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As our recent investigation to determine the best sprint in Europe showed, overall, Newmarket’s July Cup has seen the best sprint performances on Timeform Ratings so far this century.
Also produced the single best sprint performance of the season on four occasions, more than any of the other Group sprints across Europe, including of course, the Sprint Cup at Haydock.
This year, however, the July Cup’s winning performance of 122, put up by this season’s current champion sprinter, Muhaarar, was bettered by Twilight Son’s performance on Saturday in Haydock’s Sprint Cup, with the winner running to a Timeform Rating of 125.
Although this is still short of the 128 that Muhaarar recorded in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, when you consider the remarkably-progressive profile of Twilight Son, who before Saturday was last seen winning a handicap off a BHA mark of 94, Henry Candy’s runner should prove a formidable opponent to Muhaarar if the pair meet in the Champion Sprint at Ascot in October, with further improvement being a distinct possibility for Twilight Son after just five career starts.
Despite Strath Burn making his breakthrough at Group level in a sub-standard Group 3 last time, there was no fluke about his fast-finishing second-placed effort here, and he was arguably unlucky not to get up, having been drawn away from both Twilight Son and Magical Memory.
With a Champion Sprint entry to his name also, he adds another intriguing angle to the climax of the sprint season, and will deserve plenty of respect if taking his chance, now Timeform Rated 124+, just 4lbs below his stable mate Muhaarar.
The other Pattern-level sprint of the weekend came in the listed Garrowby Stakes at York on Sunday, where this time an older horse prevailed over a pair of three-year-olds. Lucky Kristal has been back to her best this season, reverted to sprinting trips, and she ran to 110 on Sunday when beating progressive Irish raider Fort Del Oro with a trademark late burst under Jamie Spencer. Lucky Kristal will have a place back at Group level, and is probably worth another try at 7 furlongs, given her run style.
Away from sprinting it was a fairly low-key domestic weekend of racing, with Jack Hobbs not needing to bring out anything like his best to dispose of an inferior field in the Group 3 September Stakes at Kempton Park. The race did serve as a suitable - if unorthodox - prep run for Jack Hobbs ahead of his Arc bid in October, though, and he will go into the race a borderline top-class horse, Timeform rated 129p, looking set to give Treve a big challenge as she attempts the hat-trick.
Back at Haydock, the Superior Mile looked to be solid Group 3 form and also gave Balty Boys a deserved success at Group level, after putting up several smart performances in top handicaps this season. Balty Boys did not have to improve on the 119 he ran to in the International at Ascot in July to win on Saturday. He did, however, demonstrate his versatility, given that normally thrives off a strong pace, which was not available here in this seven-runner field, and he will remain competitive in most races up to Group 2 level in this sort of form.
There was a lull in the Group 1 racing from France this weekend, prior to Arc Trials Day next Sunday at Longchamp, and the European Group 1 action was instead provided in Germany at Baden-Baden. Last year’s Arc seventh Prince Gibraltar was back to his best when winning the Grosser Preis von Baden on Sunday, putting his somewhat unfortunate York Stakes defeat behind him. It is note-worthy that both of his best performances, in the Arc (124) and on Sunday (122), have come in blinkers, and although he still has plenty to find with the likes of Jack Hobbs if returning to Longchamp this year, it will be interesting to see his choice of headgear on the day.
The Grade 1 Woodward Stakes was the feature race in the US this weekend, but with Liam’s Map left unchallenged for the lead and able to dictate a steady pace upfront, his four-and-three-quarter length success is probably nothing to get too excited about, especially considering that the majority of the field were sub-Grade 1 class, and his Timeform Rating of 124 will probably leave him short in stronger contests at the Breeders’ Cup meeting, considering he is unlikely to be afforded such an easy lead there.
