Unbeaten sprinter Vandeek has the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock as his first target as he prepares for his eagerly-awaited three-year-old campaign.

Simon and Ed Crisford’s Havana Grey colt had the perfect juvenile season, running four times and winning well on each occasion as he climbed the ranks from maiden to Group One.

At Goodwood, he took the Richmond Stakes on soft ground and he was then a game winner of the top-level Prix Morny at Deauville on very soft going.

But at Newmarket in late September, he showed his versatility when producing his best run to date to land the Middle Park on good to firm.

Currently ante-post favourite for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, the Betfred-sponsored Sandy Lane has been earmarked for his opening assignment of the campaign, a six-furlong Group Two for three-year-olds on May 25.

“He’s going well, he’s wintered well, but like everywhere else, I think Newmarket has struggled with the weather,” said Chris Wall, racing manager for owner Shaikh Khalid’s KHK Racing organisation.

“They’re on target with the horse but they haven’t always been able to do what they’ve wanted to do because various canters have been closed.

“He’s in good heart and coming along nicely, he’s aiming at the Sandy Lane at Haydock in May.”

Vandeek was a leggy two-year-old and he is reported to have grown further and filled out through the winter.

Wall added: “He’s done everything right, he’s grown a bit. He was a big enough lad last year but he has grown a bit more, he’s filled out and he looks a lot stronger.

“He’s done everything the right way, he hasn’t done any fast work, so it’s too early to see if there’s a corresponding increase in his ability but we’d like to think that he’ll at least be no worse than he was last year – and that’s probably good enough.”

KHK Racing and trainer Roger Varian have a nice prospect in True Cyan, a No Nay Never filly out of the Group-winning Dark Angel mare Realtra.

Making her debut at Newmarket in September in a seven-furlong fillies’ maiden, the grey was a taking victor with a length-and-a-half triumph over three subsequent winners.

The three-year-old holds an entry for the 1000 Guineas and connections are likely to use the Nell Gwyn Stakes as a trial before hopefully proceeding in that direction.

“She’s wintered very well, I watched her do a piece of work yesterday (Wednesday) which was very satisfactory,” said Wall.

“Roger is keen to run her in the Nell Gwynn, all being well, which will tell us whether we’re Guineas-bound or whether we need to go down another route with her.

“It’s all good news with her, she looks to have improved throughout the winter, so she’ll find her level – whether that’s in the Guineas or somewhere else.

“The form from that race (her debut) looks decent, she did it very well. She’s going to be a nice filly this year if all goes well for her, at what level we will find out.”

Vandeek is set to start off his season in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock in May.

The unbeaten Simon and Ed Crisford-trained colt carried all before him in his juvenile year, with his four wins featuring Group One strikes in the Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes.

He is seen very much as a sprinter rather than one for the mile of the Classics and Haydock will be his destination before his first major target, the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

“He’s looking super, he’s trotting and we’ll probably start him off in the Sandy Lane at Haydock at the end of May. One run before Royal Ascot,” Simon Crisford told ITV Racing.

“Commonwealth, July Cups – those sort of races we’ve got up our sleeve. The idea of not starting off in the Pavilion (Stakes, at Ascot) is we’d have to start training him a month earlier. Quite frankly, with the weather we’ve got at the moment, we’re wrapping him up in big, thick blankets.”

He added: “He was a little bit on the leg as a two-year-old. He was tall and lanky and never really looked like a sprinter physically. But now he’s beginning to take shape as a sprinter. His temperament is great and there’s so much to love about him.

“He’s done exceptionally well over the winter and fingers crossed he’s got a big season ahead.”

Oh So Grand swept aside her rivals in the BetMGM Winter Oaks Fillies’ Handicap at Lingfield.

Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, who saddled Al Agaila to win the race last year, Oh So Grand was a well-fancied 11-8 favourite for the 10-furlong contest after winning each of her last two starts, including the trial for this contest last month.

Miss Bluebelle set out to make all, while Jack Mitchell was happy to settle towards the back of the pack aboard Oh So Grand, with only Queen Regent behind him in the eight-runner field.

The pacesetter was still in front with a furlong to run, but when Mitchell popped the question Oh So Grand picked up and grabbed the lead in a matter of strides.

