Sprint Cup 2018

At least I know what not to do, as I won’t play Harry Angel again, let alone ante post for this lousy price.
If he wins, nice, but I don’t trust him anymore, and the Cox form is not good at all..

I’m a big fan of Harry but he has to be taken on here.

Speak In Colours looks to still be improving and is worth a small poke at 25’s.

He’s my cliff horse but I really like Sands Of Mali E/W in this. The July Cup run can be dismissed since he was on completely the wrong side of the track and he was the best horse in the Commonwealth Cup (again on the wrong side). Having Haydock course form is a big plus for Sands Of Mali and such form has been subsequently boosted by James Garfield’s run in the Maurice De Gheest. Sands Of Mali is available at 20/1 with Hills yet James Garfield is 13/2 with the same firm.

Harry Angel should hack up here but I can’t see many better value options to try and take him on. A case could be made for Gustav Klimt but I find it hard to believe he purely didn’t stay the 7 furlongs last time given some of his runs over a mile this season. By Galileo, I doubt sprinting will be the answer. Tasleet is interesting having been the best of the rest last season and he can go well from a break and he holds The Tin Man on last season’s form. Spirit Of Valor has several pieces of form which makes his 50/1 odds look silly. His Lennox Stakes run was fine and he beat Tasleet at the Curragh (both horses behind Merchant Navy).

Brando started off on Sands Of Mali’s side in the July Cup but was the first to drift over to the main action. While this performance can be upgraded slightly his jockey really was quick to act limiting the extent to which he was disadvantaged. Sir Dancealot has been supplemented and he’s a horse I really like but I definitely prefer him over 7 furlongs.

SANDS OF MAIL 20/1

Donjuan also @ 40’s EW

Gustav for me also

Gustav Klimt has won on heavy but he just didn’t look a sprinter that day over 7F in the Guineas trial.

Kenya and US Navy Flag led that day and both went out like a light, allowing Gustav Klimt to come through and outstay Imaging. It really looked that day that the miler waited and picked off the horses who tired in the 7th furlong on heavy ground. Again last time out, he seemed to lack the pace at 7F, so how will 6F help?

Sir Dancelot is in great form but his record screams 7F. He won narrowly over 6F at Hamilton and also won at 6F as a 2YO but he’s a six time winner at 7F and that seems his peak distance. Could well place but I’d be worried a couple will be faster. 12/1 with Paddy Power makes some appeal.

The Tin Man is a similar shout as a horse who could place but he tends not to run on heavy, with last year’s race being the only time he has and he’s never won on soft, so with the tanking he got from Harry Angel last year I couldn’t play him here.

Tasleet has only been out once this season and that puts me off him.

James Garfield ran well last time in France but his efforts before that were less encouraging. He has form with Sands Of Mali, who ran badly in France but had earlier got the better of the Scott horse in the Sandy Lane Stakes. I felt that was one bad run too many from Sands Of Mali and the Sandy Lane Stakes did not work out at all well. I am passing on the 3YO generation for this race, so Eqtidaar is also ruled out.

Brando does not win often enough for my liking and I still get shudders about the day I backed him and he was stone last, running to an RPR of 17. It later transpired he broke a blood vessel. If I ever compiled a book about my unlucky losers and the circumstances Waterstones would probably categorise it under Fiction.

I can’t back Harry Angel at the odds despite him dismissing fears on the same sort of ground last season. I had backed him ante-post for Royal Ascot at 5/1 and had to watch him being withdrawn after the fracas in the stalls. Whether that may leave a scar and cause unrest in the stalls again this time has to be considered. It need not be as severe but be enough to miss the kick or leave him unfit mentally to be at his peak. At 5/4 there is zero wriggle room.

I wanted to play Sir Dancelot in the “Without the favourite” market but haven’t got the time to look around. I wouldn’t have played at 8/1 but the Paddy Power 12/1 was enough for an each-way. Despite the reservation on 6F trip it may pan out as a bit more of a stamina test and the horse is in form and should run his race, hopefully into a place and if anything goes amiss with the Fav who knows.

Sir Dancelot 12/1 EW was my play here.