32Red Sprint Cup: Horse by horse guide to Haydock feature
Matt Brocklebank runs through the entries for Saturday's 32Red Sprint Cup and looks to sort the contenders from the pretenders.
Harry Angel became the fourth three-year-old in as many years to win the Haydock Sprint Cup in 2017 and Clive Cox's charge returns to the scene of his greatest triumph a year older and with a point to prove after disappointing favourite-backers at Royal Ascot.
He had excuses in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Ascot, where his career record now reads 'played five, won nil', but does he still remain the one to beat at the top level over six furlongs?
Matt Brocklebank takes a look through the possible runners and bids to unearth the best bet...
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BRANDO
Something to find with a couple of these on most recent showing when a rather sluggish eighth of 20 in the Maurice de Gheest - a race he'd won last season - but suggestion he wasn't on the best part of the track that day. Right at his smooth-travelling best when second in the July Cup previously and on that showing he's a massive player. No good in this 12 months ago but has won at the track earlier in his career and when he's on song he is right at home in this company.
DONJUAN TRIUMPHANT
Stable going great guns and this fella's career highlight came at this track, during this month, last year. He looks to have been caught between a rock and a hard place since then and is likely to need a deluge of rain if he's going to be seriously competitive back down to six furlongs at Group One level.
HARRY ANGEL
Undoubtedly the most talented sprinter in this field and every ratings-compiler will have him top of the shop. Fine line with these speedsters though, as we've seen with Battaash this term, and it's not a given he'll come back firing on all cylinders after injuring himself as the stalls opened at Royal Ascot. That was the one real blot on his copybook but on balance it's tempting to oppose given short price and the time he's had out of action subsequently. Rain in the forecast does look in his favour, though.
INTELLIGENCE CROSS
War Front colt whose 3-20 career record probably doesn't do him justice. However, he's contested nine Group Ones so far and closest he's come is last year's fifth behind Harry Angel and a couple more of these rivals in the July Cup. So hard to make any sort of a case for him winning today other than the fact maybe he hasn't quite been at his best so this summer with the yard under a little bit of a cloud. Fast ground seems to suit best so that's another negative for him.
LIMATO
Tends to divide opinion but no arguing that he's a top-class talent when everything is in his favour. Had looked to be on his way to the wilderness before a return to Listed level brought about a return to winning ways at Newmarket's July Course last month so hope there's life in his legs yet. Ran well on his only previous visit to Haydock a couple of years back but hard to see the course fully playing to his strengths and he wouldn't want much of a downpour in the week.
SIR DANCEALOT
Gelding operation over the winter has done him the power of good and he's obviously just taken a while to fully fill his frame. Recent progress has come over seven furlongs, with back-to-back Group Two wins in the Lennox and the Hungerford, but no fluke about them in good quality fields. Fourth in the July Cup and third to Harry Angel at the start of the season put him right in the mix for a place here and he's handled a bit of dig in the ground earlier in his career. Seems sure to run his race.
SPIRIT OF VALOR
Another son of War Front who wouldn't want a slog on deep ground. Had a good three-year-old campaign, finishing second in the Jersey and winning a Group Two in decent style, but not able to build on those efforts this time around and behind Speak In Colours when 6/4 fav in Curragh Group Three latest.
TASLEET
Largely underrated through his career and only missed out on the Diamond Jubilee by a neck last year when splitting The Tin Man and Limato. Made to look slow by Harry Angel when best of the rest (beaten fourth lengths) in this event last year but backed that up with another second on Champions Day and made a reasonable start to current campaign at the Curragh in May. Absent since which tempers enthusiasm but ground looks like it'll come in his favour and has gone well when fresh in the past.
THE TIN MAN
Best form on fast ground and that doesn't look like materialising but he's a solid top-level performer whose talents haven't waned at the age of six. Looked the relish the extra half-furlong when staying on from the back to be third in the Maurice de Gheest at Deauville last time and it may just be that he's not got the zip to go with some of these from the outset.
