'She has loads of talent' - analysis and trainer quotes for a wide-open Temple Stakes

The Platinum Queen has given one of racing's great inventions a bad name. The weight-for-age scale was so innovative in Victorian times that it persists in much the same form 150 years on, but the scale can only ever apply to the average racehorse and The Platinum Queen is not one of those.

As a two-year-old The Platinum Queen twice took on older sprinters, finishing second in the Nunthorpe and winning the Prix de l'Abbaye. The weight-for-age she received the first time was 24lb, the second time it was 17lb. Now she is three, the concession is down to 8lb.

The tortoise is catching up with the hare. This Group 1-winning filly will most likely need to improve half a stone to win today's Group 2 Temple Stakes. Given her precocity, and that she has changed stables over the winter, you would not bank on that.

I would argue that deciding to take on The Platinum Queen is the easy part. If you are not up for opposing her outright by placing a lay bet, the difficulty is choosing who to back.

Twilight Calls, Royal Aclaim and Dramatised all have untapped potential. They are the rightful market principals, in roughly that order. Behind them are the regular lower Group-class horses who get their turn in the high-variance world of five-furlong sprints.

Twilight Calls (near side): second in this race last yearCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Mitbaahy and Raasel fit that category. While the former is slightly more talented, five furlongs on quickening ground is ideal for the latter. 

Those two have run in many Group races, whereas slow-burner Equality only stepped up on his reappearance in the Palace House Stakes. His best run came at Haydock and you can expect him to last longer on the bridle than the vast majority of 25-1 shots.

Admittedly, that depends on Equality being able to track the pace. He is in stall one, on the opposite pole to tearaway Live In The Dream in 14. That horse's bold solo in the Palace House was thwarted only by the final climb and a strong finishing rattle from Vadream. 

Haydock sets up better for Live In The Dream to stay and he also has a significant physical buffer from his main rivals. The three nearest stalls are occupied by outsiders, so others will need to tack across to track him.

Of all the variables in five-furlong sprints, the decision over tactics may prove the most important. How the rest react to Live In The Dream's anticipated rocket-propelled start could be crucial in deciding who wins the Temple Stakes.
Analysis by Keith Melrose

Varian: We are feeling our way with The Platinum Queen

The Platinum Queen, who was successful in four of her eight starts during a Group 1-winning juvenile campaign for Richard Fahey, is expected to improve for this first run under Roger Varian's tutelage.

The Prix de l'Abbaye winner enjoyed her finest hour on Longchamp ground officially described as very soft but she also acts well on the fast surface she will encounter at Haydock.

The Platinum Queen (far side): leading sprinter makes her first start for new connectionsCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Varian said: "The Platinum Queen is a livewire at home and we are feeling our way with her. My feeling is that she'll improve for the run, but hopefully she'll perform well. Richard has been very helpful and all credit to him for what he achieved with her as she's not straightforward.

"Some of our fillies have tended to need their first run and we hope she will take a step forward from this – win, lose or draw. She's versatile regarding ground and good to firm going over five furlongs at Haydock should be right up her street."

What they say

Charlie Hills, trainer of Equality and Equilateral
Equality ran a bit fresh at Newmarket, so we're putting the hood on. He has got to prove he is up to this level. I've been happy with the way Equilateral has been training and he's a pretty good horse on his day.

Roger Varian, trainer of Mitbaahy
He is not short on pace but he'll improve for the run. He would prefer a bit more ease in the ground but we have to start somewhere if he's going to get to Royal Ascot.

Henry Candy, trainer of Twilight Calls
I only ran him at Newmarket because he needed a gallop and I think he's okay, but it hasn't been plain sailing. He has been a bit up and down since and it was a last-minute decision to run. His scope wasn't great last week but it was fine on Thursday morning. He couldn't cope with the ground that day but he should have his conditions on Saturday and we hope he'll run well.

Richard Hannon, trainer of Happy Romance
This is a wide-open renewal. Her form is right up there, so I can't see any reason why she won't put up another huge effort.

James Tate, trainer of Royal Aclaim
It's a very open renewal but she's a good filly with loads of talent and I would hope she'd be on the premises. She's currently a Listed and Group-placed filly, so I would love to get a Group 2 win on her record.

Ed Bethell, trainer of Sandbeck
She ran better than the result suggests at Newmarket when drawn on the 'wrong' side. She likes Haydock and I think she will run a nice race.
Reporting by Richard Birch

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