The Haydock Sprint Cup is the feature race across England this weekend, and this year features a stellar line up of horses aiming to add their name to the illustrious list of winners of the race. That list includes multiple Group 1 scorers Harry Angel (2017), Hello Youmzain (2019) and Dream Of Dreams (2020).
This year see’s a short priced favourite in SHAQUILLE, who could take all the beating as he bids for a third successive Group 1 victory. But with the Julie Camacho runner being such short odds, there looks to be plenty of value of taking him on – a wise move or will Shaquille prove too good for the opposition yet again?
GG editor Jake Russell previews the race, looking at the key trends for the racing and running through the key runners and a couple of outsiders, before giving his expert verdict on who he’s backing to come out on top.
Last year’s renewal went the way of Owen Burrows’ MINZAAL, who stayed on strongly to run out an impressive winner:
Key Trends
- 6 of the last 12 winners were aged 3, 6 of the last 12 winners were aged 4 or older.
- 5 of the last 12 winners were favourites/joint favourites, 8 of the last 12 winners were in the top 3 in the betting.
- 4 of the last 12 winners won on their last run before the Sprint Cup, 6 of the last 12 winners placed on their last run, 10 of the last 12 winners had their last run within the last 56 days.
- 7 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous run at Haydock, 4 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous win at Haydock.
- 11 of the last 12 winners had at least 4 previous runs over 6 furlongs, 10 of the last 12 winners had at least 3 previous wins over 6 furlongs.
- 11 of the last 12 winners had at least 6 previous flat runs, 9 of the last 12 winners had at least 4 previous flat wins.
- 11 of the last 12 winners had a rating of 111 or higher.
- 10 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 win in a group 1-3 race.
- 10 of the last 12 winners had at least 3 runs that season, 11 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous win that season.
Key Runners
Shaquille
(Julie Camacho/James Doyle)
Everyone loves it when a “smaller” trainer has a horse that can seemingly mop up in a division, and although Shaquille has more than his fair share of quirks, I think over 6 furlongs he could be one of the best around at the moment. He has seemingly come on leaps and bounds this season, winning a handicap off the mark of 94 for his first run of the season before going on to land the Listed Carnarvon Stakes looking like a real nice 3yo sprinter. He then lined up as somewhat of a forgotten force for the Commonwealth Cup, and although everything went horribly wrong for him, breaking slowly and had to be ridden at the back of the field, he stayed on brilliant to win going away by little over a length with Little Big Bear in 2nd. That was an excellent performance given the fact he didn’t really break on terms, which has now become a bit of thing he does when racing. He then had to back that performance up next time when contesting in the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket, and he virtually did the same, breaking slowly away before making an early to mid race move of firing into the lead, begging the question of will he last home. He certainly did, and he did by a length and a half to land a first Group 1 for rider Rossa Ryan. Now obviously given his quirks, it does make backing him slightly challenging at times, also considering he is a short price for this, and it seems connections have slightly changed his routine at home to make him break quicker, lets hope that doesn’t disrupt his flow. But they will know more about the horse than me. James Doyle gets back onboard, and he shown during York week he is an excellent jockey to book in these excellent Group 1 contests. He is the classiest horse in the race, so should really be beating most of these to land his third Group 1 in a row.
Mill Stream
(Jane Chapple-Hyam/Marco Ghiani)
The Jane Chapple-Hyam trained son of Gleneagles has suddenly sprung out of nowhere recently. The last time he raced in the UK was a Nose 2nd behind Quinault in a Heritage Handicap at Newmarket off the mark of 99. He was given the rating of 100 to start the season and was fairly well beaten in his first couple of races, before heading down the handicap route, but it seems connections think he is a better horse than that. His last two races have been in France, first where he beat Secret Angle in a Listed contest at Deauville by just over 3 lengths, before going on to beat Garrus in the Group 3 Barriere Prix de Meautry at Deauville again last time, finishing in front by just under 2 lengths, getting some nice black type to his name already, which can be very valuable as a 3yo. Now with the new BHA Rating of 111, he does still seem to be improving, and is in very good form at present, but all of his decent form recently has come on softer conditions, so the expected good ground might be an issue, although not to much as he has performed relatively well on it recently. He will head into the race with the same weight as Shaquille, but rated 9lb’s below him. He could be the one to snap up the chance if Shaquille presents it to him with his quirks, but would need to improve a little bit more to beat the favourite should all go well in the race.
Sacred
(William Haggas/Tom Marquand)
The Haggas trained daughter of Exceed And Excel is a pretty class mare on her day, who has some decent form, which is more than good enough to cause some trouble in this contest should she really be at her very best. She looked home and hosed in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, only to be collared in the closing stages by the big priced Khaadem, but she really produced a career best and probably should have landed the feature Saturday prize. She wasn’t quite in the same form however when last seen at York but she could have done with a stronger pace in that race, but the feeling is she will get that in this contest and it could be run to suit her. Despite her latest defeat, she has proven to be competitive at the highest level and if she does perform to her best, she is sure to be thereabouts, and she isn’t to far off these on official ratings, whilst getting a pound off the younger boys. I feel due to the fact she has been raced sparingly this season, this would have been the main target all season long for her, and if she can run like the Royal Ascot performance, she could be the one to upset the red-hot market leader, with the expected fast pace being there to suit.