EQTIDAAR
Always held in high regard and although only fourth in Listed heat at Newbury in May, he immediately took the step up to Group One level in his stride when winning the Commonwealth Cup from Sands Of Mali. Seemingly exposed as not good enough when down the field in the July Cup since but too soon to write off as he didn't get the clearest of passages that day and didn't look happy on the track. Needs a big leap forward but we've already seen that in his career and hard to be too down on him, with connections already eyeing the big one on Champions Day.
FLEET REVIEW
Ran a mighty race when third in the July Cup at 50/1 but failed to cement those credentials when beating only six home at Deauville last month. Still open to a little bit of improvement and this trip looks fine for the time being, though he doesn't look among the best three-year-olds in this field so will surely struggle against Harry Angel and Brando. Being yet another War Front, he's potentially going to be vulnerable on the ground.
GUSTAV KLIMT
Classy two-year-old who made a winning start to the season in Listed seven furlong event at Leopardstown. Has shown glimmers of top-class potential since then, half-length second to Without Parole at Royal Ascot the obvious highlight, but not progressed last two starts. The return to six furlongs for the first time since his debut fifth at the Curragh last May is going to need to work in his favour.
HEY JONESY
Fine fifth to Eqtidaar in the Commonwealth Cup but not at the same level at York since and overall body of work needs major improvement.
JAMES GARFIELD
Really smart at two and his Breeders' Cup effort shouldn't be taken at face value. Won the Greenham when fully wound up for his return but the move up to a mile didn't suit in the Guineas and he didn't quite fire when behind Sands Of Mali here and then in the Jersey Stakes. Almost pulled off a first Group One victory for his trainer in the Maurice de Gheest at Deauville, where he had several of these rivals well beaten off. Clearly benefitted from a fine Frankie ride there but good to see connections persevere with sprinting and it seems all conditions come alike to him.
SANDS OF MALI
First three starts of the current campaign really promising and he was arguably a shade unlucky when second to Eqtidaar in the Commonwealth Cup. Has struggled against older rivals in two starts since and while the ground should be in his favour this weekend, he makes limited appeal when it comes to judging who may be capable of dethroning Harry Angel.
SIOUX NATION
Son of Scat Daddy who has been kept to quick ground most of his career. Drop back to the minimum trip hasn't worked out for him of late and return to six furlongs can be deemed a positive, though he lacks the form required to mix it with the big boys in this field.
SPEAK IN COLOURS
Fascinating three-year-old who was switched from Marco Botti to Joseph O'Brien over the winter and has gradually found his feet in Ireland. Down the field - albeit only beaten seven lengths - in the Commonwealth Cup but beat solid yardstick Gordon Lord Byron in Curragh Group Three last month and bound to have taken confidence from getting his head in front again. Big ask to follow up at this level but could be an interesting outsider if connections decide this is the best place for him.
Verdict
Three-year-olds may have dominated this race in recent seasons but they have to be good enough and it's hard to be convinced over any of the Classic generation this time around. Gustav Klimt has the potential to really enjoy a drop back to sprinting and Speak In Colours could have a say but Maurice de Gheest second James Garfield does look the pick of the younger generation.
However, the established sprinters in this year's race are seriously good performers on their day and while acknowledging Harry Angel is the most likely winner if resuming close to his best, BRANDO does make a degree of appeal on value grounds.
He obviously has physically issues (has bled in the past and undergoes a breathing operation 'nearly every year') but when he's on song he travels as sweetly as any sprinter around and he clearly bumped into one in the July Cup this year.
The Maurice de Gheest effort doesn't quite do him justice as he had to challenge away from the majority of the action so he's better than the bare form.
There's ground to make up on Harry Angel, who has beaten him three times before, but if the favourite doesn't quite fire then Brando looks a good bet to pick up the pieces.
1. Brando
2. Harry Angel
3. James Garfield