-trained DIRTYOLDTOWN may win the mile event before heading to Berkshire.

The three-year-old won one of his three juvenile starts and returned to action with a good second to Spirit Catcher at Musselburgh last month.

The No Nay Never colt looks a progressive type and can build on that seasonal reappearance and go one better with victory.

Easterby’s EYE KNEE may win the opener, the Cazoo Florida Handicap (1.25pm).

The four-year-old won twice last season, most recently at Catterick in September over this 1m4f trip. He remains on a decent handicap mark and on his seasonal reappearance there may be more to come from Eye Knee.

Mark Johnston’s previous course winner GOLDEN FLAME can build on his recent return to action at Newmarket with victory in the Cazoo Hell Nook Handicap (2pm).

A winner at Bath, Chelmsford City and at Haydock over 1m6f, he could land another success with the cobwebs blown off stepping up to two miles for only the second time.

In what looks a wide-open event, the Cazoo Edge Green Handicap (4.20pm), Kevin De Foy’s GIDWA – second at Beverley last time – may be the answer.

And in the Cazoo New Boston Handicap (4.55pm), RUSSCO – trained by Merseyside-born Grand National-winning trainer Donald McCain – can resume winning ways in the finale. The four-year-old rattled off a five-timer last season, before being beaten on his final start at Haydock. But following his winter break, he can return with another victory.

At York Joseph O’Brien MIGHTY BLUE can win the Group Three William Hill Bronte Cup Fillies’ Stakes (3.30pm).

The six-year-old dual purpose performer was third on his return to the Flat at Gowran Park last time and may land a first win since last May on his trip over from Ireland.

Rose Carr’s SWISS ACE saw his saddle slip and unseat his rider at Nottingham when bidding to build on a previous win at Newcastle last month. With better luck this time the four-year-old can win the William Hill Play Responsibly Handicap (1.40pm).

Others who may score on the Knavesmire are the John Quinn-trained TRUELY ACCLAIMED in the William Hill Bet Boost Handicap (2.20pm); Michael Dods’ SIR TITUS in the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap (2.55pm); and another Easterby runner DANZAN in the finale, the Reg Bond Always And Forever Handicap (5.15pm).

At Goodwood the Paul & Oliver Cole-trained MAJESTIC DAWN can win the Listed William Hill Festival Stakes (2.15pm); Roger Varian’s THIRD REALM may take the Listed William Hill Tapster Stakes (3.25pm); and GISBURN – from the Richard Hannon stable – may land the William Hill Harroways Handicap (1.45pm).

Meanwhile in Ireland at the Curragh Aidan O’Brien’s IVY LEAGUE may upset hot favourite Native Trail in the Group One Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas (No Geldings) (3.20pm).