What's not to like about Grocer Jack? Nothing, but he won't find this as easy

Saturday: 3.00 Haydock
Betfred Rose of Lancaster Stakes (Group 3) | 1m2½f, 3yo+ | ITV/RTV

The Rose of Lancaster Stakes has a knack of cutting up, but each-way punters can rejoice with ten runners taking aim at the lucrative prize and a short-priced favourite potentially there to be shot at.

Official ratings have market leader Grocer Jack 6lb clear of his nearest pursuer after a career-best nine-length strike in the five-runner Listed Steventon Stakes at Newbury last time on what was his third run for William Haggas.

The five-year-old relished a switch to front-running under Tom Marquand that day and is beginning to look a shrewd purchase by connections out of Waldemar Hickst's yard in Germany. So what's not to like?

While Grocer Jack impressed at Newbury he faces a trickier task up in class here, and this is more open than the early prices suggest. Dominating will be tougher as Anmaat, Marie's Diamond and Peter The Great also have a penchant for pressing on.

Anmaat in particular boasts standout credentials by virtue of his John Smith's Cup success off a mark of 103 on his seasonal return last month.

The Owen Burrows-trained four-year-old is on a sharp upward curve and the 115 Racing Post Rating he recorded at York is only 3lb inferior to Grocer Jack's Newbury effort. Granted normal improvement for the pipe-opener, he will be bang there.

Closely matched with Anmaat on John Smith's Cup form is Intellogent, who finished three-quarters of a length back in third on the Knavesmire and could be the value.

Intellogent is 2lb better off with Anmaat and can be upgraded as he fared comfortably best of those held up in the 22-runner contest. This smaller-field race may be better run to suit and his in-form trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam has struck gold with three of her last five runners.

The additional presence of unexposed handicap winner Royal Champion, recent Gala Stakes scorer Passion And Glory and Foxes Tales, victorious in this last year, means Grocer Jack will need to be on his A-game.

Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

Burrows primed with Anmaat

It is a big weekend for Owen Burrows, who steps John Smith's Cup winner Anmaat up in grade at Haydock 24 hours before Minzaal bids for Group 1 glory in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.

The form of Anmaat's victory at York is fuelling the hopes of the Lambourn trainer, whose string are operating at a healthy 28 per cent strike-rate this year.

Anmaat: John Smith's Cup winner did it nicely last monthCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Burrows said: "He came out of York well and this was the obvious step off a mark of 109, which puts pay to staying in handicaps, while every time I look there's a winner coming out of the John Smith's Cup. It looks strong form, but it is a big jump.

"We'll see where he sits in stakes company, but I've been very pleased with him.

"I half expect the ground to be on the easy side of good and I don't think that will be a problem – I'm not concerned about it and would be surprised if Jim [Crowley] came back and said he didn't go on it."

What they say

William Haggas, trainer of Grocer Jack
He won really well at Newbury last time and we'll see if he can make the next step forward. Hopefully he can handle the ground whatever that may be.

Jane Chapple-Hyam, trainer of Intellogent
He's in good order and we're pleased with him. He's come out of his two handicap races – the Royal Hunt Cup where he was second and the John Smith's Cup at York where he was third – and we felt he's high enough in the ratings now that we'd have a go at a Group 3. He was smart in France and he's had a few problems from then until now, but we feel that we've ironed them out and we know he's in good order because he's running well in those good handicaps. He's showing all the signs that he's constantly improving.

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor is optimistic Passion And Glory (left) can fireCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Saaed bin Suroor, trainer of Passion And Glory
He heads there in good form and the extended mile and a quarter will suit him. We entered him in the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup this week so we are hoping for another decent run before we look at taking him out to Australia.

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Peter The Great
It's a tough race as you'd expect, but he's been progressive in handicaps this year and deserves to take his chance in a stakes race. He'll enjoy the track and goes there in good shape.

Roger Varian, trainer of Royal Champion
Hopefully the ground does not dry up too much as he's a better horse with ease in the going description. He's been working nicely on the all-weather surfaces at home and we are looking forward to getting him back on grass.

Reporting by James Burn

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