Dubai: Godolphin’s Harry Angel can bolster his chances of clinching a 2017 Cartier Award by winning Saturday’s Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock Park in the UK.
Clive Cox’s explosive three-year-old heads the Cartier Sprinting category with 68 points, and victory in Haydock’s coveted 1,200 metre contest that was created to bring together the year’s best sprinters, will see him take another big step towards earning the title of Champion Sprinter.
But it will not be a walk in the park for him as a stellar field of speedsters including Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1) scorer Brando, Tasleet, winner of the Duke Of York (G2), Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G1) sensation The Tin Man and fellow Godolphin hope Blue Point, who defeated Harry Angel in the Pavilion Stakes at Ascot, are all opposing.
This will also be the third time that the two Godolphin sprinters will come up against each other.
They first met in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot on June 23, when Harry Angel went down by ¾ lengths to Irish-trained Caravaggio, with a further ½ length back to Blue Point in third.
Harry Angel subsequently reversed the form with Caravaggio with a thrilling victory in the Group 1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket on July 15.
Harry Angel also holds the six-furlong course record time at Haydock Park which he set when blazing home in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes on May 27.
Looking ahead to Saturday’s race, Cox commented: “The ground is going to be easier than Harry Angel has encountered so far this year, but he won on proper autumn ground in the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury last year.
“He broke the course record at Haydock earlier this season, but the ground there can get very soft when it rains.
“I hope that they don’t get too much rain but it will be the same situation for all the runners and I couldn’t be happier with the form that Harry Angel is in.”
Appleby reported: “Blue Point enjoyed a nice break after Royal Ascot and I couldn’t have been more pleased with his preparation.
“Ideally, we would want to be racing on a sounder surface but that can be unlikely at this time of year.
“We will be wiser after the event but, if he can handle the ground, then he should have a great chance.”
Also at Haydock Park on Saturday, veteran Godolphin handler Saeed Bin Surour drops Benbatl down in class and trip for the Group 3 Superior Mile. Benbatl was last seen finishing fifth in the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes over 12 furlongs at Ascot on July 29.
The three-year-old Dubawi colt had earlier finished fifth over 2,400 metres in the Epsom Derby and stayed on well to land the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot later the same month.
Promising two-year-old colt Dubhe was the easy winner of a mile maiden on soft going at Sandown on August 10 and the son of Dubawi races over the same distance in the Listed Ascendant Stakes which has attracted seven participants.
