The Tin Man triumphs in Sprint Cup

The Tin Man held off Brando and Gustav Klimt and won the Group 1 Sprint Cup on Saturday at Haydock Park in England by a half-length.

The Tin Man, one of England’s best sprinters since 2015, had finished second in the 2016 edition of this race and third a year ago when Harry Angel scored a sharp victory, but this time around Harry Angel faded to sixth as the short-priced favorite after over-racing early and setting a strong pace on heavy ground.

The Tin Man, with Oisin Murphy aboard for the first time, waited in mid-pack before commencing a rally just past halfway through the six-furlong straight-course dash. He struck the front with a furlong left to run and kept on steadily to hold at bay bids from the back of the field from Brando and Gustav Klimt, the former coming home three-quarters of a length clear of the latter. Winning time over the slow-playing course was 1:14.13.

James Fanshawe trains The Tin Man, a 6-year-old gelding by Equiano out of Persario, by Bishop of Cashel. He won for the ninth time in 20 starts while capturing his third Group 1 sprint. His first such victory came in the 2016 Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot and, after Saturday’s showing, The Tin Man figures to be among the leading hopes for that race again in October.