July Cup Preview: A powerful case for Ireland's star sprinter

I very much sign up to the axiom that sentimentality and profitable gambling do not mix. You only need to look at some of the absurdly short prices the England team started at in Brazil to convince you of that, but more recent proof came in the opening stage of the Tour de France on Saturday.  The topography of the route meant it was inevitably a day for the quick men and all the talk amongst more astute cycling judges than myself was about how wrong the market had got it. British sprinter Mark Cavendish has only finished ahead of chief market-rival Marcel Kittel twice in 13 meetings and yet a patriotic punt meant their respective 'SPs' were 15/8 and 11/4. Even if the Manx Missile hadn't crashed out in spectacular fashion in the closing stages, the head-to-head record and my (again rather untrained) eye tells you he would have struggled to get past Kittel, who went on to record the fifth stage win of his career. 

There are, however, exceptions to most rules and with sprinters of an altogether different profile lining up for the July Cup on Saturday, the hope is that Slade Power can prove both a profitable and popular winner. Eddie Lynam became a firm favourite amongst punters after news of his audacious 66/1 double paying off at Royal Ascot, and the younger of his star sprinting duo has become similarly popular in Timeform House and amongst racing fans nationwide after two exceptional performances so far this season.  

Although it was Slade Power's win at Royal Ascot which rightly gained the headlines, his seasonal reappearance at the Curragh was as impressive a performance on Timeform ratings. To dispose of a race-fit Maarek, who is a high-class performer in his own right and was encountering his optimum conditions, in such authoritative fashion laid down a fairly imposing marker. He went on from there to triumph in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, producing one of the best performances from a sprinter in Europe in recent years. He was probably value for more than the winning distance given how closely he travelled to what was a strong pace. Odds of 3/1 could look generous come Saturday afternoon and Slade Power is a confident selection to continue his fine run of form. 

Hot on the favourite's heels both at Ascot and in the ante-post reckoning for Saturday's race is the rapidly improving Due Diligence. Verrazano has been the higher-profile, but Due Diligence could well prove the more successful re-fashioning by Aidan O'Brien this season. Whilst his second in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes was a career-best performance and there could be more to come from him over this trip, a little too much was made of the traffic he met in the closing stages and it seems unlikely he'd have got past Slade Power even with a clear passage. Aidan O'Brien has struck twice with three-year-olds before and like most unexposed Coolmore Group 1 contenders he's been well supported so far, but at only a point bigger than Slade Power Due Diligence doesn't look a great price to reverse the form.

It was another horse who has been re-branded as a sprinter who claimed third in the Diamond Jubliee Stakes, although the highly-consistent Aljamaaheer makes less appeal at a current price of around 7/1. Having shaped with such promise in the Abernant in April there was an air of disappointment about his Ascot performance, if only a faint one. The application of blinkers didn't have the desired effect and although he finished well he didn't look to have sufficient pace to trouble the front two. He should be competitive again and its possible the stiffer six furlongs he'll encounter here will see him to better effect, but he looks tailor-made for races like the Maurice de Gheest and Prix de La Foret over slightly further and Saturday might see him a little short of speed once again.

One who is unlikely to face such problems is the proverbial joker in the pack Noozhoh Canarias, although it would be foolish to take his chances lightly. He shaped with real promise with a view to sprinting when he was last seen in the 2000 Guineas, clocking some exceptionally quick sectionals in the early part of the race before a dramatic drop-off in the final furlong, where he was slower than all bar the last three finishers. A drop to sprinting therefore makes a very interesting change for Noozhoh Canarias, though 7/1 for him to beat the top sprinters at the first time of asking takes few chances. 

One who might be worth chancing at a bigger price is Astaire, who paid the price for racing too hard at Ascot last time, prior to that running a fine race behind Maarek in the Duke of York Stakes. It's worth remembering that this race was won from the front last year by Lethal Force and whilst Astaire is some way off showing that level of form, he is definitely a sprinter on the upgrade. He's proved himself equally as effective on good and soft going and repeatedly showed a likeable attitude when winning four of his five starts as a juvenile, and at odds of around 20/1 he looks by far the best each-way play in the race.

Whilst the field for Saturday's race is far from weak, it's very hard to see past Slade Power. He is versatile in terms of gourd, encounters his optimum trip and has proved better than ever so far this season. With reports he will take up stud duties in the autumn, there may not be many more chances to see him ply his trade. I suggest you make the most of him - and his current price - whilst you can. 

Recommendation:

Back Slade Power and Astaire (win and place) in the July Cup