The Group 2 Temple Stakes (Saturday 25 May) has been staged at Haydock Park since 2008. It is run over five furlongs and has been won by sprinting legends such as Sole Power, Profitable, and Battaash.
Temple Stakes 10-Year-Trends
- The last 10 winners have been aged between three and eight
- Nine of the ten winners hadn’t won their previous race
- Eight out of 10 winners were returned at single-figure odds
- Seven of the 10 winners had run 13-21 days prior to winning this race
- Only one winner has carried a penalty to victory
Temple Stakes 2019 Main Contenders
Battaash
Last year’s Temple Stakes winner Battaash sets a high-standard on his best form, as he’s rated 8lb and upwards superior to all his rivals. He also carried a 5lb penalty to victory in the 2018 edition, when he finished in front of the re-opposing Kachy and Mabs Cross. He may not have had a prep run like the majority of the winners in the last decade, but that was also the case last year, and he’s won on all three of his seasonal debuts. He’s also won all three of the Group 2 races he’s contested.
Mabs Cross
Progressive five-year-old mare that finished last season with a victory in a Group 1 sprint at Longchamp, when she finished in front of Battaash in receipt of 3lb. She also finished in front of him at York, having earlier finished behind him in both this race and at Royal Ascot. She has already proved her well-being with victory at Newmarket, when conceding a penalty, but she must concede weight to better rivals this time.
Kachy
Has been beaten in the last three editions of the Temple Stakes, but he ran his best race in it last year when beaten just a neck in third when receiving 5lb from Battaash. He has to race off level-weights with that Battaash this time, but there is a chance that he could go close again after looking like he improved during the all-weather season after wind surgery.
Sergei Prokofiev
Three-year-old sprinter who has a devastating turn-of-foot against lower-class opposition but has something to prove in this class. He also has over two-lengths to find with Mabs Cross on their running at Newmarket last time and is no better off at the weights. There is a chance he could steal this late on if the pace collapses, but he still has to prove he can lay up close enough to that pace to use his turn-of-foot to good effect.
Temple Stakes 2019 Summary
This is a fascinating renewal of the Temple Stakes and a truly run race looks assured with Kachy in the line-up. That should suit Mabs Cross, who likes to come late, but Battaash managed to beat both Kachy and Mabs Cross in last year’s race when conceding 5lb to both of them. He’s significantly better off at the weights this year and, with his stable in form, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t maintain his 100% Group 2 and first-time-out records.
Temple Stakes 2019 Horse Racing Betting Tip
Temple Stakes 2019 Tip: Battaash