Sprint Cup Tips: Baccarat

There are an unusually high number of 5f horses chancing their arm over 6f in the Haydock Sprint Cup (3.50 Sat) and I can’t have any of them.

It is difficult to ‘steal’ a Group 1 and in Gordon Lord Byron they have a genuine top-class 6f sprinter to beat.

Having said that I don’t think he is the value in the race – that horse is Baccarat.

Largely dismissed in the betting because his is ‘only’ a handicapper there is genuine reason why he can bridge the gap and become a pattern-class sprinter.

At Royal Ascot his winning time was 0.31s faster than the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, which was won by subsequent July Cup winner Slade Power.

Royal Ascot Sectionals

Some would argue that the Wokingham produced a faster time because of the big field setting a strong pace but the sectional timings don’t bare this out.

Baccarat covered the first four furlongs 0.09s slower than Slade Power, the equivalent of half a length but his final two furlongs was 0.4s quicker.

If the two horses ran in the same race you would see Baccarat race upsides Slade Power before powering home in the final 2f to win by 1.5 lengths. It must be noted that Baccarat carried 2lbs less but on fast ground, this makes a negligible difference.

Having won the Great St. Wilfrid last year there’s no reason to assume Baccarat’s performance was a fluke. He’s been lightly campaigned by Richard Fahey probably in order to win a few big pots before showing his hand in a Group race.

If Slade Power were in the field he’d be favourite, therefore Baccarat should be priced accordingly, not 16/1 (William Hill).

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