The Group 1 Sprint Cup Stakes has attracted a maximum field of 17, ensuring it is a true weekend treat for racing fans. It is also the next race for an international star, but will Royal Ascot winner Lazzat get his own way in trying to snare the prize for France? GG tipster Joe Napier previews the contest and gives his verdict.
The Favourite
Despite the large field, which ensured three horses were balloted out in a rare scenario for a British Group 1, there is really only one horse to be considered in the favourites section. Lazzat demonstrated the widening gulf between British sprinters and their global counterparts when getting the best of a truly international duel with Japanese raider Satono Reve in a pulsating edition of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at the royal meeting. In so doing, he was 3½ lengths clear of any British runner (third-placed Flora Of Bermuda), a fairly significant margin for a 6f sprint.
Jerome Reynier’s charge did meet with defeat at odds on next time out however, when compatriot Sajir swooped to conquer in the Group 1 Prix Maurice De Gheest at Deauville. He perhaps paid for setting the pace for a closer in slightly slower conditions, which could also be the case here, although front runners have often done well in the Sprint Cup. Similarly, his runner-up effort that day, though disappointing, would still set the standard here.
The draw could be important based on recent renewals, although the dominance of the near side in 2023, then the far side in 2024, was likely more to do with where the pace is drawn. Since Lazzat himself is the pace, the real questions are firstly whether he will turn up and perform to his best, and secondly whether any of his rivals can improve enough to challenge him.
Contenders
In the same Wathnan Racing ownership as Lazzat, Kind Of Blue was beaten by just a head in this race a year ago after only five previous starts. James Fanshawe’s charge broke through at Group 1 level on Champions Day thereafter, but has suffered from a difficult second album as a four-year-old. Two virtual no-shows at Chantilly and Newcastle were only partly improved upon by a third in Group 3 company at the Curragh, so he has something to prove despite his result 12 months ago.
There are two further Group 1 winners this season in Time For Sandals and No Half Measures towards the top of the market. Both highlight the unpredictable nature of top level sprints in recent seasons, the former winning the Commonwealth Cup at 25/1, the latter the July Cup at 50/1.
Time For Sandals has been very consistent this season though and 6f is her ideal trip. She will have no ground queries, can race prominently, and looks the most solid British contender, with No Half Measures ultimately benefitting from her side of the draw in the July Cup. She has a little more to prove although did seem to appreciate stepping up to 6f again that day.
The other prominent runner in the betting is a young improver in the shape of Sky Majesty. A winner of five of her seven starts, she was a Group 2-winning juvenile and is now on a hat-trick after winning Listed and Group 3 contests at Naas for William Haggas. She was only eighth behind Time For Sandals in the Commonwealth Cup, but is likely to have gotten closer to that rival since. Sayidah Dariyan also ran in that Royal Ascot race, finishing fourth on a different side of the track to the aforementioned pair, but subsequently won a Group 3 over this trip at York and was not disgraced in the Nunthorpe over 5f. Combined with No Half Measures, she gives Richard Hughes a fairly strong hand.
Outsiders
Any number can be considered outsiders in this year’s Sprint Cup. Both Big Mojo and Flora Of Bermuda have become consistent staples in events such as these. However, unless either finds a chunk of improvement, it feels unlikely that they have prospects beyond a place. Similar comments apply to Annaf, Diligent Harry and Run To Freedom, all of whom would need to step forward just to reach the frame.
That is not necessarily the case with all of the so-called outsiders though. Inisherin has proven himself at Group 1 level, winning the 2024 Commonwealth Cup, and has a verdict over a few of his rivals in the Duke Of York Stakes earlier this term. He has to bounce back from a poor display behind Lazzat at Deauville last time, but in both that race and this contest last year he was drawn badly, which does nto appear to be the case from stall 6 here. He retains each-way potential if near his best.
James’s Delight and Ain’t Nobody are the other likelier contenders at big prices. The former was no match for Lazzat at Chantilly earlier this term, but seemed to benefit from front-running when landing a Curragh group 2 last time and could challenge the favourite for early pace. The latter had shown precious little since his juvenile days before the Nunthorpe in which he was a gallant 100/1 second. Cheekpieces may have made a difference and a decent pace to aim at would not rule him out.
Of the rest, Rage Of Bamby’s Group 3 success over this trip at Newbury remains an outlier in her profile and she was last on her only appearance at Haydock. That leaves two: the sole Irish contender My Mate Alfie is one, running in his first Group 1 after a string of Pattern race appearances in his home country. He was behind James’s Delight at the Curragh and would need more overall, while Lazzat’s fellow French raider Beauvatier is the other, and will hope Thursday’s rain continues to affect the ground on Saturday for his chances to be maximised. Without that, his sixth in the Maurice De Gheest highlights his limitations.
Verdict
The variable nature of sprinting Group 1s in recent seasons does make backing a favourite at short odds risky. However, LAZZAT has comfortably the best form even accounting for his odds-on reverse in his homeland last time out and with an overall lack of pace angles to challenge him at the front end, he should be able to make all if at all near his best. He does have 16 rivals though, so a stand out effort from any of them could make the race interesting, with Commonwealth Cup heroine Time For Sandals the pick if the race sets up for a closer. The improving Sky Majesty ensures the three-year-old contingent have a decent chance, with Inisherin and James’s Delight other place contenders in what is a wide open race should the favourite perform below par.
- Lazzat
- Time For Sandals
- Sky Majesty
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