'A dead-heat would do me' - John Quinn cannot split top two in Temple Stakes

Trainer John Quinn is going all out to capitalise on the absence of Battaash in Saturday's Temple Stakes by running two highly regarded fillies with remarkably similar profiles in the Haydock sprint.

Quinn is set to field Liberty Beach and Keep Busy – the top two in the betting with most firms – in a race won the last two times by champion sprinter Battaash, whose comeback has been delayed following a winter setback.

Liberty Beach and Keep Busy, last seen in action finishing third and fifth in the Prix de l'Abbaye in October, are four-year-olds with the same official rating of 109 and the North Yorkshire trainer cannot split the pair either.

Quinn said: "They're two very good fillies who are fit and go on most grounds. There's not much between them on form and I wouldn't swing one way or the other – a dead-heat would do me.

"If you take out Battaash, the sprint division is open so let's hope they have a bit of luck."

Keep Busy: Oisin Murphy booked to ride the filly for the first timeCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Liberty Beach has taken over as favourite at 9-4 for the Casumo-sponsored Group 2 after Lazuli was absent from the seven final declarations made on Thursday.

Regular rider Jason Hart is back in the saddle after Frankie Dettori rode Liberty Beach at Longchamp.

"She had a good season last year showing solid form all the way through, so we're hoping for a good year with her," said Quinn. "She won the Cecil Frail [at Haydock], finished third in the King's Stand and ended the season with a third in the Abbaye."

Temple Stakes runners and riders

Oisin Murphy gained his first Group-race success in the Temple Stakes on Hot Streak in 2014 and has been booked to ride Keep Busy for the first time.

"She's very tough and kept on improving last year," added Quinn, who has been successful at the highest level across both codes.

"She beat stablemate El Astronaute at Hamilton, which is a fair feat, and then ran a great race at the Curragh [second to Glass Slippers] and like Liberty Beach, she ran really well in the Abbaye [in fifth]."

John Quinn: trainer runs two of his stable stars in the Temple StakesCredit: Pool

The unbeaten Dragon Symbol and last year's Norfolk winner The Lir Jet feature in a final field of 11 for the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes earlier on the same card.

The ground at Haydock was on Thursday morning described as good to soft in the straight and soft, good to soft in places on the round course, although rain is forecast for Thursday and Friday.

Course officials are expecting a sell-out for the first big Saturday meeting since the return of spectators, for which the capacity has been capped at 3,000.

Sandy Lane Stakes runners and riders

Jockey Club north west regional director Dickon White said: "We've got great racing with two top quality sprints and we're looking forward to seeing the crowds back and having some atmosphere around the site.

"It's the vibrancy and atmosphere people generate throughout the day and it's great to see on-course bookmakers back with the colour and energy they bring.

"We're very much in the hands of the local authority and have been working with the Safety Advisory Group and they have set a capacity for the whole of the site for Friday and Saturday and that figure includes owners and trainers and limited hospitality.

"It's a gradual process and this is the next step on the roadmap and we've got to prove we can make a limited number of people work, so that from June 21 we can hopefully welcome the full number back."

Racegoers attending Haydock will be required to take photographic ID with them, as is the case with all courses operated by Jockey Club Racecourses and Arena Racing Company.

The requirement is laid out in the terms and conditions for entry to ensure the individual using the ticket is the person who booked it for the purposes of test and trace, according to officials from both racecourse groups.

Temple Stakes
William Hill: 9-4 Liberty Beach, 9-2 Keep Busy, 5 Que Amoro, 10 Lady In France, 12 Jabbarockie, 14 Declaring Love, 25 Ainsdale

Read more:

Confirmed runners for Saturday's Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh

'He's lost none of his zip' – Battaash on course for King's Stand defence

Lucky Vega leads Jessica Harrington's troops into battle on 'very big weekend'

Royal Ascot limit of 4,000 spectators leaves no room for general admission

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