We’re spoilt for choice with this hot renewal of the Group Two Temple Stakes at Haydock, which looks well up to Group-One class.
Overnight rain has forced the withdrawal of several big names, such as multiple-Group One winners Sole Power and Goldream, but it’s given the Nunthorpe winner Mecca’s Angel a big chance on her seasonal début.
She was hugely impressive on similar ground last season at York, and firmly established herself as the leading sprinter in Europe when there’s rain about.
It’s ‘good, good to soft in places’ so conditions are ideal and she has a good record fresh, so there’s plenty of substance to her skinny 6/4 quote.
It’s just not a price to get involved with as bankers are rare in five-furlong sprints, and the shorter she is, the bigger the prices behind.
I like Ed Walker’s AEOLUS at 28/1, after he more than held his own at his first go at five furlongs at Newmarket last month.
He finished a length behind the re-opposing Profitable on that occasion but didn’t have the clearest of runs and was strong at the finish – I reckon he’s still really unexposed at this trip.
His only other run this season was a one-length defeat over six furlongs by Magical Memory, who impressively won next time out at York’s Dante meeting and looks a very good horse.
Any rain is fine for Aeolus and he stays further, so there’s a lot to like at that price and he’s got a good chance of placing.
0.75pt each-way Aeolus @28/1, 16:10 Haydock, Saturday (1/4 odds, 1,2,3, with Totesport.com)
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