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“It was a big performance and he deserved it."

Minzaal carried the Shadwell silks to a deserved first Group 1 success when winning the Haydock Sprint Cup by a sensational three and three quarters of a length on Saturday.

The son of Mehmas had previously won the Gimcrack Stakes and run third in the Middle Park Stakes at two, finished third in the British Champions Sprint at three, and also won the Hackwood Stakes and taken third in the Prix Maurice de Gheest this year at four.

Trainer Owen Burrows said: “It was a big performance and he deserved it. He’d been knocking on the door at two and had an interrupted year last year, through no fault of his own as he injured himself in the box, and managed to get Group 1-placed at the back end at Ascot.

“He ran a big race in France last time and Shaun [Muscroft], who looks after him, said he was in better form coming into this and he was right.

“He’s a pleasure to deal with. That’s his one major attribute, he’s got a temperament to die for. For a sprinter he’s so laid-back about life. He just eats, sleeps and works.”

It was a big day for Shadwell as Mostahdaf, a homebred Frankel half-brother to multiple Group 1 winner Nazeef, recorded an impressive victory in the September Stakes at Kempton.