Paul Mulrennan column: the inside track on my Haydock rides

Despite taking plenty of rides, things had been a fraction quiet through August, but I’ve banged in a few winners again over the past week, including aboard Get It in the Racing League at Wolverhampton.

Building new contacts is always rewarding, so I was pleased to be able to land a nice prize for George Baker. I understand that he’ll be heading back out to Bahrain for the Turf Series again this winter.

It was a shame that Happy Romance (an eliminated reserve) didn’t make it into the field for the Betfair Sprint Cup. Every single rider is eager to be involved in a Group One, and she’s a mare with a solid back-catalogue, including wins in the Weatherbys Super Sprint, the Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes, the Hackwood Stakes, and the Lansdown Stakes. Alas, I wish Richard Hannon and Sean Levey well with Shouldvebeenaring.

With Ryan Moore in Ireland, and Richard Kingscote at Kempton for Bay Bridge in the September Stakes, I have picked up the ride on Regal Reality in the Superior Mile Stakes (1.50pm).

He carries a 3lb penalty for his Diomed Stakes win but did give a good account of himself at Salisbury (third) when returning from a mid-season break. He was third in this race on his only previous visit to Haydock back in 2018 and the forecast conditions appear favourable. He’s well-bred - a Cheveley Park - and a nice spare.

The girls were telling me yesterday (Thursday) that Euchen Glen has come out of the Sky Bet Ebor in ‘A1’ condition. As I said the other week, to be able to even compete in an Ebor four years in succession is some achievement, but he ran a super race there finishing fourth to Absurde.

I don’t know how Jim (Goldie) manages to keep his horses in such good shape over a sustained period. He has enjoyed a positive start to the month with a couple of winners at Carlisle and Call Me Ginger was also a good winner at Chester last Saturday. Hopefully Euchen Glen (3.00pm) can post another solid effort as he seeks a second Old Borough Cup.

I’m booked to ride Arranmore (5.15pm) in the final race, but we’re unsure as to whether he’ll run or not at this stage.

The Irish Champions Festival brings unbelievable quality to Ireland (Leopardstown and the Curragh) this weekend.

Saturday sees Diego Velazquez, Tahiyra, Homeless Songs, King Of Steel, Auguste Rodin and Nashwa in action, while on Sunday Kyprios makes his return, Highfield Princess goes for a second straight Flying Five win, and that’s long before factoring in the presence of the ante-post Oaks and Derby favourites Ylang Ylang and City Of Troy.

In the feature Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, I like Roger Varian’s King Of Steel. Dropping back to 1m2f should really suit this horse. The more racing that he’s getting, he’s obviously getting sharper. He was the last horse off the bridle in the King George at Ascot, a race which was run over 1m4f on soft ground. He has a nice draw in stall 5 which will give Kevin Stott plenty of options, and he can turn the Derby form around with Auguste Rodin. Alflaila was supplemented earlier this week. We’ve seen Owen Burrows do it before, and it is nice to see Jim Crowley back in the saddle.

Leopardstown is a tricky track to ride. Position is key. We’ve seen many a hard luck story in the Irish Champion Stakes over the years, namely Falbrav (2003) and Australia (2014). The home straight is short, and you find yourself on the turn from maybe four or five furlongs from home. It is all too easy to be either boxed-in or forced out overly wide.

I’m taking Sunday off but will be busy through the first half of the week with Newcastle (Monday), Catterick (Tuesday) and Southwell (Wednesday). Jim Goldie has various options for the final Racing League fixture at Southwell, including the gritty Carlisle scorer Jordan Electrics.