Harry Angel Primed for Comeback in Sprint Cup

Harry Angel is set to emerge from his Royal Ascot nightmare and remind the public he is still the best sprinter in Europe, his trainer Clive Cox said Sept. 4.

The Godolphin colt has missed ten weeks of the season to recover from a serious incident at the start of the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G1) in which he got a hind leg trapped on the running board just before the stalls opened.

Harry Angel is still carrying a small mark on his left hind leg as a reminder of what Cox described as 'the calamity in the stalls,' but all other visible signs are positive according to the trainer.

He has undergone additional stalls work designed to rebuild his confidence ahead of the Sept. 8 32Red Sprint Cup (G1), which he captured in such devastating fashion at Haydock last year, where he is unbeaten in two visits.

"Relief was the initial emotion after Ascot because it could have been a lot worse," Cox said at his Lambourn yard. "At first what we saw was a small wound and then muscularly there was a bit of soreness so it took a bit longer and we missed the July Cup, which was a huge disappointment.

"From the July Cup the Haydock sprint is the next logical six furlong target. I'm delighted that he's back in good form. He's given me a really positive feel. From a couple of weeks after the July Cup, things have improved markedly and continued in a very positive direction. His work has been impeccable."

At Ascot, a track where he has yet to win, Harry Angel lost all chance when he kicked out just before the stalls opened leaving one leg trapped, a freak incident for which no one was to blame, Cox said.

He completed the race but trailed in 23 lengths behind the winner, returning with a puncture wound on the leg.

"Obviously the Ascot race was a non-event for us and the fact he came back bruised, it could have been a lot worse, so we had to look on the bright side at the time," said Cox.

"It was about getting him back in the right place mentally and physically. The wound was visible on his hind leg and then he was pretty sore through his muscles and his back, which was understandable. It's just taken a little while, but we have had that time and hopefully we can show we are ready to be back where we should be.

"I'm very happy that I think from his point of view he's in a good place. We have done a lot of confidence building work at the stalls to be sure. Most sprinters are a tightly-coiled spring and that mentality will always remain. It's certainly a confidence that had to be topped up and I have been delighted with the progress he has been made.

"One upside is he is a fresh horse. He holds the course record on very fast ground at Haydock. It was concerning last year when the ground looked very soft. Although there is rain forecast, I don't think we have quite the amounts we had prior to last year.

"I don't think there is any doubt he's a top class horse. Any success with Harry means a huge amount. Hopefully we can show everybody what we have been doing."

Harry Angel has won five of his ten starts, all his defeats having come at Ascot. Last year's victories in the July Cup and in the Sprint Cup, which he won by four lengths, ensured he finished the season with a 125 rating that was two pounds above Battaash.

He is 5-4 favorite with the race sponsor to emulate the only two-time winner Be Friendly, who won in 1966 and 1967.

"Last year's performance was scintillating," said Cox. "He's certainly the best horse I have had anything to deal with. It's a joy to have a horse like this on our hands."

Conditions for the 32Red Sprint Cup were forecast on Tuesday to be on the soft side at Haydock this weekend though not as soft as 12 months ago when heavy going threatened the participation of Harry Angel.

The going at the track was good, good to soft in places, but are likely to ease further with rain predicted on Friday and Saturday.

Haydock clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright said: "It is good, good to soft in places today, and I think we will be there on Thursday, but then there is rain coming in afterwards and we are rather in the lap of the gods after that. I can't see us being quicker than good to soft if we get what's forecast.

"We are forecast 6mm of rain on Friday and the same on Saturday. It was heavy last year so we were in a worse place. I am hoping that we are not going to get to that and the forecast suggests we won't."