Spycatcher
(Karl Burke/Joe Fanning)
Another likeable sprinter who arrives into this race in quite decent form, especially last time out when he put in by far a career-best performance, to have only just been beaten by a short-head into second for the Group 1 Arc Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville and connections will no doubt be looking for redemption and try to land this horses first Group 1 prize. He looked set to provide his handler with a first top-level success in almost four years when he quickened clear of the field last time, just getting mowed down late on as they headed towards the line. He actually rallied to get his head back in front shortly after the line which does clearly show that he has taken his form to an all new level this season, seemingly getting better and better still with age, which can happen with sprinters, Just look at Highfield Princess. He had previously won a Group 3 at the same track on better ground and is one of the form-horses for this contest hence why he is currently up there with the other in-form horses at the top end of the market. One slight concern is his form at Haydock previously, as he finished a well beaten seventh in a Group 3, but he was slow away from the stalls so that might have been the excuse that day, he certainly is the type to put that behind him. However the latest effort was his first test at the top-tier and he validated his worth at the level with a very good effort in defeat and with the prospect of potentially more to come he could make his presence felt should the red-hot market leader not fire for whatever reason.
Outsiders To Watch
Believing
(George Boughey/Jason Hart)
It’s quite hard to look at some of these runners at decent prices, as I feel most of them do fall short in terms of previous form to land a top class Group 1 contest like this, but as this season has shown, sometimes the formbook goes out the window, epically with some sprint contests down the years. The George Boughey daughter of Mehmas has won three of her last four starts and got up in the final strides to land a Listed contest at Pontefract last time, and although to the eye that doesn’t look anywhere near Group 1 form, she was very slowly away and kept at the back, before making plenty of headway to win by a neck going away past the line. She also gave the runner up and most of the field 5lb’s in the weights. She is also a Group 3 winner, when landing the Prix Texanita at Chantilly in May, producing probably a career best effort. She has some similar form to most of these, and is already has some black type to her name, and given she is a little way off most of these in the ratings, I feel she is still improving slightly, and given who she is trained by, I couldn’t see him risking her in this if he didn’t feel she was good enough to put on a decent showing in it. I think there is more to come from her given she is just a 3yo, and she does slightly slip under the radar.
Khaadem
(Charlie Hills/Jamie Spencer)
Every time we have a sprinting Group 1 Khaadem is always there, and I always seem to get sucked into doing a write up about him, one day I will catch him right, and he will run well at big odds like he did at Royal Ascot in June. Now things haven’t gone their way since, having finished 5th behind Shaquille in the July Cup Stakes at Newmarket, however he was short of room 2 furlongs out so that wouldn’t have helped, plus anything with soft in the going description is no good for him, as all his good form comes on good or good to form ground. Last time out I think he was a little unlucky also, as he wasn’t given the best of rides, in a ferocious paced Nunthorpe Stakes, where he was kept at the back before making headway with a furlong to go and running on fairly well late in the day, still finishing a decent 7th out of 16 runners only beaten by 3 and a half lengths. I think this step back up to 6 furlongs, on very decent ground will more than suit him, and it is slightly strange to see him currently trading at such a big price again, although nowhere near as big as when he won at Royal Ascot. I think this horse is always underestimated where ever he goes for some reason, but he wouldn’t be at his highest career rating currently for no reason would he? Being just 3lb’s off the red-hot favourite in terms of ratings, and only giving him 2lb’s in the weights, should the race fall apart like what we can see in these springing contests, he will be there to take the advantage. One slight concern is he has run in this race a few times in previous years, finishing no better than 7th, but I feel he is a completely different horse now as he currently operates at his highest mark. Also how many times do you see a recent Group 1 winner trading at such a big price, I think he is worth chancing if you can get extra places at your bookies.
Big-Race Verdict
Personally I would be quite disappointed to see Shaquille get beaten here, As he is quickly becoming on of my favourite horses in training, I just love his quirks and how that doesn’t effect how he races, he almost does what he wants and I love it. It has been a pretty mixed record for 3yo’s in this contest recently with the last winner being Hello Youmzain in 2019, but 6 of the last 12 winners have been 3yo’s so they more than hold their own in this contest. I just don’t think we have quite seen a 3yo as good as Shaquille for a few year now, and I fully expect him to make it three Group 1’s in a row, but that won’t be without a few heart attacks for connections during the race. Khaadem could quickly become a cliff horse of mine in these 6 furlong contests, but I just feel he is underestimated once again in the market. How many recent Group 1 winners do you see at that price, no matter if it was an upset or not, he still landed a top prize. I just hope he will be ridden a little better than last time, as ground conditions and trip do fall in his favour. Although he has won in this race previously and disappointed, I feel he is a different horse this season, and who is good enough to land a blow in this contest.
SELECTION: Shaquille – To Win (10/11 Best Price) & Khaadem – EW (33/1 Best Price)
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