Top sprinter Azure Blue out to show her class at Haydock - although ground is a 'worry'

The winning standard on Racing Post Ratings for the Cecil Frail has been a shade below 106 over the last decade. Favourites in that time have returned starting prices between 6-4 and 100-30, implying few were deemed much better than the average. So getting a mare like Azure Blue to turn up is a bit of a coup.

This time last year, Azure Blue had just won the Duke of York Stakes. There have been reverses since, but her best is 10lb more than recent winning standards. Just as importantly, it is also a stone better than any of these rivals.

You could argue Azure Blue still has some potential too. Others trump her on this score, though. The field of nine contains four three-year-olds, a couple of whom have only run twice, plus two four-year-olds with only three runs behind them.

Electric Storm is understandably viewed as the likeliest to step up. She was making her turf debut last time at Bath, where she split Adaay In Devon and Vadream in a Listed race. She needs to improve and had no clear excuse on the day, but is an obvious type to improve now she is race-fit.

The similarly unexposed Midream and Thelma's Angel are both coming straight out of novices. Their lack of exposure is their main selling point, but neither form nor time analysis suggests an immediate promotion to this level.

Of the two, Midream has a little more going for her. Her Windsor win in October was relatively convincing and analysis shows she hit the line hard. Her most recent run at Doncaster was in a three-runner novice and at first glance it told us little.

What it provided was proof she handles soft ground, which she will get here after the recent rain. That works in tandem with her pedigree, as a half-sister to the previously mentioned soft-ground specialist Vadream, to suggest races like this are where Midream will be most at home.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

What they say

Michael Dods, trainer of Azure Blue
The ground is a bit of a worry but we want to get another run into her. She's won on good to soft, but her best form is on nice ground. We'll probably go and hope they don't get any more rain. She ran as I expected at York, she jumped and travelled and just blew up at the furlong pole. It's the right race for her, it's just a shame we've had the downpours.

James Tate, trainer of Electric Storm
She's a lovely filly. She won twice on the all-weather last year and I thought it was a good run finishing second in a Listed race at Bath on her first start on grass. She again shaped like six furlongs is her ideal trip, so providing she goes with the cut in the ground I'm expecting a very big run.

Ed Walker, trainer of Midream
She's a lovely filly who won easily on soft ground at Doncaster last month. The more rain the better. It might appear she's in at the deep end with a rating of just 80, but that's a very lenient mark. She's owned by her breeder, who's not that interested in winning handicaps, so we'll see if we can get some black type here.

Grant Tuer, trainer of Sophia's Starlight
I think the conditions should be fine as she's got soft-ground form. She's in good order and has a good chance, although Azure Blue looks thrown in without a penalty and will be difficult to beat.

Mike Prince, racing manager to Middleham Park Racing, owners of Got To Love A Grey
She goes in the ground having won a Listed race in France on heavy. We're not sure about the six furlongs as she looked to be a bit free at Ascot last time. Azure Blue sets the standard on ratings and we've got a Listed penalty as well, so we may be playing for places.
Reporting by Andrew Dietz

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