Some of Britain’s finest sprinters are set to line up in the Gr1 32Red Sprint Cup Stakes, which will be run over 1200m at Haydock Park this Saturday (off time is 3:25 South African time).
Brilliant three-year-old Harry Angel (Dark Angel) would have looked hard to oppose in this line up but forecast rain casts a salight shadow over his chances.

If acting on the going, Harry Angel would be the one to beat, having beaten many in the line up when landing the Gr1 Darley July Cup last time out. Trainer Clive Cox is quoted as being unconcerned about the going with his colt having won the Gr2 Mill Reef Stakes last year on soft ground.

Recent Gr1 LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Brando (Pivotal),a 1.75 third to Harry Angel in the July Cup, has been the subject of plenty of pre-race betting support, with the five-year-old currently second favourite for the race. Clearly at the top of his form, Brando has won in soft conditions before and must be a danger to the favourite here.

Tasleet (Showcasing) ran way below best last time out when last in the July Cup but would rate a chance on his short-head second in the Gr1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at his penultimate outing, while his Diamond Jubilee Stakes conqueror, The Tin Man (Equiano), has been somewhat inconsistent but has shown himself a sprinter out of the top-drawer and did finish second in this race a year ago.
Blue Point (Shamardal) did account for Harry Angel when landing the Gr3 Merriebelle Stable Pavilion Stakes back in May (he did receive 4lbs from that runner however on that occasion) before finishing half a length off Harry Angel (at level weights) in the Gr1 Commonwealth Cup on his only subsequent outing. A definite contender if acting on the going.

Aidan O’Brien, yet to win this race, saddles two here in the form of Spirit Of Valor (War Front) and Cougar Mountain (Fastnet Rock). The latter comes here in good form, having been just beaten in the Gr3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes last time out, but has not won in Gr1 company in 11 attempts. His stable mate also appears to hold Cougar Mountain having beaten him by nearly 3.5 lengths when victorious in the Gr3 Minstrel Stakes. However, Spirit of Valor himself needs to improve on current form and was 10th of 13 in the Gr2 Lennox Stakes last time out.

Last year’s Gr2 Lowther Stakes heroine Queen Kindly (Frankel) won a Listed race at Pontefract last time out but takes on much stronger here, while Magical Memory (Zebedee) makes his third attempt at this race having finished third two years ago and unplaced in 2016. He was, however, beaten more than four lengths by Brando last time out and clearly needs to improve on that to feature.
Kimberella (Kyallachy) was beaten in a Listed race last time out and looks outclassed –comments which also appear applicable to Mr Lupton (Elnadim).

Growl (Oasis Dream) looks held by the main fancies on current form.
The original time of the Sprint Cup has been changed with officials giving the go-ahead to race the Gr1 feature earlier in the card to ensure the freshest ground possible (it had originally been carded as the sixth race but the 2017 32Red Sprint Cup will now be Haydock’s third race on Saturday due to going concerns.

Image Godolphin