Temple Stakes clash with older horses on the agenda for sprint star Calyx

Sprint star Calyx, who made a scintillating return to action in the Pavilion Stakes at Ascot this month, could put his unbeaten record on the line in the Group 2 Temple Stakes at Haydock on May 25 before tackling the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah, said on Saturday: "We could well look at the Temple Stakes with Calyx. He worked nicely this morning and won't mind any ease in the ground."

The son of Kingman, who set a new track record when winning on his reappearance, will face older horses for the first time if tackling the Temple at Haydock. The race has been won by a three-year-old only three times since the turn of the century.

Three-year-old Temple winners this century

Airwave, 2003
Fleeting Spirit, 2008
Hot Streak, 2014

Dropping back to five furlongs in the Temple will provide a new test for the John Gosden-trained Calyx, who has raced exclusively over six furlongs, winning his three starts by a combined margin of ten lengths.

He will have to prove he can travel strongly against the best sprinters in the country before using his potent turn of foot late on as he is on a collision course with last year's winner Battaash, Group 1 heroine Mabs Cross and all-weather superstar Kachy.

The Qipco 2,000 Guineas, over a mile, had initially been pencilled in as the starting point for last season's Coventry Stakes winner before he was rerouted to Ascot after connections felt tackling the Classic would be asking too much of the colt after such a long layoff.

The Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot is the main target for Calyx, who is the general 6-4 favourite for a race which could feature Ten Sovereigns and Lady Kaya.

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