Queen Regent followed her through down the middle of the track but could not match the winner’s sharp turn of foot, eventually coming home a length and a half adrift, with 33-1 shot Dayzee running a creditable race to be beaten two and three-quarter lengths in third.

Simon Crisford told Sky Sports Racing: “I think she’s still improving. I mean obviously we’ve seen in every race she’s been on an upward curve and she seems to be really developing into a smart filly.

“Hopefully she can be a Group filly for the summer when we get her on turf. I would be inclined to keep her over this trip, a mile and a quarter that suits her well, but she’s nimble and light on her feet – she’s not one of these galumphers, she’s got something about her.

“I really don’t know (what is next), this race was always the target so I haven’t thought even thought about what’s happening tomorrow, let alone in a few weeks’ time.

“We will have a look, see how she is, how she comes out of the race. There could be races coming up for her, obviously you’ve got (All-Weather) Finals Day and stuff like that. Who knows – we’ve just got to work it all out.”

Simon and Ed Crisford hold a strong hand as they go in search of back-to-back victories in Lingfield’s BetMGM Winter Oaks Fillies’ Handicap on Saturday.

The father and son operation claimed the £100,000 contest with Al Agaila 12 months ago and likely big-race favourite Oh So Grand has plotted a similar course to the Winter Million Festival event by landing the Winter Oaks Trial over track and trip last month.

Jack Mitchell was in the saddle for both that triumph and a previous success at Newcastle and resumes the partnership, as his mount now seeks to build on her impressive all-weather record.

Meanwhile, the Gainsborough Thoroughbreds team have a more than handy second string to their bow with Twirling, who has won two of four starts at a mile and now steps up in trip with Ryan Moore in the plate.

Simon Crisford said: “Both Oh So Grand and Twirling are in good form and we have been very happy with their preparations for this race.

“Both of them will need to run career-best figures to feature, but we are hopeful that they are capable of doing that.”

Oh So Grand is the highest rated in the field, but only 2lb behind her is recent Wolverhampton scorer Miss Bluebelle, who bids to quickly double up for handler Marcus Tregoning.

The five-year-old received a 7lb rise for a facile three-length victory at Dunstall Park and, although having a career-high mark to overcome, her handler is optimistic of a bold showing.

“She’s come out of her race (at Wolverhampton) well and is in good form,” said Tregoning.

“That was only a week ago but she has come out of it very well and we won’t worry about that. She has a good draw and we will hope for the best.

“It’s a fairly open race and hopefully she will run really well.”

John and Thady Gosden’s Queen Regent has just over a length to find with Oh So Grand on their meeting in the Winter Oaks Trial and is now tried in first-time cheekpieces representing big-name connections, while no one arguably arrives in better form than Storymaker, who has been unbeatable of late.

It was not until the 15th race of her career that Storymaker got on the scoresheet but that opened the floodgates for George Boughey’s four-year-old, who will be bidding for a fifth-straight success.

“She’s been an amazing filly for us and it’s incredible really, she raced 14 times last year and the penny didn’t drop, but she’s just gone bang, bang, bang, bang now – and she’s a filly in form,” said Sam Hoskins, racing manager for owners Hot To Trot Racing.

“She should get the trip and has won round the track. It’s a much better race and worth £100,000 and we’ve got to support races worth that amount of money.

“She’s in top form and enjoying it and I know George feels she is not showing any signs of exertion – she’s looking great. She has got a chance and the rider Tommie Jakes is good value for his claim. Hopefully, she will run a really good race.”

Without A Fight stormed home to complete a big-race double in the Lexus Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained runner won the Caulfield Cup on his previous run and followed up in style under Mark Zahra in the two-mile Group One.

Previously trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, Without A Fight finished 13th in the Melbourne Cup last year, but 12 months on, he was a clear-cut victor.

Hard To Justify was a tough winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf for Flavien Prat and Chad Brown.

The bay came into the race with two races and two victories under her belt and showed a great will to win when when surrounded by horses during the turn for home.

She put her head down in the home straight and pushed through in the middle to retain her unbeaten record.

European trainers provided plenty of interest in the mile contest with Simon and Ed Crisford’s Carla’s Way well fancied after her Rockfel Stakes win, with Aidan O’Brien fielding Content and his son Donnacha sending his Cheveley Park winner Porta Fortuna.

