Talking Horses: Starman can bounce back with the help of weather gods

File photo of Starman ridden by Oisin Murphy

After getting bogged down in the mud in Deauville last time out, a return to quick ground in the unlikely setting of Haydock can see Starman bounce back to winning ways in the Betfair Sprint Cup.

Having begun his fourth-year-old campaign with victory in a York Group 2 in May, Ed Walker’s charge was a leading fancy for the Diamond Jubilee but heavy rain at Ascot ruled him out of that engagement. However, he soon proved his credentials as a top-class sprinter when powering home late on to win the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket in scintillating fashion. The Dutch Art colt didn’t get the cleanest run through the race that day and looked in a spot of bother two furlongs from home but, when the need was greatest, he found another gear to skip clear of some classy rivals.