Alfie, a friend, aims to boost the dismal Irish performance in the Haydock Sprint Cup, a prestigious Group One event.

My Mate Alfie, an Irish-trained horse, will make his first start outside Ireland in the Group One Betfair Sprint Cup on Saturday at Haydock Park. The horse, trained by Ger Lyons, finished runner-up to Bucanero Fuerte at the Curragh last time.

My Mate Alfie will have his work cut out for him, as he faces a field of 16 opponents, including Lazzat, a French sprinting star. Lazzat followed up a Royal Ascot victory with a good second at Deauville last time and will be a formidable competitor.

The Group Three September Stakes has a rich history, with many Arc stalwarts using the race to prepare for Longchamp in the past. My Mate Alfie will be one of the established horses attempting to dethrone the favourite in this year's race.

Trainer Ger Lyons has had only one top-flight success in Britain, which was 14 years ago. However, he will be hopeful that My Mate Alfie can buck the trend and bring home a victory.

Gary Carroll will ride My Mate Alfie in the race, and the horse will need all of Carroll's expertise to navigate the tough field. My Mate Alfie was prolific last season but has yet to score in four starts this term.

Meanwhile, at Kempton, Michael O'Callaghan will be supported by jockey Colin Keane in the Group Three September Stakes. O'Callaghan's horse, Giavellotto, partnered Kalpana in her last start when runner-up to Calandagan in the King George. Oisin Murphy will ride Giavellotto in the race, and the horse will be looking to replicate its win in the Hong Kong Vase last year.

In the Sirenia Stakes at Kempton, Ireland's champion jockey Colin Keane will team up with trainer Michael O'Callaghan. Ger Lyons' Love Lockdown was the last Irish-trained winner of the Sirenia Stakes in 2009, and Keane and O'Callaghan will be hoping to add to that tally.

Apprentice Freya Frain will have her first ride on the Ballydoyle hope Cactus in the same conditions event at Navan. Fresh Fade, a recent Naas winner, will also be in action at Navan, and the horse showed a good attitude at Naas and will relish any drying out of the ground.

At Navan, Dylan Browne McMonagle will hope to extend his lead at the top of the jockeys championship with seven rides. Wayne Lordan, who failed in his appeal to the British Horseracing Authority against a 10-day whip ban that rules him out of the Irish Champions Festival, will have a full book of eight rides at Navan.

Saratoga, the Ballydoyle colt, found only Slaney Drive too good on his belated return to action this season at the Curragh. The colt still holds entries in the English and Irish Legers as well as Ascot's Long-Distance Cup, and trainer Aidan O'Brien will be hoping for a strong performance from the horse at Navan.

Ninth Crusade, a Kodiac colt, won on his debut at Wolverhampton but failed to fire when travelling cross-channel again at Newcastle in June. The horse will be looking to bounce back at Navan.

In summary, the Group One Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock Park promises to be a hotly contested race, with My Mate Alfie taking on a tough field. Meanwhile, at Kempton and Navan, there are a number of exciting races taking place, with a host of talented horses and jockeys in action.

Alfie, a friend, aims to boost the dismal Irish performance in the Haydock Sprint Cup, a prestigious Group One event.