Haydock Sprint Cup Guide 2021

Starman for Ed Walker was a progressive 3yo, winning a listed race at York on just his 3rd career start.

He was unable to follow up on that win however when well back in 14th next time out for the Group 1 Sprint Stakes at Ascot on soft on his final run of last season.

The son of Dutch Art has really proven himself this season, returning with a neck Group 2 win at York in May before landing the Group 1 July Cup next time out impressively ahead of Dragon Symbol and Oxted.

Soft ground and an increased half furlong trip was the undoing of the 4yo last time out in France (G1), albeit still finishing a solid close up 3rd, and he now returns to fast ground at Haydock; a straight galloping 6f, which appears well suited to the runner; much like progeny of Dutch Art who hold an impressive 17% strike rate at the track, outperforming their expected winners.

Ed Walker boasts a highly touted 22% strike rate here at Haydock in the last 5 years, operating at +£27.13 profit to a £1 level win stake on all his runners at the track during that period.

Thus far, the Group 1 Sprint Cup stakes have eluded Charlie Appleby, who enters Godolphin's Creative Force for this years affair.

The 3yo son of Dubawi has been highly progressive this season landing 4 straight wins from class 3 to Group 3 level; the final of those wins being Ascot Jersey stakes up at 7f on soft ground.

A drop back down to 6f in the July Cup resulted in a 5th placed finish, just a shoulder and a neck behind 2nd placed finisher Dragon Symbol, very respectable form however 1.5 lengths behind winner and re-opposing rival, Starman.

A 2nd placed finish in the Lennox Stakes last time out back up at 7f on soft ground has again proven his stamina at the longer trip and he now has it all to find once more against the sprinters, especially Starman.

Tim Easterby has won this race twice in the past, albeit the 2000 & 2003 renewals of the affair, and he enters Art Power for this years race.

Art Power was 4th in this race last year, racing from the front before fading within the final furlong upon soft conditions that day.

The 4yo colt was clearly in need of the run on his seasonal re-appearance when a 6th placed finisher in the Clipper Logistics at York (G2, 6f), 5 lengths behind Starman.

He stepped up on that for a good 3rd in the Diamond Jubilee (G1, 6f) on soft before subsequently running a big race, practically on his own, on the far side of the track at Newmarket in the July Cup from the front before being headed by Starman in the closing strides, finishing in a grouped 2nd, 3rd & 4th.

The step back down to 5f wasn't to suit last time out at Goodwood and this son of Dark Angel looks a decent each way proposition for the affair now stepping back up to a better suited 6.

Now 7-year-old, Glen Shiel, was 2nd in this race last year for trainer Archie Watson who is 3 wins from 9 (33% S/R) at Haydock this season.

A win in the Champion Sprint Stakes (G1, 6f), once again on soft ground, followed that run and he subsequently returned this season with good runs in Ireland (4th - G2, 6f) and at Ascot in the Diamond Jubilee (G1, 6f) upon soft ground to finish a length 2nd.

A 6th placed finish in the July Cup stakes wasnt bad given it was in a huddled finish from 2nd-6th, although still leaves him having to reverse the form on his 3 re-opposing rivals who finished ahead of him that day.

He was also well below form last time out in France when finishing 10th on what would usually be considered preferable soft conditions for the runner and he now needs to bounce back upon forecasted fast ground.

Supremacy was a fantastic 2yo for the Clive Cox team last season, landing Group 2 and Group 1 races at Goodwood and Newmarket on his 3rd and 4th career stats (6f).

He was well off the pace when finishing last of 8, going off as an odds on favourite, in a Group 3 Commonwealth Cup trial on his seasonal re-appearance before subsequently finishing well down the field in the July Cup stakes behind a number of today's rivals.

The son of Mehmas has been sidelined in training ever since and may show improvement however he needs to massively bounce back here to be with any chance of getting involved at the finish.

It must be noted though that he has been nibbled at in the early market with the 25/1 previously available, no longer.

Andrew Balding has 5 wins in 14 runners here at Haydock this season (36% S/R) and is operating at a +£15.58 profit margin from £1 level win stakes on all those runners.

The trainer teams up with the in-form David Probert aboard Chil Chil who was a Group 3 winner on the all weather at Newcastle in June.

She made no impression however on the switch back to turf when finishing a down the field 9th in the July Cup Stakes behind a number of these rivals before dropping down to 5f to finish a fair 5th in the Nunthorpe.

The daughter of Exceed and Excel may pull something out and find a race at this level yet, however at 5yo she's unlikely to be improving and it still looks a big task re-opposing some of these at 6f.

Richard Hannon is another profitable trainer at Haydock this season, operating at a 22% strike rate and a +£11.38 level of profit from a £1 win stake on all his runners at the track this year.

The talented Sean Levey saddles Happy Romance who was a Group 3 Hackwood Stakes winner last time out at Newbury, keeping on well to win going away by an eventual neck, despite repeatedly being short of a gap 1f out.

The race matched a careers best for the 3yo that won a Group 3 at Salisbury ahead of Alcohol Free as a 2yo and there may be more to come from her yet.

She's been fancied in the early market, halved from the previously available 33/1 at the time of writing and she may well be involved should she be able to make the step up now to Group 1 company.

One to be interested in at a bigger price.

2019 winning trainer, Kevin Ryan, enters 5yo gelding Emaraaty Ana for the contest, equipped with the in-form Andrea Atzeni in the saddle who has a 24% strike rate across the last 14 days.

Emaraaty Ana has some ran some fairly solid races, placing at Group 3 level in the past, however ran a massive race in the Nunthorpe (5f) on his first effort at Group 1 level last time out to finish 2nd at 40/1 odds, keeping on at the line, despite running off top weight.

If he can maintain that level of form up at 6f for the switch to Haydock, he looks massively overpriced and may just follow up with another big run.

Summerghand was 8th in this race last year for trainer David O'Meara, possibly undone by the soft ground encountered that day.

The highly tried 7yo son of Lope De Vega was a Group 3 winner (6f) earlier this season at Newmarket ahead of the likes of Emaraaty Ana and Oxted however failed to follow up when stepping up to Group 2 and Group 1 company, finishing behind a number of these re-opposing rivals in those lesser races that followed.

He bounced back with a win in listed company last time out, running on well to win going away, however now steps back up into a Group 1.

Looks to once again find himself out of his depth and at his age is unlikely to find much more than what we have recently witnessed.

Garrus stepped up on recent efforts to finish 5th in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Ascot in June, outrunning 66/1 odds, albeit behind re-opposing rivals Glen Shiel and Art Power.

A lesser effort followed however when finishing 8th in the July Cup behind a number of todays rivals.

The son of Acclamation looked to have the run of the race last time out to bounce back and land a Group 3 in France and he must now convert that level of perfrormance back to British soil and step back up into Group 1 company.

He's 5-years-old now so isn't likely to be improving, thereby leaving him well exposed to a number of these at this level.

Nando Parrado will forever be known as the shock 150/1 winner of last years Coventry Stakes (G2, 6f) as a 2yo on just his 2nd career start.

2nd to only Campanelle next time out at Deauville (G1, 6f) looks solid form however he has since been unsuccessful up at 7f and 8f distances in his last 5 races.

The son of Kodiac finished 5th last time out in the Hungerford stakes (G2, 7f), leading from the front at a strong pace before weakening in the final furlong.

His current levels of form leave him with a bit to find here for the step back into a Group 1 however the step back down to 6f may just help him to bounce back and the employment of Frankie Dettori on board is eye-catching.

There's definitely worse 66/1 shots to be had and he is another who has the potential to outrun his odds.