It has been an outstanding campaign for UK & Irish flat racing, and while the standout feature races are slowly starting to dwindle in number as the leaves begin to fall from the trees, there are a few still to run that are well worthy of your attention.
The first is the Sprint Cup Festival, which is held early in September each year at Haydock Park. Sponsorship duties have been handed to 32Red after Betfred let their contract run down, while another new bookmaker on the scene – 188BET – has their fingerprints all over the first of the three-day festival.
The first day (Thursday September 1) has been sponsored solely by the brand, hence why we have race names like ‘the ACCA Insurance at 188BET Handicap Stakes’, for instance. There is not much for punters to get excited about here, and in truth the same could be said for the Friday.
But Saturday looks a belting day of flat racing, with four televised renewals including the jewel in the crown: the eponymous Haydock Sprint Cup.
The Superior Mile kicks things off as far as the feature races are concerned, swiftly followed by the Old Borough Handicap and the Be Friendly Handicap Stakes. But it is when the clock strikes 4:30pm that nails will be bitten and hats thrown into the air in celebration, as some of the country’s finest flat racing sprinters take to the Haydock Park track for the 6f jolly.
Haydock Park Sprint Cup Tips
When analysing a big race it is always worth casting your mind back to the previous year’s renewal, and luckily we have the 2015 Sprint Cup champion in our midst here. Twilight Son prevailed last time around after a strong showing, and he four-year-old stayed particularly well up the final furlong incline.
It’s been a decent campaign for this Henry Candy trained gelding, who was outstanding in victory in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes; a renewal which featured many of the big hitters here, and most of whom were left in his dust. A second in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes further enhanced his credentials.
Interestingly, a poor showing last time out at the predictive July Cup means that the book has been confused; hence why Twilight Son is still available at 6/1 (Paddy Power). If the going has any kind of yield to it, that looks an outstanding price.
With bright sunshine, howling winds and heavy rain all predicted – and that’s just the next 24 hours – it is hard to make even an educated guess as to how the surface will hold up, but it is noticeable that two towards the head of the field need going to be in their favour to have a chance.
The Tin Man is one in the field who clearly prefers firmer ground, as his eighth place finish in the squidgy top of Ascot at the Diamond Jubilee Stakes testifies. Magical Memory is another of significant promise but who’s challenge faltered in the final few furlongs at the Diamond Jubilee; the soft going knocking the wind out of the four-year-old’s sails with the tape in sight. That’s not a good sign from a horse that has won just six of seventeen starts.
The ‘will he, won’t he’ presence of Limato in the ante-post market is just holding up prices at the moment; the four-year-old is likely to make the trip to Haydock and instead rest up in advance of the Breeders Cup, but he hasn’t been officially ruled out as yet.
When he is the market will alter accordingly, so take the 10/1 offered by William Hill on Signs of Blessing as soon as possible. This is a rookie three-year-old with a rather thin CV, but just look at those two starts over 6f: third by a short head to the outstanding Gold-Fun in the Diamond Jubilee, followed by a maiden victory at Deauville with two in the upper reaches here, Suedois and Donjuan Triumphant, eating his dust. The Francois Rohaut trained colt appears to be ready to challenge for the places, and at any kind of double figure price is well worth a look.
Recommended Bets
Outright: Twilight Son (6/1 with Paddy Power)
Each Way: Signs of Blessing (10/1 with William Hill)
