There are Group races galore this coming weekend with Haydock’s Sprint Cup, Leopardstown’s Irish Champion Stakes meet and Chantilly’s Arc Trials card, so expect plenty of selections in the days ahead.
We’ll kick off early with a nibble on TASLEET in the Sprint Cup’s ante-post market.
6/1 looks tempting for a horse that bolted up on soft ground at York – a similar flat track – earlier in the season, so the forecast rain and likely soft going are unlikely to inconvenience him.
His last run was a poor one, when he was well beaten behind Saturday’s favourite Harry Angel in the July Cup.
However, Commonwealth Cup and Diamond Jubilee Stakes winners Caravaggio and The Tin Man both disappointed in that race and handicappers Intisaab and Growl didn’t finish far behind the winner, so there have to be serious question marks over the form.
Tasleet himself came flat last and perhaps wasn’t right on the day, or he simply hated Newmarket’s undulations – which is no issue at Haydock – but on his previous start he narrowly split The Tin Man and Limato in Ascot’s Diamond Jubilee Stakes.
That was a run that confirmed him Group One class and I just think conditions at Haydock will suit him perfectly.
6/1 looks to have plenty of juice in it and he’s had plenty of time to get over his last race – my hunch is he had a hard race at Royal Ascot and paid the price.
Talking of Group One form, besides Harry Angel, The Tin Man – who came second last year – and recent Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Brando, there isn’t a lot on offer and it doesn’t look the deepest renewal – particularly if you do take the July Cup form out of the equation.
Brando would have been of serious interest but at 3/1 I can’t fancy him as a value bet, despite his last two runs being clear career bests.
He’s probably not going to want it too soft and Harry Angel has it all to prove on that surface too – whilst the returning Commonwealth Cup third Blue Point, being by Sharmadal, is highly unlikely to want it either.
The Tin Man, proven at the track, is probably the standout each-way bet at 8/1 at this stage, but with each-way terms prohibitive in ante-post markets we will hold off on that one and potentially have a bite on the day.
Tasleet’s price, however, is shrinking by the hour so get your stakes on before final declarations later this week as I’m expecting the soft ground to thin out the market and the 6/1 to disappear.
1pt win Tasleet @6/1, Haydock Sprint Cup, Saturday 9th September
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