Horsebetting.com experts say Harry Angel is a worthy red-hot favourite to retain his crown, according to their 2018 Haydock Sprint Cup betting tips for the feature race on on a cracking card at the Merseyside venue on Saturday, 8 September. The Tin Man, who finished third to him in last year’s renewal, looks the most likely one to capitalise should he fail to live up to expectations. James Garfield odds appeal each-way, meanwhile. Read our in-depth 2018 Haydock Sprint Cup betting tips preview for full details of our fancies in this Group 1 race.Harry Angel impossible to oppose in Haydock Sprint CupHarry Angel looks a cut-above his rivals and a worthy red-hot favourite to land back-to-back runnings of the Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup on Saturday (16:15). If doing so he will become only the second dual winner of the 6f contest which was landed in 1967 and 1968 by Be Friendly, who was owned by legendary BBC commentator Sir Peter O’Sullevan.
The four-year-old son of Dark Angel totally destroyed the opposition 12 months ago when beating Tasleet by four lengths. The Clive Cox trained colt made virtually all and – when regular pilot Adam Kirby gave him a shake of the reins two from home – stretched effortlessly clear of the field to win in ultra-impressive fashion.
That stunning success ensured he ended the year as the highest-rated sprinter in the world with a rating of 125 in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings. It’s a mark which gives Harry Angel 7lb and upward in hand on his 11 rivals, so he is clearly going to be very hard to beat if running up to anything like his best.
Although he has not raced since injuring himself in the stalls in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot back in June, Cox reports him to be in rude health and ready for action. That is ominous for his rivals and Harry Angel also looked as good as ever when making a winning return to action in the Group 2 Duke Of York Stakes at the Dante Festival, where he scored readily by two lengths from Brando.
He also has nothing to fear from the re-opposing Tasleet or The Tin Man, who finished third in this last year. Harry Angel is also unbeaten in two starts over course and distance, so it’s hard to find any chinks in the armour.
These obvious claims are crystal clear and on that form he looks impossible to oppose. Thus, we readily put Harry Angel up as our main selection and bet bet among the 2018 Haydock Sprint Cup Stakes betting tips on offer.The Tin Man holds solid claimsIf the real Harry Angel does turn up, then the rest are paying for places. That leaves one of his aforementioned old rivals The Tin Man as the most likely to chase him home as he’s a consistent sort who can be relied on to run his race.
This six-year-old, who hails from the Newmarket yard of James Fanshawe, has a tremendous strike rate having won eight of his 19 career starts. The Tin Man has also made the frame on both his starts over course and distance – finishing second in the 2016 running of this contest and a 5 1/2 length thirds to Harry Angel in last year’s renewal.
He showed his customary late burst of speed to beat Tasleet in last year’s Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, and was far from disgraced in the same race two starts back when beaten just over a length into fourth by Merchant Navy. The Tin Man also shaped much better than the bare result suggest last time out when a three-length third of 20 to Polydream in the Group 1 Prix Maurice De Gheest at Deauville, where he found himself with a mountain to climb from a poor draw and did all his best work at the finish.
Those efforts command The Tin Man plenty of respect, especially as he is a proven Group 1 performer. However, he will need Harry Angel to seriously underperform if he is to make it third time lucky in this race; so, our advice is to put him in a forecast with the red-hot jolly, or back him each-way.James Garfield the each-way valueAnother each-way option is the race is James Garfield, who finished 2 1/2 lengths in front of The Tin Man when runner-up in the Prix Maurice De Gheest. This George Scott trained three-year-old looked all over the winner until getting chinned in the dying strides.
It was still a cracking effort from James Garfield and a career best performance. The son of Exceed And Excel has now won twice and been placed twice from five starts over the 6f trip of this, so it clearly brings out the best in him.
He also has some solid form in the book over further, having beaten Expert Eye in a 7f Group 3 at Newbury on seasonal reappearance before finishing a fine seventh of 14 to Saxon Warrior in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. James Garfield is clearly a classy sort and he goes extremely well for jockey Frankie Dettori, who is once again in the plate.
As he’s also a real battler who always gives it his best shot, he retains enough potential to do even better as a sprinter. So, given that James Garfield is also the second highest rated in the line-up off 117, a bold bid looks assured and therefore earned him the each-way vote in our 2018 Haydock Sprint Cup betting tips.Your Next Bet
