The feature race on a cracking card at Haydock this Saturday is the 6f Group 1 Sprint Cup (16:10).
Hello Youmzain looked a desperately unlucky loser last time out, so makes plenty of appeal at 12/1 with Ladbrokes.
That run came in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot where the Kevin Ryan trained three-year-old colt finished a 1 3/4 lengths third of nine to Advertise.
Hello Youmzain lost vital ground when dwelling badly as the stalls opened. He quickly found himself with a mountain to climb and playing catch-up.
The son of Kodiac then made good headway two from home and finished with a rattle to be gaining hand over fist at the finish.
Given how the race panned out, it was a terrific effort and granted a level break he would surely have gone very close to winning.
Hello Youmzain also finished in front of the re-opposing Ten Sovereigns and Khaadem, who finished in fourth and seventh respectively. There is no reason he should not confirm the form with that pair.
Prior to that, Hello Youmzain had been very impressive over this course and distance when forging clear and beating Calyx by 3 1/4 lengths in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes.
He was also beaten just a short-head on his only other start at this venue, so clearly runs the Haydock track well.
Hello Youmzain is also versatile as regards ground and the booking of the in-form James Doyle to partner him for the first time is an eye-catching one.
Taking everything into account, then, he looks massively overpriced in relation to Advertise on their running in the Commonwealth Cup. That makes Hello Youmzain the one to be on at the odds on offer.
Advertise Sprint Cup odds unappealing
The betting is headed by the aforementioned Advertise, a best-price 3/1 with Betfred, who has won five of his nine starts and a terrific 71 per cent strike rate over this trip.
After landing the Commonwealth Cup, this Martyn Meade trained three-year-old colt found only Ten Sovereigns too good in the 12-runner Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket.
Although no match for the easy 2 3/4 lengths winner, Advertise stuck to the task well in a race run in a very fast time.
The Phoenix Thoroughbreds owned son of Showcasing has since resumed winning ways in the Group 1 Prix Maurice De Gheest at Deauville where he gamely beat Brando by a neck.
Frankie Dettori, who gave him a peach of a ride that day, is once again in the saddle and has built up a tremendous rapport with Advertise.
On the pick of his form there is no doubt that he is a key player in this, but whether he is entitled to be favourite is questionable. Advertise thus looks worth opposing in a hot renewal of the Sprint Cup.
Ground concerns for Ten Sovereigns
Top Irish handler Aidan O’Brien has voiced ground concerns for Ten Sovereigns who trailed in a very disappointing 7 1/2 lengths sixth off 11 to Battaash last time out in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York when sent off 13/8 favourite.
The son of No Nay Never was never travelling at any stage in the 5f Ebor Festival contest. It was a run which was too bad to be true.
However, Ten Sovereigns has won four of his five starts over this trip and previously put in an awesome display when landing the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket.
He made virtually all down the centre of the track in the hands of Ryan Moore and showed a devastating turn of foot to easily beat Advertise by 2 3/4 lengths.
In doing so, Ten Sovereigns clocked rapid sectionals which had clock-watchers drooling.
It was a simply scintillating performance and earned the now highest-rated horse in Ireland a Racing Post Rating of 125.
That has been topped only twice in the July Cup this century, so Ten Sovereigns is clearly an exceptional sprinter. The one worry is that all his best form has come on fast ground and he is not going to get that.
Going is likely to be good-to-soft at best, and Ten Sovereigns finished behind Advertise when encountering such conditions and finishing fourth in the Commonwealth Cup.
It makes him an unattractive betting proposition. So, despite odds of 5/1 with Coral, Ten Sovereigns is another Sprint Cup contender that’s worth taking on. He may not even take his chance at Haydock and is best avoided.
Dream Of Dreams appeals each-way
The Charlie Hills trained Khaadem is a lightly-raced and progressive three-year-old who destroyed the opposition last time out when impressively landing the Stewards’ Cup at Glorious Goodwood.
However, that is a handicap and he now takes on sprinters of the highest order. So, at 5/1 with Paddy Power, he is another that looks plenty short enough in the betting for what he has achieved.
From an each-way punting perspective, Dream Of Dreams makes far more appeal at 8/1 with BetVictor.
Although behind Ten Sovereigns last time out when a 6 3/4 lengths 10th of 12 in the July Cup, this Sir Michael Stoute trained five-year-old had previously run a stormer at Royal Ascot.
He was beaten just a head by the top class and now retired Blue Point in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes.
The winner completed a very rare Royal Ascot sprint double after again besting Battaash in the King’s Stand earlier that week.
Dream Of Dreams just failed to overhaul Blue Point in Berkshire and it was a career best performance.
Prior to Ascot, Dream Of Dreams had landed a conditions contest on the all-weather at Chelmsford, before following-up in Listed company at Windsor.
He also has proven form with cut in the ground, and is 1-1 over course and distance. Judged on his run in the Diamond Jubilee, Dream Of Dreams commands the utmost respect in this year’s Sprint Cup.
