Minzaal (7-2) blitzed through his rivals to win a first Group One in the Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes at Haydock Park on Saturday.
Under Jim Crowley, the Owen Burrows-trained four-year-old finally scored at the top level, having threathened on numerous occasions to do so. And the impressive win highlighted the fact that he won't be waiting as long to score again.
The son of Mehmas was running for a fifth time at the top level in the six-furlong contest at Haydock. His best and most recent effort was when he was second to subsequent Nunthorpe Stakes heroine Highfield Princess in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest, over six-and-a-half furlongs at Deauville earlier this month.
And after hinting he would score at the top level soon he did. He was sat off the pace in the early stages but burst through to lead late on and went on to score by an impressive three-and-three-quarters-of-a-length from last year's winner Emaraaty Ana.
Lambourn trainer Burrows is an Everton FC fan and after the Blues battled to a draw with Liverpool in the Merseyside derby earlier in the day at Goodison Park, the blue and white colours of owners Shadwell Stud Estate were carried to Group One glory down the road at Haydock later on in the day.
The Kevin Ryan-trained Emaraaty Ana (7-1) couldn't emulate Be Friendly – who took the the first two runnings of the six-furlong sprint in 1966 and 1967 – to win the Group One feature on Merseyside twice. But the six-year-old ran well to be second just holding off Rohaan (7-1) by a nose. But none of the field had any answer to the blistering burst of Minzaal, including 3-1 favourite and Royal Ascot winner Naval Crown, who was a disappointing 11th of the 12 runners.
Minzaal will now likely bid for more glory at the top level in the QIPCO Champion Sprint Stakes at Ascot later in the season.
And trainer Burrows said: "I can't really put it into words, all credit to the team back home. They've worked hard and we seem to be able to rock up on these Saturdays and get the job done, which is amazing.
"You soon forgotten in the game. We don't have a lot of horses to run and big winners on a Saturday are hard to come by, but he deserved it. He was knocking on the door at two, and had an interrupted time last year. He ran a big race in France last time and that was a big performance there.
"He's a pleasure to deal with and has a temperament to die for. For a sprinter, he's so laid-back about life."
Winning jockey Crowley added: "He deserved that. He's a remarkable horse because he's so laid-back. The bell goes and he's like a boxer, he just wakes up.
"He's got a great temperament and it's lovely to make him a Group One winner.
"The race went smoothly. He has been a bit slow away in the past, which might have cost him a couple of races, but he jumped nicely and they went a nice pace. He was always travelling comfortably and, as soon as he got the split, he was away and gone.
"He's equally effective on good to soft as he is fast ground. The main aim is probably Champions Day now."
