The outstanding Australian bred sprinter Starspangledbanner appears amongst the nominations for the Group I Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock in England on Saturday.  Run over 1200m the Sprint Cup is one of two races at the elite level that is televised by Sky Racing.   The other is the Champion Stakes run over 2000m at Leopardstown racecourse, near Dublin, and both events have attracted strong nominations.

The Sprint Cup is one of the top all-age sprint races in the European Pattern and although the son of Choisir had, his colours lowered by the 100-1 shot Sole Power (Kyllachy ex Demerger by Distant View) in the Group I Nunthorpe Stakes last time out Starspangledbanner (ex Gold Anthem by Made of Gold), the Ascot Golden Jubilee Stakes and July Cup winner is likely to be a warm favourite. 

Amongst the nominations is Regal Parade (Pivotal ex Model Queen by Kingmambo), winner of the race last year and triumphant in the recent Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.   Also amongst the nominations is the brilliant miler Paco Boy (Desert Style ex Tappen Zee by Sandhurst Prince) , dual Group 1 winner Kingsgate Native (Mujadil ex Native Force by Indian Ridge), the eight-year-old and two-time Nunthorpe Stakes hero Borderlescott (Compton Place ex Jeewan by Touching Wood), and Kings Stand Stakes victor Equiano (Acclamation ex Entente Cordiale by Ela-Mana-Mou).

While, the Group 1 Champion Stakes will see the Aidan O’Brien-trained Fame and Glory (Montjeu ex Gryada by Shirley Heights), Cape Blanco (Galileo ex Laurel Delight by Presidium) and the three-time Group 1 winner Rip Van Winkle (Galileo ex Looking Back by Stravinsky).  Twice Over (Observatory ex Double Crossed by Caerleon), the Coral-Eclipse winner and runner-up to Rip Van Winkle in the recent Group I Juddmonte International appears in the early markets.

Permalink| Sep 1, 2010

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