Lazzat and Time For Sandals, a clash of champions in the Betfair Sprint Cup

Haydock will host a high-voltage clash this Saturday between two Royal Ascot G1 winners in an extremely competitive field

Lazzat, one of the leading contenders for the Sprint Cup / ROYAL ASCOT

NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS, Inglaterra (Special for Turf Diario).- Haydock is set for a high-octane sprint showdown this Saturday as the Betfair Sprint Cup (G1, 6f, turf) brings together a stellar field and a particularly enticing clash: Lazzat (Territories) versus Time For Sandals (Sands of Mali), two of the standout performers from last month’s Royal Ascot.

The French-trained Lazzat, a four-year-old under Jérôme Reynier, dazzled in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1) and goes to post as the one to beat. With James Doyle confirmed in the saddle, he aims to become the first French-trained horse to win the Sprint Cup since the memorable African Rose (Observatory) in 2008. Following Ascot, Lazzat traveled to Deauville for the Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1), where he went off as a strong favorite but finished second in a race that continued the trend of surprises in the sprint division.

Reynier has adjusted the four-year-old’s preparation to ensure he arrives fresh. “At Deauville, we arrived five days before the race, and I think that made him too keyed up. This time he will run 27 days after his last start and we will travel the day before. He’s physically incredible, and everything points to him arriving in peak condition,” the trainer explained.

Opposing him is Time For Sandals, the three-year-old filly trained by Harry Eustace, who captured the Commonwealth Cup (G1) at Royal Ascot in authoritative fashion. Her team had originally planned to target next week’s Flying Five Stakes (G1) at the Curragh, but the condition of the Haydock turf and the filly’s good recovery altered those plans. “Since Ascot, this has been our target. At this stage of her campaign, six furlongs is perfect. At Goodwood, she ran well over five furlongs and wasn’t beaten far, but six furlongs suits her,” Eustace said. Kieran Shoemaker will ride the Sands of Mali filly.

The going will also play a key role. Despite forecasts for heavy rain, the track was reported as good to good-soft in places Thursday morning. “It looks similar to Goodwood, which is perfect for us,” Eustace added, noting that this could be Time For Sandals’ final start of the year before a rest ahead of an ambitious 2026 campaign.

The Sprint Cup promises top-level action with 19 entries confirmed. In addition to Lazzat and Time For Sandals, the field features No Half Measures (Cable Bay), July Cup (G1) winner, and stablemate Sayidah Dariyan (Dariyan), both trained by Richard Hughes; three-year-olds Flora Of Bermuda (Dark Angel) and Kind Of Blue (Blue Point), who join Lazzat to form Wathnan Racing’s powerful squad; and two improving types, Rage Of Bamby (Saxon Warrior) and Sky Majesty (Blue Point), supplemented for the race.

With £400,000 in prize money and a field of the highest quality, the Betfair Sprint Cup is shaping up as one of Europe’s premier sprint events of the season. For Lazzat, it is a chance to cement his status as the continent’s leading sprinter; for Time For Sandals, an opportunity to prove the younger generation can match the established stars.

Haydock is ready for a champions’ clash, where every inch will count and speed, tactics, and composure will decide who walks away with glory.