Sprint Cup veteran The Tin Man runs heart out again at Haydock

It's not all about the youngsters, whatever the statisticians may tell you about the Sprint Cup.

Hello Youmzain may have been the fifth winning three-year-old in six seasons but he had only half a length to spare over The Tin Man, a veteran who is more than twice his age and has been contesting Haydock's sole Group 1 event since before the winner was a foal.

The seven-year-old has been the exception to the rule here of late, landing this prize at six last year and finishing second in 2016 and third the following year.

His latest fine effort was particularly pleasing as he had not won since last year's victory and had faced an uncertain future after a modest effort at Newbury seven weeks ago.

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"The team have done a fantastic job to get him back," said trainer James Fanshawe. "After Newbury I thought that might be the end of him. He came back a bit stiff behind and he's seven but everyone has worked away to get him back in top form.

"It was great to see him run such a fantastic race. With his performances this year you can never be that confident but I knew he was in good shape going into the race. He had been working well and looked very well. He's run very well."

A rematch with the winner in the Qipco Champions Sprint Stakes next month is on the cards and Fanshawe said: "This race seems to bring out the best in him and I hope we can have him in the same form for Ascot because you need horses like him in your yard."

Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes card

The race did not begin as planned, according to jockey Oisin Murphy, who said: "We have a blind on in the stalls and it works brilliantly, but he knuckled on his first stride and I was further back than I wanted to be.

"But he found plenty for pressure. He had a lovely run through and it was a super training performance."

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