The sprinters have their day in the sun at Haydock Park today.
Sixteen runners contest the six-furlong Betfair Gr1 Sprint Cup (16h35), with a first prize of close on £235,000.
Track conditions are likely to remain good to soft.
This century it’s a race that the three-year-olds have done well in and that trend could continue with the classic generation numbering three of the top four in the market.
Haydock Park hosts the Betfair Sprint on Saturday (Pic – Haydock Park)
The Clive Cox trained Jasour and the Sheikh Obaid-owned pair Elite Status and Inisherin are the aforementioned three-year-olds, who together with the William Buick ridden Swingalong look the main protagonists.
The rating Inisherin achieved when winning the Commonwealth Cup was one none of his rivals have matched, and this course and distance winner could be hard to catch back on this flatter track.
However, his last start at Newmarket was disappointing when he was only fifth in the July Cup. The re-opposing Jasour was a neck behind, whilst the four-year-old filly Swingalong was two and a half lengths to the good in second.
Swingalong, now the mount of William Buick, is sure to be involved on that run together with her previous effort when runner-up in the Gr1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at the royal meeting.
That Group1 form from Karl Burke’s filly and the fact that stable jockey Clifford Lee has chosen to stick with stable-mate Elite Status suggests this unexposed three-year-old is better than rated.
The Havana Grey colt goes well fresh and is very much on the improve based on his last victory at Newbury.
Earlier on the card, Cicero’s Gift should regain his form in the Gr3 Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Superior Mile Stakes (14h15). The lightly raced four-year-old is four from six, with all his victories on soft ground.
Thought good enough to tackle Paddington in last season’s St James’ Palace Stakes, he should be too good here providing the track remains soft.
On Sunday there is an exciting battle of the generations in the mile division as 2,000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes winner Notable Speech contests the Gr1 Prix du Moulin at Longchamp (14h50).
The Godolphin colt takes on six rivals including the Roger Varian trained Charyn who looks to have conditions in his favour over his younger rival.
Charyn has developed into a high-class four-year-old with just one defeat in five starts.
Second on his seasonal return in the Lockinge to Audience who slipped his field. He duly turned the tables on that rival in the Queen Anne Stakes and followed that Royal Ascot win with victory in the Gr1 Jacques Le Marois where he had Inspiral back in third.
The grey is no stranger to winning in France as he ended his two-year-old season with victory in the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte at Chantilly and will enjoy the likely soft ground.
