Odds and betting predictions for the 2024 Sprint Cup
This Group One headlines the card at Haydock Park on Saturday 7th September
Kind Of Blue and Unequal Love are our two selections
Expired
Kind Of Blue (left) running Elite Status close in the Hackwood Stakes. (Getty)
The first major meeting in September takes place at Haydock Park, where the Sprint Cup headlines the card. This six-furlong contest has been won by sprinting legends like Be Friendly, Moorestyle and Danehill down the years and 16 top sprinters have been confirmed for this year's renewal.
Here's our free guide to the 2024 Sprint Cup, including our best betting tips.
2024 Sprint Cup Odds
Name
Odds
Inisherin
7/2
Elite Status
4/1
Swingalong
8/1
Jasour
11/1
Montassib
12/1
Bar
14/1
The weather forecast in the build-up to Saturday's feature looks good, which should ensure genuinely good ground and a capacity field.
Many will say that the draw isn't particularly important in races like the Sprint Cup and you should instead look to where the probable pace-setters have been drawn. However, nine of the last ten renewals have gone to horses drawn in stall five or wider and only one horse from the first four stalls has even hit the frame since 2017. A low draw is difficult to navigate.
Inisherin and Elite Status have been placed side-by-side in stalls 10 and 11. I won't back anything as short as they are in a large-field sprint, but both are clearly very classy. Swingalong, who finished fourth when running alone on the stand's rail from a wide draw 12 months ago, has been placed on that side of the track again. Irish raider, Moss Tucker has drawn the short straw down in stall one, with Montassib and Bucanero Fuerte placed on his immediate inside.
I remain confident that Jasour has a big victory in him. Clive Cox's star doesn't do himself any favours, either by racing too keenly or finding trouble coming out of the stalls. If Jasour matured since that effort in the July Cup, he could be a big player. However, there are two that I fancy backing at longer prices.
2024 Sprint Cup Tip 1 - Kind Of Blue
With James Fanshawe's stable in excellent form, I've had an each-way punt on KIND OF BLUE (14/1). Danny Muscutt's mount finished a highly creditable fourth on just his third career start in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, where he played up beforehand and raced keenly early on.
King Of Blue was hampered early on his next outing in the Hackwood Stakes, but was still only beaten a length by Elite Status. Fanshawe's raider then looked the most likely winner of the Phoenix Sprint Stakes entering the final furlong, but the favourite found Givemethebeatboys a little too tough to pass.
Despite his inexperience, Kind Of Blue has acquitted himself well at the highest level this term. I'd have preferred a wider gate than stall five, but this progressive son of Blue Point could still take another step forward on Saturday.
Tom Marquand riding Unequal Love (red) to win the Wokingham Stakes. (Getty)
2024 Sprint Cup Tip 2 - Unequal Love
Drawn alongside Kind Of Blue in stall six is UNEQUAL LOVE (33/1). William Haggas' filly, who showed talent at three, opened her four-year-old campaign with a Listed win at Newmarket, before travelling over to Ireland and finishing a close fifth in the Group Two Greenlands Stakes.
Unequal Love proved she was a sprinter firmly on the up at Royal Ascot, where she ran out an impressive winner of the Wokingham Handicap. On her most recent outing in the Summer Stakes, Danny Tudhope's mount was shuffled back coming out of the stalls and forced widest of all to challenge, eventually coming up a length short of Flora Of Bermuda in third.
Haggas' four-year-old relished quicker ground at the Royal meeting, so the forecast will fill her trainer and owners, Cheveley Park Stud with optimism. A filly hasn't won the Sprint Cup since Quiet Reflection's triumph in 2016, but we have seen plenty hit the frame in the intervening years and I fancy Unequal Love could take this step up in grade in her stride.
Live Stream
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Verdict
Kind Of Blue and Unequal Love are our two each-way selections in the 2024 Sprint Cup.
Best Bet1: Kind Of Blue E/W 2024 Sprint Cup Tip 1 @14/1 at bet365 - 10 Units
Best Bet2: Unequal Love E/W 2024 Sprint Cup Tip 2 @33/1 at BoyleSports - 5 Units
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