A hugely competitive renewal of the Group 2 Temple Stakes will take place on Saturday 24th May and the 5f sprint often throws up a leading contender for next month’s King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot. Our tipster Steve Chambers previews the Haydock Park contest, which is off at 3:30pm and picks out his 1-2-3.
Favourites
Ed Walker’s Mgheera will make her British debut on Saturday and the recent Longchamp Group 3 winner looks every bit a smart sprinter who is looking to continue her progression. Making her first start for Walker less than two weeks ago, she stormed to an impressive victory on French soil and she’s well fancied to replicate that display here and is a prominent figure in the market.
We know a lot more about Mgheera’s main market rival who is Rumstar and Johnny Portman’s stable star warmed up for this event with a cracking victory in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket. Having ended last season with a Listed win at Ascot, the flourishing five-year-old is bidding for a hat-trick of wins on the bounce and has to be well respected.
Another sprinter heading to Haydock in the form of his life is Jim Goldie’s American Affair, who built on a win in the Scottish Sprint Cup by scorching to another handicap win at York last week. Stepping out of handicap company, he will have to improve again and his fast-finishing nature is sure to see him flying home, but it’s whether he can hold on to his rivals through the early stages.
Ralph Beckett’s Starlust is proven at the top level and the five-year-old landed his biggest career win when landing the Group 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar back in November. He will carry a penalty for that success and will be making his seasonal reappearance here, but he is the class act in this contest. Third in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York last season, Starlust may be using this contest as a springboard to Royal Ascot next month, but he’s likely to be tuned up for this contest and will be hard to beat.
Outsiders
Several of the runners lining up here were seen competing in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket won by Rumstar and second that day was She’s Quality. That was her first run of the season, so she’s entitled to improve for that effort, but she was beaten fair and square that day by Rumstar, so it’s hard to see her turning it around.
Washington Heights was fourth that day for Kevin Ryan and he’s only ever tasted victory once in his career, so it’s going to be a tough ask to see him get his head in front here. Highly tried, Twilight Calls has always shaped like he’s capable of figuring prominently in these sort of races, but now with Richard Spencer he will need to end a long losing run here.
Second in the Cornwallis Stakes at the end of last season, Grand Marquee was fifth on her return in a Listed event at Cork and should improve for that. She will be in receipt of weight from all her rivals, so could be capable of making the places. Electric Storm, Vadream and Law Of Average complete the line-up and will all need to produce their best to be in the shake-up.
Temple Stakes Prediction
The 2025 renewal of the Temple Stakes may lack a star, but the proven top class sprinter in the field STARLUST can storm to victory for Ralph Beckett. A Group 1 winner at the Breeders’ Cup, the four-year-old is making his first start of the season here, but can storm clear from Rumstar, while American Affair can stay on in the closing stages to take third place.
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