/ Timeform / 26 May 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Regal Parade (right) is the one they all have to beat at Haydock.
"With two runs already under his belt this year, including an excellent second to Delegator at York last time, Regal Parade looks the one they have to beat, especially as he escapes a penalty."
Haydock stage a top-quality card for the second week running, the highlight of which is Saturday's Timeform Jury Stakes. Timeform's Paul Robson runs the rule over the field...
Regal Parade is the highest rated horse in the race formerly known as the John of Gaunt, according to Timeform's weight adjusted figures. The dual Group 1 winner, trained by Dandy Nicholls, can go on any ground, but his finest accomplishments have been on softer than good, including when he won the Group 1 Sprint Cup at this track in 2009. With two runs already under his belt this year, including an excellent second to Delegator at York last time, Regal Parade looks the one they have to beat, especially as he escapes a penalty.
Clive Cox's Beacon Lodge comes into this race in great form after he recorded a course-and-distance victory last time, comfortably seeing off Kakatosi, who reopposes again. With the trip and track not a problem, Beacon Lodge must come into the equation as the main threat to Dandy Nicholls's stable star.
While Beacon Lodge has proven his well-being this year, the jury is out on Godolphin's Shakespearean, who has the ability to shake up Regal Parade but ended last season on a low and started this one no better out in Dubai.
In what was a fruitful 2009, High Standing landed the Wokingham before making a Group-race breakthrough in the Hackwood Stakes. However, he appeared to find life tough in races last year, a sixth in the Challenge Stakes his best effort, and connections have now opt for blinkers after a disappointing seasonal reappearance at Leicester.
Another who has yet to put his best foot forward this season is Himalya. A poor draw didn't make his task any easier in the Victoria Cup last time, but his lacklustre effort in the Abernant on his comeback was hardly encouraging. His best Timeform rating of 117 does show he can be competitive against the opposition if he's on a 'going day', but the fact that he has not registered a victory since his debut, some three years ago, sums him up.
Kakatosi and The Cheka have filled the runner-up spots on both of their two outings this season, the former behind the aforementioned Beacon Lodge on his seasonal debut earlier in the month. Kakatosi found only Chachamaidee too strong in a minor event at York last week, and further improvement cannot be ruled out given the way his career has gone in general. The Cheka, on the other hand, is a little more exposed but is uncomplicated and usually gives his all.
The Timeform Jury is proud to sponsor Haydock's John of Gaunt Stakes. To find out more about the Jury, Timeform's highly-profitable telephone tipping service, click here.
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