Punters have a bumper bank holiday to enjoy on Monday with racing at seven tracks including Epsom, which stages the Burton & Smith Amateur Derby, and Ripon, where the Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy is the feature. York's midweek meeting on Wednesday boasts decent action, with the sportingoptions.co.uk Strensall Stakes and the Elite Homes Garrowby Handicap. Meanwhile speed is of the essence with the cream of the sprinting division set to line up in the Stanleybet Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday. Aidan O'Brien's One Cool Cat is the ante-post favourite for the six-furlong event. He has resurrected a disappointing season with a thrilling win at the Curragh followed by an eyecatching third in the Nunthorpe at York. The son of Storm Cat is sure to be the main attraction should he line up for the £225,000 race. He could face the York first and second, Bahamian Pirate and The Tatling, among a high-class field. Last season's Haydock winner Somnus, who recently landed a Group One event in France, is also in the race and a fascinating clash is on the cards. Another big gun could be in action at Kempton, with the Group Three Pentax September Stakes a possible target for Mubtaker, the highest rated horse in training. Marcus Tregoning's star made a winning seasonal debut earlier this month and could bid for a second successive victory in this 12-furlong event on the way to a crack at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October. The Sunbury track also hosts the Pentax Sirenia Stakes and future Classic hopes will be on show. |