Haydock’s Sprint Cup Attracts 17

There is no concern with small field sizes in an ultra-competitive edition of Haydock's G1 Betfair Sprint Cup on Saturday, with a maximum line-up of 17 sprinters heading to post after the draw was made on Thursday. In the past 10 runnings, only Dream Of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead) and G Force (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) were drawn in double figures, so connections of the leading fancies Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) would have been buoyed by seeing their runners handed low numbers for the six-furlong straight clash.

 

Legend Heads Strong Palmer Challenge

Sunday's G3 Goldene Peitsche winner Dubawi Legend (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) has been given the go-ahead to back up for the race and will be one of the pace angles breaking from stall four along with the forward-going Art Power and Naval Crown. Dr. Ali Ridha's 'TDN Rising Star' is one of a trio from Hugo Palmer's Manor House Stables alongside Chasemore Farm's G2 Greenlands S. winner Brad The Brief (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) and the G1 Commonwealth Cup runner-up Flaming Rib (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}). “It will be very special when we get a first Group 1 from Manor House, after a Group 2 winner and a Group 1 second, and I'm really looking forward to running all three of them,” the trainer told QIPCO British Champions Series. “If it rains I suspect that Brad The Brief has the best chance, but the other two are entries in a stallion-making race, so any one of the three would be wonderful.”

Explaining the absence of Brad The Brief since his career-best in the Greenlands and the Curragh May 21, Palmer added, “It was very quick ground when we were considering the Maurice De Gheest and then he was a non-runner after being declared for the City Of York. He doesn't need it soft–there was no real cut in it at The Curragh–but he doesn't want fast ground, and having waited so long I wouldn't want to go and jar him up out of frustration. Dubai Legend is amazing. He was very happy and fresh when we gave him a quiet canter on Wednesday morning and although it's a big leap from a German Group 3 we are keen to give it a go.”

 

Ryan Team Wait On The Weather

Last year's Sprint Cup winner Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal) is in stall 13, but has the front-running G2 King George S. scorer Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) alongside in 12 in what should prove a fascinating encounter. Of more concern than the draw is the effect of the forecast rain, with jockey Andrea Atzeni hoping that it avoids Haydock so as not to diminish the prospect of the first dual winner since 1967. “He likes a strong pace to run at, which he should get once again, but the major key to him is the ground,” he told QIPCO British Champions Series. “We got lucky last year as it was very fast, which is just how he likes it, so ideally we don't want too much rain. I did say to Kevin earlier this year that I thought he might come good in the autumn again, and he's going to Haydock with a very similar profile to last year.”

 

Tasso Set For Clash

The final field for Sunday's G1 152nd Wettstar Grosser Preis von Baden was also established on Thursday, with Gestut Auenquelle's Arc hero Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in line for his title defence as he limbers up for his return to ParisLongchamp in four weeks' time. Gestut Park Wiedingen's G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis winner Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) receives seven pounds weight-for-age from the Frankie Dettori-ridden 5-year-old, with Rene Piechulek forced to miss out to honour his retainer on last year's G1 Grosser Preis Von Bayern runner-up Mendocino (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) as five head to post. In a twist, Piechulek had also partnered Sammarco to success in the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis with Bauyrzhan Murzabayev out of action, but that rider is back on board the 3-year-old this time.

Click here for the group fields.

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Art Power Bound For Champions Sprint

The G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint on Oct. 16 is next for Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) following his dominant display in the G2 Renaissance S. at The Curragh on Sept. 25. Bearing the King Power racing silks, the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. third drew off by five lengths in the Renaissance. It was his first win since taking the G3 Lacken S. at Naas last July. Art Power was also fourth in the 2020 edition of the British Champions Sprint.

“It was a very good performance in Ireland and he's come out of it really well,” said trainer Tim Easterby. “He's in good order and he goes to Ascot next time. He ran well last year.

“He just wants riding with a bit of patience. That's what he wants and he could win anything.”

Art Power's stablemate Winter Power (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) is headed to France to take in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Abbaye on Oct. 3. Since taking the G3 Cornwallis S. last October, the bay filly opened her season with a listed victory at York on May 13, but was only ninth in the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot. Back in the winner's circle in the Listed City Walls S. at York on July 10, she won the G1 Nunthorpe S. there on Aug. 20. An awkward break in the G1 Flying Five S. at The Curragh resulted in a 10th place finish on Sept. 12.