It was the last-named filly who fared best of the raiders, with jockey Oisin Murphy going for a run up the inside rail in the straight before eventually having to settle for second.

Murphy felt the race had not gone in his mount’s favour and said: “I was unhappy with the pace. They went very steady and I would have liked to find more space down the inner where it got a bit congested.”

Content finished with a flourish in fourth having been sat near the rear of the field, but Carla’s Way was unplaced after racing on the outside of the pack and dropping away in the straight.

James Doyle rode Carla’s Way and thought the filly failed to produce her best effort.

He said: “She jumped like her usual self but was keen all the way down the back. On the bend she lugged out and I feel we can draw a line through it.”

Algiers will miss the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile due to a minor foot issue.

The Dubai World Cup runner-up was one of the leading fancies for his selected race, and was second favourite behind last year’s winner Cody’s Wish.

However, it emerged overnight that Algiers had been scratched and a post on trainers Simon and Ed Crisford’s Gainsborough Thoroughbreds social media account confirmed the news.

It read: “Unfortunately Algiers won’t be able to run in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. He is going to have to miss a few days training due to a minor foot issue. He will now be prepared for a winter in Dubai.”

The three-year-old Practical Move, another leading fancy for the race, died of a suspected heart attack on Tuesday when returning from exercise on the Santa Anita track.

The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile is Algiers’ only option at Santa Anita on Saturday week, as Simon and Ed Crisford bank on the six-year-old’s pace coming to the fore in California.

The Shamardal gelding showcased his talent on dirt in Meydan earlier in the year, finishing second in the feature Dubai World Cup over a mile and a quarter in March.

A tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Classic over that trip had not been ruled out by connections, but they had always been favouring a drop back to a mile for their visit to America and have elected to go that route having been encouraged by Algiers’ imperious displays over similar distances in the Middle East.

“He just looked very effective over a mile and a mile-and-one at Meydan and he has a lot of speed,” explained Ed Crisford.

“I’m not saying he doesn’t stay the 10 furlongs, it’s just that we felt at Santa Anita a mile may play to his strengths more.”

Since his exploits in Dubai, Algiers was given a long summer break before tuning up for the Breeders’ Cup at Woodbine when second in the Durham Cup.

Having bounced out of that first taste of North American dirt well, he is now poised for one final piece of work in the hands of big-race jockey James Doyle before crossing the Atlantic once again.

“It was like a racecourse gallop to be honest, but he has come out of it super well,” reflected Crisford.

“He’s had that run now and has come out of it fresh and well and looks great. He is going to have a good gallop under James Doyle before he leaves and hopefully that will be him set for the race next weekend.

“James knows him and what he can do and what is under the bonnet. He rides the American tracks really well and it should be perfect.”

Joining Algiers for the trip Stateside is impressive Rockfel Stakes scorer Carla’s Way, who is a leading fancy for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

The form of that race got a real boost when the second and third fought out the finish of the Fillies’ Mile and her training team believe she has all the attributes to be right in the mix in her first try at a mile.

“She is in good form and won well at Newmarket,” added Crisford.

“She can quicken off a quick pace which is what you need in America and that track should suit her well, a two-turn mile on quick ground.

“We opted not to go for the Fillies’ Mile because that mile at Newmarket on soft ground wouldn’t really be for her, but she’s got a lot of ability and is progressing with each run and looks like a filly who could be a lot of fun for the future.

“I’m sure she will run really well at Santa Anita.”

Vandeek is to skip the Dewhurst Stakes and be put away with a sprinting campaign in mind next season.

Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, the son of Havana Grey maintained his unbeaten record with a scintillating display in the Middle Park at Newmarket at the weekend.

Connections had left the door ajar for him to possibly step up to seven furlongs in the Native Trail’s Dewhurst Stakes on October 14, but after lengthy discussions the decision has been made to end his season and resist the urge to stretch his stamina.

Chris Wall, racing manager for owners KHK Racing, said: “Sheikh Khalid has decided to stick to sprinting.

“We had long discussions last night and that was the way he wanted to go and that is fine, we’re all supportive of it.

“There’s nothing else for Vandeek to run in now so we hope he winters well and he’ll come back with a view to the Commonwealth Cup as his principal early-season target.

“I think he’s all about speed so I think we should play to his strengths rather than ask him to do something out of his comfort zone.”