The sprinters take centre stage at Haydock on Saturday, with a couple of Group races on offer that could provide some clues ahead of Royal Ascot next month.
The card features Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Starlust, who bids to make a successful reappearance in the Temple Stakes (3.30).
Our expert, Harry Wilson, has three selections on the card, including one in the Group 2 Temple Stakes, one in the Group 2 Sandy Lane, and another in the Silver Bowl Handicap.
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Haydock Saturday tips
1.50 Haydock – King Casper
The Silver Bowl and the Britannia Stakes are intrinsically linked, with 11 of the last 14 winners of this competitive mile handicap going on to line up in that Royal Ascot contest.
It is therefore no surprise to see this is the route taken by Hugo Palmer for King Casper, who was said to be aimed at the Britannia after bolting up on his handicap debut at Newmarket last month.
He travelled better than anything that day out in front, with his jockey only asking him to make his effort coming out of the Dip, and he showed a nice turn of foot to put daylight between himself and his nearest pursuer.
He was largely ignored in the betting on that reappearance, but he had good form as a juvenile. He produced a good turn of foot to beat three subsequent winners in a novice at Haydock in August before facing a stiff task trying to give weight away to a couple of smart rivals on ground too soft over course and distance next time.
He’s proven at the track, will relish the quick ground and, although he’s been raised 9lb for his Newmarket win, he looks progressive and the Racing Post Rating of 95 he achieved that day suggests that his new mark of 90 is still workable.
3.00 Haydock – Powerful Glory
Richard Fahey used the Mill Reef Stakes as a stepping stone to stardom for Ribchester in 2015 and his latest winner Powerful Glory looks to have considerable potential.
Trained by Fahey for owner Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum, the son of Cotai Glory was bought for £190,000 at the breeze-up sales last April and lived up to expectations by justifying 10/11 favouritism in a maiden for unraced two-year-olds on his first start in August, powering clear by five and a half lengths.
Powerful Glory backed up that promise when landing the Mill Reef on his next start. That wasn’t the strongest running of that Group 2, but there was so much to like about the way he ground out the victory in the bottomless conditions, and he is going to be even better on quicker ground if his impressive debut is anything to go by.
He’s a big frame of a horse, so looks likely to progress nicely from two to three, and this well-regarded colt can show that he is a proper Commonwealth Cup contender.
3.30 Haydock – American Affair
Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Starlust is the name to note on the card and he’s the highest-rated runner in the Temple Stakes field.
However, he is making his reappearance from 167 days off the track and will probably be in need of the run, so it looks worth taking him on with the in-form American Affair.
Trained by Jim Goldie, whose Jack Dexter was beaten just a neck in the Temple Stakes a decade ago, American Affair started last year rated just 70 but progressed really well, ending the season rated 94 having won three times, including the Portland at Doncaster in September.
American Affair has taken his form to a new level this year, though, following up last month’s success at Musselburgh by winning with a bit in hand at York’s Dante meeting last week, coming from almost last to score by a length.
He’ll need more improvement here, but the Racing Post Rating of 111 he achieved that day doesn’t leave him with much to find and it’s hard to know where his ceiling lies.
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