Betfair Sprint Cup: five for the shortlist

It seems sensible to start with the top-rated runner and favourite Lazzat. It also seems appropriate to give an overview of this horse’s remarkably consistent career so far, one that has yielded over £2m in prize money – this is despite the fact he had not seen a racecourse at the beginning of last year.

The Jerome Raynier-trained gelding started life down in the South of France at Cagnes-sur-Mer, winning his first three starts there in January/February 2024 by a total of 14 lengths. He then won at Deauville, Longchamp, and then Deauville again to take his record to 6-6.

A second in the Golden Eagle followed and he was only beaten three and a half lengths in the Hong Kong Mile. Turned over at short odds on his return to Europe over a mile at Saint-Cloud in March, connections decided to revert him back to sprinting, a decision which has seen him win two of this three starts since, including in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes over Satono Reve. He was last seen finishing second in the Prix Maurice de Gheest.

He is ground versatile and sets the standard, being 5lb clear of his nearest rival on official ratings, though he has never ran at the track.

Another chance for Wathnan Racing, Kind Of Blue has failed to got his head in front since winning the British Champions Sprint Stakes in October, but shaped well when finishing third in the Phoenix Sprint Stakes at The Curragh last time.

His first defeat this season can be forgiven; he missed the break over an inadequate 5f at Chantilly having been off the track for eight months. He then finished eighth in the Chipchase Stakes on the all-weather before the return to turf sparked an improvement in form in August.

Second in the race last year, beaten a head by the fast-finishing Montassib, he has every chance of going close again and any rain, of which there is some forecast on Thursday and Friday, would be a bonus.

This filly is thoroughly unexposed over the 6f Sprint Cup trip and has to have every chance of following up her July Cup victory, of which there appeared to be no fluke about, despite being sent off at odds of 66-1.

It was not the first time this season that we have seen a sprinter climb the ranks and progress into a Group One winner; Richard Hughes’s filly was given an opening mark of 73 last year.

Her record over 6f reads 21111 and she clearly goes on any ground. Another plus point is that she finished second at Haydock prior to her win at Newmarket.

Although fillies and mares filled four of the first seven places 12 months ago, it has been nine years since one last came home in front (Quiet Reflection, 2016).

Flora Of Bermuda is another member of the Wathnan battalion and, though following her is becoming frustrating, having won just twice from 16 starts, she has been knocking on the Group One door for some time now and is surely capable of landing one.

Sent off a 13-2 chance for the July Cup, the writing was on the wall early as she reared at the start and was slowly away.

That ran can easily be forgiven and, prior to that, she finished third behind Lazzat and Satono Reve at Royal Ascot.

She also finished a close second behind Inisherin when sort of room at York in May and, last season, put in more top performance at Group One level, finishing just half a length off Champion Sprint glory.

Fifth in this race last September, she is capable of going closer this time and is another that is ground versatile.

I was surprised to see Run To Freedom priced up as the 66-1 outsider of the field with many firms, a price which surely underestimates his ability.

His Classic-winning trainer Henry Candy certainly knows how to ready a sprinter for this race, having saddled Markab and Twilight Son (Run To Freedom’s half-brother) to win it in 2010 and 2015 respectively. Other top sprinters to pass through his hands include Limato and Kyllachy.

Despite being a seven-year-old, comes into this contest off the back of one of career best efforts - third in the July Cup. He has plenty of other very good performances on his CV too, having finished second in the 2023 July Cup and 2022 British Champions Sprint Stakes.

One concern is that he was disappointing on his only run at the track in last year’s Sprint Cup, but that is more than factored into his current price and he comes into the races in better form than many at far shorter odds.