Emaraaty Ana's performance in last month's Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) was exactly what connections had hoped to see prior to his bid to land a second running of the Betfair Sprint Cup (G1) Sept. 3.
In finishing third to Highfield Princess at York, Emaraaty Ana produced more evidence that his early season lackluster form was being left behind and he was coming back to his peak, just as he did when holding on to win last year's Sprint Cup by a short head from Starman.
Last season's Haydock win was followed by a fourth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T). However, a winter in Dubai did Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's 6-year-old no favors and he was far from his best when returning to action at Royal Ascot.
Green shoots of progress were there to be seen in the Darley July Cup (G1), when he was sixth to Alcohol Free, and they continued to flourish at York, giving optimism to trainer Kevin Ryan's team about his chances at Haydock.
"We're looking forward to it," Adam Ryan, Kevin Ryan's son and assistant said. "We've taken the same approach with him as we did before he won last year, so hopefully it's the same result this time—he's certainly going there in good order.
"He ran really well in the July Cup and ran the same race this year to the one he did in the Nunthorpe last year, which points to him being right back to form.
"If he's right back to form, and we think he is, then he has to have a big chance. It's a competitive race, but there are only two group 1 winners in the field and he's one of them."
Emaraaty Ana is joined in the Sprint Cup by stablemate Hala Hala Athmani, who finished last in a group 3 fillies' race at York in July after an encouraging comeback when seventh in the Commonwealth Cup (G1) at Royal Ascot.
"That can sometimes happen at York," Adam Ryan said. "She ran a big race in the Commonwealth Cup after a long layoff and maybe she bounced last time. She's got it to do in this race, but there is no doubt she's a filly with any amount of potential."
While Emaraaty Ana and Naval Crown are the only horses to have scored at group 1 level lining up at Haydock, trainer Owen Burrows believes Minzaal is unfortunate not to have emulated them having been placed at the top level in each of his three years on the track.
Owned by Shadwell Estates, Minzaal was third in the 2020 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (G1), third in last year's Qipco British Champions Sprint (G1) at Ascot, and then chased home Highfield Princess in the Arc Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1) on his most recent outing last month.
"He's shown a high level of ability over the three years he has raced and he has been knocking on the door of a group 1," Burrows said. "From myself and my team's point of view, I'd love to get his head in front in a group 1 and he would be a valuable horse then. He has run some very solid races this year."
Art Power has finished fourth to Dream of Dreams and fifth behind Emaraaty Ana in the last two Sprint Cups, but the gray's connections believe this year's running could represent his best chance of a breakthrough in group 1 company.
He returned from a lengthy absence with an encouraging performance when fourth in the Sky Bet City of York Stakes (G2) on a first try over seven furlongs and drops back to a more familiar trip at Haydock.
Alastair Donald, racing manager for owners King Power, said: "We're excited about Art Power, this could be his best chance in a group 1 that he's had. It was an excellent comeback run over too long a trip when not fully fit last time."
