Read Timeform's report of the Sprint Cup in which Montassib registered a first Group 1 success.
The sprint scene remains competitive at the top level, though continuing to lack a stand-out performer, this the fourth of 5 Group 1s in Britain over 6f and each has been won by a different horse, though at least this was taken by a newcomer to the party, Montassib one of the oldest in the field but unexposed in sprinting terms, delivered with a well-timed challenge by Cieren Fallon to land his third Group 1, his other 2 also having come in sprints courtesy of July Cup/King's Stand winner Oxted; although the field came pretty much as one down the centre to stand side, draw and positioning still had an impact on the result, the action unfolding down the centre and the first 6 were all drawn in single figures, Elite Status arguably shaping best of those that raced nearer the stand side.
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MONTASSIB was easy to back, presumably with concerns over whether conditions were quite testing enough for him, but he proved better than ever to make the breakthrough at the highest level; held up, headway over 2f out, edged ahead final 100 yds, driven out; he's obviously not got much, if anything, to spare over the rest, but likely ground conditions for the Champions Sprint at Ascot means his prospects are as good as any of backing up there.
KIND OF BLUE is showing with each and every run why connections chose to forego a lowly handicap mark to pitch him straight in at Group company and he proved better than ever returned to the highest level, turning around Commonwealth Cup form with Inisherin and probably achieving more here than he did there; chased leaders, travelled well, led over 1f out, headed final 100 yds, plugged on; he couldn't quite match one of his uncles, The Tin Man who won this in 2018, but connections won't be running scared of anything when he bids to match another, Deacon Blues, who won the inaugural Champions Sprint in 2011.
UNEQUAL LOVE was backed at long odds having not been seen to best effect at York last time and bounced back to her best, fully replicating the form of her Wokingham win in pattern company and adding plenty to her broodmare value for her owner breeders with this top-level placing; mid-field, shaken up 2f out, headway inside final 1f, ran on.
VADREAM probably isn't quite up to this level, this her eleventh crack at a Group 1 and it's the best fist that she's made of it, returning to form from out of the blue; raced well off the pace, pushed along halfway, switched over 1f out, ran on; she's like the winner in that she handles typical autumn ground better than most.
FLORA OF BERMUDA had beaten the third at York and got back over half of the £20,000 that connections paid to supplement her at the start of the week, and they were arguably unlucky not to make a profit as she shaped better than the bare result, one of a couple in the field who were inconvenienced by interference; chased leaders, travelled well, shuffled back while having to wait for gap over 1f out, rallied inside final 1f, finished with running left; she looks an improved performer in the second half of the season.
BUCANERO FUERTE was easy to back near the off after attracting initial support and he ultimately shaped as if better for the run after 4 months off; led, pushed along over 2f out, headed over 1f out, weakened late on; others might have caught up and gone past him since his Phoenix win last year, but he's better than this.
SWINGALONG has shown herself better than ever with seconds in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee and July Cup prior to this and is better judged on those efforts given how this panned out; raced stand side, prominent, pushed along over 2f out, left behind approaching final 1f, left poorly placed.
ELITE STATUS continues to give the impression that he's better than 3 outings at this level suggest and he probably remains in form, not seen to best effect given he raced a little way away from where the action ultimately unfolded; chased leaders, travelled well, pushed along over 2f out, edged left, weakened inside final 1f.
MOSS TUCKER had missed engagements at Goodwood (ground) and the Curragh (coughing) last month and was below form after 4 months off despite having one of the better draws as it turned out; held up, pushed along over 2f out, not quicken; he's a winner over this far, but his very best efforts have come at 5f, as he showed in last year's Flying Five.
JASOUR had missed an intended trip to Goodwood back over 5f after a mishap on the gallops at home and wasn't seen to best effect 8 weeks on from the July Cup, not ideally placed from his high draw; slowly into stride, held up, pushed along 2f out, not quicken, not persevered with once held; on the plus side, this was the best he's settled since his reappearance.
SPYCATCHER had returned to form in France last time but never looked like repeating that form, even taking into account a less-than-ideal position; raced stand side, off the pace, ridden from halfway, made no impression.
SHOULDVEBEENARING was runner-up in this last year, but he's lacked for consistency this season and simply wasn't on a going day for whatever reason; in rear, uncomfortable with pace, made no impression.
INISHERIN was strong in the betting but followed a below-par effort with an even worse one and has questions to answer all of a sudden, a long way removed on his last 2 starts from the enthusiastic strong traveller he was earlier in the season; prominent, pushed along before halfway, outpaced under 2f out, forced to switch over 1f out, weakened.
GIVEMETHEBEATBOYS looked an ambitious runner back at this level but underperformed even so; close up, pushed along halfway, struggling when short of room over 1f out, weakened.
ANNAF can have a line put through this return from 7 months off; held up, bumped over 2f out, ridden when hampered over 1f out, not recover, not persevered with once held.
ART POWER ran poorly having been unable to adopt his usual early position; slowly into stride, mid-field, pushed along before halfway, bumped over 2f out, weakened inside final 1f.
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