Temple Stakes entries: Rumstar among 14 in Haydock Group 2

Trained by Jonathan Portman for owners Vincent and Russell Warm, the five-year-old Rumstar took his form to new heights when successful in the hands of Rob Hornby over the minimum trip at the Guineas meeting earlier this month.

Rumstar's one previous visit to Haydock resulted in a well-beaten 13th behind Regional in the 2023 Betfair Sprint Cup but connections are hoping for a far more positive outcome in the £125,000 contest this weekend.

Portman said on Monday's Nick Lucky Daily Podcast: "He's started [the season] in good form. He came out of the winter looking fantastic and he couldn't have done any more than what he did at Newmarket the other day.

"We put him in the big one at Ascot [King's Stand] and while he's fresh and happy and in form we thought we'd try and have a go at something on the way. He's come of age rather and this could be his year, you never know.

"We were chuffed with his run in the Commonwealth [Cup, last year] and that probably made us think bigger things than we should have done at the time. Then we were carrying a lot of weight in big-field handicaps over six furlongs and it wasn't really quite working.

"The turning point was dropping him back to five furlongs for the Rous Stakes last year. He just loved the slightly smaller field, the drop in trip and that pattern-race situation which suited him well. Ditto with Newmarket the other day so it's a combination of him growing up, us working him out a little bit better possibly and he had a proper winter break this winter which he never really had before for one reason or another.

"Touch wood the niggles he had in the past are behind him and he seems in a good place at the moment. He's only a little horse still, but there's plenty of power for a little horse. We have to try and strike while the iron's hot."

WATCH: Rumstar wins Palace House Stakes at Newmarket

Chief among Rumstar's potential rivals is Jasour. The four-year-old is, like Rumstar, another son of Havana Grey and he is set to represent last year's winning trainer Clive Cox, who struck with Kerdos 12 months ago.

Along with the 2024 hero Kerdos, the antepost favourite Big Mojo was another notable withdrawal at the five-day stage, but Starlust (Ralph Beckett), Mgheera (Ed Walker) and Night Raider, Karl Burke's charge who was third to Inisherin in the Duke of York last week, have all stood their ground.

The possible field is completed by Law Of Average, Twilight Calls, Washington Heights, Electric Storm, Frost At Dawn, She's Quality, Vadream, Grande Marques and the rapidly progressive Jim Goldie representative American Affair, successful in handicap company at Musselburgh and the Dante Festival already this season.

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