With seven Graded contests over jumps and eight Group level events on the flat, the Merseyside venue of Haydock has a well-earned reputation as one of the finest dual-purpose racecourses in the north.
The Haydock Sprint Cup in September is the big Group 1 event at the course, but four months earlier, the track hosts the first Group 2 5f event of the British flat season. First run at Sandown in 1965, the Temple Stakes moved north in 2008 and has quickly cemented itself as one of the most prestigious contests held at the course.
Offering a handsome £125,000 in total prize money, the race regularly attracts a highly quality field with eyes on Group 1 glory in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot. Previous names on the illustrious roll of honour include Dayjur, Lochsong, Kyllachy, and the brilliant Battaash.
Speed is the name of the game over the minimum trip, but what else should we look for in the likely winner? Here, we look back at the ten results between 2014 and 2024 (no race in 2020), identify the standout stats and trends, and pick out our best trend-based punt for the 2025 edition.
Fate of the Favourite
The favourite has an excellent recent record in the Temple Stakes, with five of the ten editions in our sample falling to the market leader. A £1 level stakes punt on he jolly over this period returned a £4.62 profit. Eight of the ten winners returned a single figure SP, with Kerdos causing the biggest surprise when scoring at 12/1 in 2024.
106+ Rating Required
Battaash “The Bullet” stands out a mile on the above chart, having arrived with a 123 rating ahead of his back-to-back wins in 2018 and 2019. Kerdos brings up the rear on 106 and adds to the overall downward trend in the rating of the winner. The average rating of the winner over this period was 112, whilst all ten winners were rated 106 or higher.
The Need For Speed
Recent results suggest that those who have not previously shown enough boot to score over the minimum distance need not apply. All ten winners in our sample had at least one 5f win to their name.
Proven at Listed Level or Above
Battaash accounts for the two entries in the Group 1 row. If we ignore the Charles Hills speedball, only one other winner had previously scored at Group 2 level or above. However, all ten had at least hinted that they may be up to the task with a win at Listed level or above.
3-5 The Preferred Age Bracket
The Temple Stakes is open to runners aged three and older. Fifteen three-year-olds have come home in front, including two in our sample. At the other end of the spectrum, the eight-year-olds Perryston View (2000) and Kingsgate Native (2013) are the oldest ever winners. In recent years, those aged three to five have held the edge, with nine of the ten winners in our sample falling into that bracket.
Group 1 Experience a Bonus
Whilst Battaash was the only winner to have previously scored in Group 1 company, all but Priceless (2017) had at least competed at the highest level in the past.
Betting Recommendations: Rum Packs a Punch
Much of the field did pretty well on our five key stats. However, only four scored a perfect 5/5. It makes sense to focus on this quartet when picking our best bet for 2025, but which is the outstanding candidate? Let’s take a closer look at our final four:
- Starlust, 8/1 with Betfred: Career form figures of 36391 over 5f at Group 2 level or above. His big win came when getting up late to cause a shock in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. May have benefitted from a pace collapse that day, but a similar scenario is not out of the question here.
- Jasour, 7/1 with Betfred: Twice successful in Group company, but each of those wins came over 6f. His only Group effort over the minimum trip came in the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes. He beat only three home that day, but reportedly hit his head leaving the stalls.
- Rumstar, 4/1 with Betfred: Two from two in Group events over this distance, having landed the 2022 Cornwallis Stakes and 2025 Palace House Stakes last time out. This demands more but arrives at the top of his game.
- Washington Heights, 8/1 with Boylesports: Only win at this trip came in his Maiden, but never beaten by more than 4½l in three tries in Group 1 company. Speedy sort but has 4l to find with Rumstar on their clash in the Palace House Stakes.
Jasour is a horse with plenty of talent but has developed a concerning tendency to blow the start, whilst Washington Heights may be better at 6f. Rumstar and Starlust are the two to concentrate on.
Starlust is a horse we like and isn’t dismissed lightly. However, the fact that he must carry a 5lb penalty for that Breeders’ Cup success just sways us towards the bang in form Rumstar.
- Recommended Win Bet: Starlust each way @ 8/1 with Betfred
Paul Harrison
Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.
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