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LET’S be honest about it, the sprinting division is in a bit of a mess at the moment with no outstanding speedster plying his/her trade over five and six furlongs. However, International flyer Lazzat could put that view to bed this afternoon when he takes up the challenge of the Group One Sprint Cup Stakes at Haydock Park.

Second in the ultra-valuable Golden Eagle down under last year when outstayed late on by the strong finishing Lake Forest, the son of Territories has since had his attention turned to six furlongs which has resulted in an easy Listed win at Chantilly, a very game performance to land the Group One QEII Jubilee at Royal Ascot and then just outstayed over six and a half in the Prix Maurice de Gheest by Sajir. Back over a flat six and with a good mid pack draw in stall 10, the likely favourite is the one to beat here.

However, in a field of 19, most bookmakers will be offering extra places and that is why I am going out on a limb and making an each-way play on the Irish raider MY MATE ALFIE (3.35). Officially rated 8lbs behind the likely market leader, the four-year-old is five from 20 in his career and also placed on a mighty 11 occasions. That second and third record is mainly due to his run style, in that he will be held up for a late run and pick off his rivals that have raced too close to a red hot pace, which is something we are likely to get here. 

Winner of a Group Three Renaissance Stakes last year, the selection arguably ran his best career start last time out, when once again doing his best work at the finish, when a closing second behind the smart Bucanero Fuerte in the Phoenix Sprint Stakes.

Nicely drawn in box number 17 here, the Ger Lyons trained runner has loads of pace on his side off the track and if Gary Carroll can secure a safe passage through in the last quarter mile, I fancy that the selection may fly through beaten rivals and at least pick up some place money at around the 33/1 mark. Of his others rivals, I have the most regard for the filly Florida of Bermuda (only a shade over three lengths off Lazaret at Ascot) and last year’s runner-up Kind of Blue who has clearly been campaigned with this race in mind all season by the shrewd James Fanshawe.

The Old Borough Handicap over a mile and three-quarters comes only 14 days after the running of the valuable Ebor Handicap at York over the same trip and as such only a couple of runners in that race reappear here. Stressfree ran a brilliant race that day, just four lengths off the winner, Ethical Diamond, while Oneforthegutter’s 17^th position can be safely forgotten as those runners from off the pace were largely compromised by only a moderate gallop that day. Both will have their chances in this weaker contest, but I am quite keen on ADJUVANT (3.00) to start making up for lost time.

Michael Bell’s charge didn’t take to hurdling in 2023 and has been very lightly raced since with spells on the sidelines of 166, 168 and 287 days. However, I was really impressed by his comeback run at Goodwood recently when off a soft pace he made eye-catching late headway to finish only a length and a quarter off Prince of the Seas.

PJ McDonald, who has a cracking record in big field handicaps here, takes over from Danny Muscutt and off a 1lbs lower mark I suspect the duo will have a say in the finish down the long home stretch. He was only 10^th in the race two years ago when he only went off a 10/1 shot but hugely compromised his chance by pulling like a train through the first half mile. 

Kildare Legend is closely matched up with Stressfree on their recent runs here and is better than his disappointing outing at York last time out, while the lightly raced Master Builder has a course and distance win to his name and will be all the better for his recent run at Goodwood, where he could never get involved from the rear of the field off a very slack pace.

Elsewhere on the Merseyside card I will be having a small interest on both the filly SUITE FRANCAISE (1.15) to follow up her recent all the way win in a Listed contest in the Group Three Superior Mile Stakes, the enigmatic Checkandchallenge could also run well here and GRAND DESCANS (2.25). The last named looks as though he has been crying out for a step up to this trip and can take the scalp of the likely favourite Valiancy, who didn’t look straight forward last time when runner-up to Scarlet Moon at Sandown Park.

With Cian Horgan taking 5lbs off, Rhoscolyn is a pound lower than for his win at Goodwood last time out and will have the give in the ground he relishes in the big seven furlong handicap, but I marginally prefer the claims of TELEMARK (Ascot, 2.40) at a decent price. I am hoping that young Warren Fentiman buries him in mid pack and gives him time to get into a rhythm before unleashing him about a furlong and a half out. He is 9lbs better off for a four and a half length beating by Native Warrior at Newcastle and is just preferred to the lightly campaigned Bobby Bennu who is another returning to an easier surface and for which a more patient ride may well pay dividends.

NIGHTWALKER (3.15) has been disappointing in his second season since his promising reappearance run in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket. Well down the field in the Epsom Derby following a slow start, he has since been gelded and I’m not so sure a small field on fast ground was his want at Windsor last time out.

Outclassed in the Lyric Fillies’ Stakes at York, TREASURE (3.50) steps back into handicap company here and down to a tough mile which should be right up her street, while the frustrating ORAZIO (4.25) can finally come good in the big six furlong handicap. He only again promised plenty in the Steward’s Cup last time out at Goodwood and gets the nod over the three-year-old King of Light.

Finally, if there is some juice in the ground at the Berkshire track, take WOOLHAMPTON (4.55) to defy a rather penal 7lbs rise in the weights for her Sandown Park success in a race which had little strength in depth.