Betfair Sprint Cup: The big questions ahead of Haydock's Group One on Saturday

How’s it shaping up as a renewal?

We are missing the Duke Of York (Mill Stream), July Cup (Mill Stream), QEII Jubilee (Khaadem) and Prix Maurice de Gheest (Lazzat) winners from this season, while there are no previous winners of the Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes in the field, either.

Strong top-level six-furlong pedigree is thin on the ground, then, but we do have a field packed with potential and a posse of would-be sprinting stars are set to do battle in a bid to become the next cab off the rank in the division.

What are the likely ground conditions?

After 20mm of rain over the last week the ground was Good to Soft, Soft in places on Tuesday morning, but with potential Friday showers drifting off the radar drying conditions largely look in place in the build-up to Saturday’s race.

We’ve had a few heavy ground Sprint Cups followed by Minzaal’s race record on Good to Firm in 2022, in recent years, but this year Good to Soft, Good in places looks a sensible shout and that means no extremes of ground.

What does recent history in the race tell us?

Taking a broad view over the last 20 years it’s a race three-year-olds have done very well in and looking for an improving sprinter looks a sensible starting place. Nine three-year-olds have won the Sprint Cup this century and while they haven’t won any of the last four renewals that age group did finish second, third and fourth last year (against the odds, too, at 14/1, 50/1 and 66/1).

The Classic generation are always to be feared in this race and this year, in particular, they look to hold a very strong hand.

What’s the pecking order amongst the three-year-olds?

In terms of what they have achieved on their best form to date from top to bottom Timeform go Inisherin, Elite Status, Lake Forest, Jasour, Bucanero Fuerte, Frost At Dawn, Flora Of Bermuda, Kind Of Blue and Givemethebeatboys.

However, it is relatively tight and any number of factors could see those places altered come Saturday afternoon. That said, the standard Inisherin set when winning the Commonwealth Cup was one none of his Sprint Cup rivals have reached yet and if he hits that sort of number again, after a form blip in the July Cup, then he is the one they all have to beat.

Who can improve their place in that pecking order under Saturday’s conditions?

Good ground slightly on the soft side, an even gallop or perhaps stronger with plenty of prominent racers (Art Power, Bucanero Fuerte, Givemethebeatboys, Kind Of Blue, Shartash, Elite Status, Moss Tucker, Swingalong and Inisherin) in the field, this test should help find improvement in some of these three-year-olds.

A hell-for-leather six could bring out more in Lake Forest, but the preliminaries will be a test for him after he got upset in the stalls at York last time. Elite Status has had his niggles but could be sitting on a bigger number having only raced twice (and winning twice in impressive style) this season.

Irish raider Bucanero Fuerte is even less experienced at three after just the one run (and win) at Naas in May. Kind Of Blue is progressing nicely for a trainer in James Fanshawe who has a good record in the race. And then there’s as yet unknown factors like headgear – could a first-time hood spark major improvement in Jasour, for example?

How’s the older-horse challenge looking?

Not as strong as the three-year-old challenge. Karl Burke’s Swingalong looks the most potent threat after banging on the door with close-up runner-up finishes in the Jubilee and July Cup, taking her top-level record to 0/7. Fourth in this race last year, she looks a more finished article at four and if none of the three-year-olds improve she could well be the one to take advantage.

Kinross looks to be regressing and would need a bigger test of stamina (by way of the ground being softer) to improve his chance, while Spycatcher probably needs softer ground, too. Shouldvebeenaring is an interesting one with good Haydock form to his name, while Montassib should get the race run to suit.

Is there an antepost bet to be had?

I don’t think there is, it looks a race to properly assess when it comes to the final declarations on Thursday. I’d fancy Montassib in a soft-ground Sprint Cup, especially with a strong gallop on, but that’s looking unlikely now and I fear he could get outpaced over this track and trip on good-ish conditions.

I’d raise an eyebrow should Jasour get declared with a h1 next to his name, so will look out for that at declaration time. And if a big field is declared and Shouldvebeenaring drifts a bit I can see him coming into calculations given he was unsuited by seven furlongs at York and considering his excellent course form.

Do any of the outsiders make appeal?

Another three-year-old in Flora Of Bermuda has been supplemented for the race by Andrew Balding and she is very unexposed at the trip for a 33/1 chance. She has only raced over six furlongs twice in her life and one of those, her Group 3 Summer Stakes win at York two starts ago, was a career best.

Ground slightly on the soft side of good looks ideal for her and she represents the Prix Maurice de Gheest form having finished ahead of the July Cup winner Mill Stream when fourth in France over six-and-a-half furlongs last time out.

But what about the big two, the Sheikh Obaid-owned pair?

Yes, Inisherin and Elite Status. Both have very good chances as the market indicates. Inisherin looked the new kid on the block after his Commonwealth Cup success and he still could be, if you can forgive his below-par run in the July Cup, his first meeting with the older horses.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he bounced back from that at a track where he ran away with the Sandy Lane Stakes, but he looks skinny enough considering the opposition. Indeed, I prefer Elite Status out of the two and firmly believe he could’ve beaten his owner-mate had he turned up at Royal Ascot. He has had his niggly injuries but he goes well fresh and there could well be more to come.

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