“She's in great form and goes to the Prix Abbaye,” he said. With a bit of luck she can repeat her Nunthorpe performance in France.”

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Group 1 Winner Starman One of 14 in Sprint Cup

Haydock hosts the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup S. on Sept. 4, and Group 1 winner Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) is one of 14 signed on in the six-furlong affair. A winner of the G1 Darley July Cup S. ahead of Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) on July 10, the David Ward colourbearer ran third, one better than Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) in the G1 LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest to Marianafoot (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) at Deauville on Aug. 8 for trainer Ed Walker.

Fellow Group 1 winner Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) is also in the lineup. Successful in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. last autumn, the Hambleton Racing Xxxvi & Partner-owned 7-year-old gelding's best performance this season has been a second in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot in June, one better than King Power Racing's Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) for Tim Easterby. Another entrant in the King Power colours is G3 Chipchase S. heroine Chil Chil (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who was fifth in the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S.

Godolphin fields G3 Jersey S. hero and G2 Unibet Lennox S. second Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Nunthorpe runner-up Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal) is also entered for Kevin Ryan. A trio of last out group winners are also in the field at this stage-Gustavus Weston (Ire) (Equiano {Fr}) for Joseph Murphy, Happy Romance (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) for Richard Hannon, and Sunday's G3 Prix de Meautry hero Garrus (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) for Charlie Hills.

Clive Cox has a pair stepping out in the Sprint Cup-2020's G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S. hero Supremacy (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and group winner and dual Group 1-placed Nando Parrado (GB) (Kodiac {GB}).

“The drier autumn has given us a chance to include Supremacy, while Nando Parrado ran a blinder at Newbury in the Hungerford and this is an opportunity to run back over six,” said trainer Clive Cox.

“Supremacy is showing me the right signs and with the dry forecast we're keen to have a look. We'll assess the situation as the week goes by.”

Rounding out the 14 are Aug. 28 listed winner Summerghand (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) for David O'Meara and Vadream (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) from the yard of Charlie Fellowes.

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Oxted Faces 22 in July Cup Defence

A total of 23 horses have been confirmed for the July 10 G1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket, including Roger Teal's 2020 victor Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}). Second in the G3 Abernant S. at HQ on Apr. 15, the entire was third behind the reopposing Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) in the G2 Duke Of York S. on May 12, prior to doubling his Group 1 tally in the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot on June 15. Dual group winner and last out June 19 Wokingham S. hero Rohaan (Ire) (Mayson {GB}) and listed winner Line Of Departure (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) were both supplemented.

“It feels like a real championship race, you have all the best horses of the generation in there, but it's a shame not to have the Diamond Jubilee winner there alongside the King's Stand winner,” Starman's trainer Ed Walker said. “Starman has got an opportunity to be the sprinter of his generation because he's only got the one blip on his record, I'd love to think he could be the next Muhaarar.

“He's done absolutely nothing wrong bar that run on bad ground, I just don't know how much is up his sleeve–only he can answer that question and hopefully he does answer it on Saturday.”

Group 3 winner Chil Chil (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) is “at the top of her game” according to her trainer Andrew Balding and is trying the Group 1 level for the first time. The King Power Racing 5-year-old is lining up for the July Cup. A half-sister to four-time Group 2 winner Beat The Bank (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}), Chil Chil saluted in a May 1 handicap at Newmarket and earned a career high when saluting in the G3 William Hill Chipchase S. at Newcastle on June 26.

“She will go for the July Cup if the ground is good or faster,” said Balding. “She showed some pretty useful form last year when conditions were right and she was a little bit unfortunate on a couple of occasions. Beat The Bank, her brother, got better with age and it appears she is. It is a big step up in class but she likes the track at Newmarket and I don't see why she won't like this one, so why not have a go?

“She travelled strongly at Newcastle and I was impressed with the way she picked up in the second half of the race. She is clearly a filly at the top of her game. It would be nice if she could prove up to this level.”

First past the post in the G1 Commonwealth Cup S. at Royal Ascot, but disqualified for interference, Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) returns for trainer Archie Watson. Watson also sends out G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprit S. winner Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who was second to the now-injured Dream Of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead) in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. also at Royal Ascot.

Among the other entrants as of Monday are: G3 Jersey S. winner Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) for trainer Charlie Appleby, G1 Middle Park S. hero Supremacy (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) for trainer Clive Cox, Joseph O'Brien's Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) who won the G1 National S., the group winner Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) for Tim Easterby and G1 Queen Anne S. second Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) for Aidan O'Brien.

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