Betfair Sprint Cup report and free video replay | Big Mojo edges Sprint Cup glory

The 16/1 chance finished well down the stands' rail from stall 15 under William Buick to beat Kind Of Blue (stall 19) and Flora Of Bermuda (stall 16) as the high numbers prevailed.

It was yet another different winner of a Group One sprint in Europe this season in an open division, Big Mojo winning his second race of the campaign after landing a Group 3 on his reappearance at Ascot back in April.

Second in the July Cup by a neck and then beaten two lengths by Jm Jungle when dropped to five furlongs at Goodwood last time, the son of Mohaather appreciated going back up to six at Haydock.

Time For Sandals ran a good race in defeat on the far side from a disadvantaged stall two, while the well-punted evens-favourite Lazzat disappointed in behind after a weak finish.

The winner was cut to 6/1 from 16s for the British Champions Sprint at Ascot next month.

It was a first domestic Group One success for trainer Mick Appleby who said: “We were obviously disappointed with his last run and there was a question mark that he had to prove he was still at the top and he did.

“He’s been in great form at home. Mark who rides him all the time said he was absolutely buzzing. We were coming here quite optimistic to be fair but it’s a Group One.”

Buick said: “What a brilliant spare ride. I was actually supposed to ride him in the Sandy Lane and then we ran Symbol Of Honour at the last minute but it’s all come together today.

“It was beautiful ground and probably middle to stands’ side is where you wanted to be and the way the race has worked out it panned out well for me but it was a very good performance.

“I had no real moment of worry and once I gave him the get-go, he just got on with it and saw it out well. They all turned up, it was a big field and this was well deserved. He’s a horse who has always run well and I’m delighted for the owners and Mick they are good people and for the horse as well. He turns up everywhere and always runs well.”

Owner hails Appleby team

A beaming winning owner Paul Teasdale said: “It’s been great. We saw a few other people who were confident about him today and we knew he’d give us a big run. I said to William when he was going out we just need another July Cup performance when we were only inches away from winning.

“We knew he had it in him, we knew he was capable, we’ve just hit the bar a couple of times and been a bit unlucky. We knew this was a Group One horse for a while, it was just a case of getting it right on the day.

“It’s all come together today. We were drawn in the right place, William gave him a fantastic ride and it’s all down to Mick who trains him.”

Ascot or Foret for disappointing Lazzat

Lazzat was sent off a well-backed even-money favourite but having been in the firing line throughout could only finish fifth. His trainer Jerome Reynier felt things were always happening just too quickly for him.

“It’s six furlongs, a proper sprint, he had horses all around him and it was a bit too sharp for him,” he said.

“Maybe next month there’ll be a bit more cut in the ground over six furlongs in the Champions Sprint at Ascot or maybe in the Foret at Longchamp over seven. We have to chat about the next one with the connections.

“That was my fear today. He likes to be on top of the game, in front and leading and today at the three furlong marker he was already asking him to keep up and he stayed on well.

“James (Doyle) was happy with the way he kept fighting, he wasn’t beaten far but it was too sharp for him today. It’s a much stiffer six at Ascot, that was probably more his game, but the Maurice de Gheest was under what he can achieve at his best and today again it was lower than I expected.

“When you beat course records like he did at Ascot it’s not an easy task and some horses take a long while to recover and we’ll have to see he’s all good.”

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