The Generation Game

With Britain's sprinting scene currently dominated by the 3-year-old Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), it is that age group who descend with a purpose in his absence on Saturday's G1 Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock. Chief among them is another Shadwell standard-bearer in Adaay (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), the colt Paul Hanagan opted to ride instead of that subsequent G1 July Cup and G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest hero in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. Only seventh in that June 19 contest, Adaay has an otherwise highly progressive profile having won the G2 Sandy Lane S. at this distance May 30 and the G2 Hungerford S. over seven at Newbury last time Aug. 15. Connections seemed happy to stay at that trip or even try a mile afterwards, but with the rain having arrived in Lancashire were keen to revert to six here. “I was quite impressed by the way Adaay got the seven furlongs at Newbury, but he has plenty of speed so hopefully coming back in trip won't be a problem,” Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's racing manager Angus Gold, said. “He's a very progressive horse and the ground will suit him. The more mature he's getting, the more consistent he's becoming and he's quite a tough horse with a bit of class. He's won a Group 2 at the track and it's just a question of whether he can do it at Group 1 level.”

There are five other sophomores with serious claims, with Muhaarar's stable companion Magical Memory (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) coming in off the back of a win in the Aug. 1 Stewards Cup H. at Glorious Goodwood, where he was the sole representative of his generation. Trainer Charlie Hills said, “He looks like he is still improving and I am very pleased with him. It's a big step up, going from a handicap to a Group 1, so he has a lot on his plate but he deserves to take his chance. It would be great if he could become another Group 1 horse as Muhaarar is unlikely to be kept in training next season whereas this fellow, as a gelding, definitely will.” Previously, Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds' Magical Memory had trailed Godfrey Wilson and Cheveley Park Stud's unbeaten Twilight Son (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) when third in a competitive six-furlong handicap at York June 13. Twilight Son hails from the Henry Candy stable with an unflinching knack at turning up top-class sprinters and his trainer is in the dark as to how good he could be. “I think he's got a fair draw and a bit of cut in the ground won't bother him at all,” he commented. “He's quite a difficult horse to judge, as he's so laid-back at home. It would have been nice to have gone up the ranks in stages, but we're getting quite late on in the season now and I think we have to give it a go.”

Other 3-year-olds with sufficient gravitas are the Aug. 9 G3 Phoenix Sprint S. winner and Aug. 21 G1 Nunthorpe S. third Mattmu (GB) (Indesatchel {Ire}) and Godolphin's 2014 G1 Dewhurst S. hero Belardo (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). The latter is tried in blinkers for the first time as he bids to arrest a relative slump which includes a latest seventh in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois over a mile at Deauville Aug. 16. Belardo's trainer Roger Varian is keen to see how the headgear works in this test of speed. “We just feel that running him over a mile, we've been blunting his speed,” he explained. “He had a very good run over six furlongs in the July Stakes last year, finishing just behind Muhaarar, and he did travel particularly well during the race that day. James Doyle came to ride him in a piece of fast work last week and we both felt it was worth giving him a go back at six furlongs. I hope we'll see an improved performance at the top level back at a shorter trip.” Of the older sprinters, last year's winner G Force (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) is on a downward slide, with four off-the-board efforts culminating in a latest 12th in the July 11 G1 July Cup. At least the 2013 winner and 2012 and 2014 runner-up Gordon Lord Byron (Ire) (Byron {GB}) has smart form to boast of leading up to this latest attempt. Third in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville Aug. 9 and in the G3 Renaissance S. at The Curragh 13 days later, he carries the confidence of his jockey Wayne Lordan. “He's a fantastic horse and every day he goes racing he gives us everything,” he said. “When he won the race, it was pretty soft and it was soft last year. He needs a very good, strong pace–that's why he runs well in the top-class races.”