AMERICAN Affair has a little bit to find on ratings when he steps up in grade today, in the Group 2 Betfred Temple Stakes at Haydock.

But there are reasons for believing that he can be competitive against horses who are rated superior. At the very least, he deserves a shot at a group race now.

Rated only 70 at the start of last season, he progressed through the sprinting handicap ranks last term, his zenith coming at Doncaster in September when he got up and won the Portland Handicap by a nose from Apollo One, who came out and won the Group 3 Bengough Stakes next time.

Jim Goldie’s horse has resumed his progress this season too. He did well to win a five-furlong handicap at Musselburgh on his debut this season off a mark of 94.

Held up in behind the leaders that day along the near rail, he had to switch out wide in order to get racing room, but he picked up well once in the clear to get up and win by three-parts of a length from Jm Jungle.

He confirmed places with the runner-up last time at York, when he won a five-furlong handicap off a rating of 98, the highest rating off which he has ever run in a handicap.

He did well to win as well as he did that day; he was drawn towards the near side and, switched towards the centre by Paul Mulrennan on the run to the two-furlong marker, he had to do a lot of running without much cover. But he went to the line strongly, going on to beat his old adversary by a length, and leaving the impression that he had more in hand than that.

Rated superior

This is obviously going to be more difficult, into a Group 2 contest and competing off level weights with horses who are rated superior to him.

That said, Starlust is out on his own on a rating of 115, and, high-class sprinter though he is, this is his seasonal debut and he usually comes on for his first run back after a break. And he has to concede 5lb, and he is probably better at York than he is anywhere else.

Mgheera is a really interesting contender, winner of a Group 3 race at Longchamp on her debut this season and now having her second run for Ed Walker, whose horses do well at Haydock, while Rumstar, She’s Quality and Washington Heights, first, second and fourth in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket, go there with chances.

American Affair is zero for two at Haydock, but he ran well on both occasions. He had to do a lot of running on his own on the near side in a handicap there in September, and he looked a likely winner before his run flattened out and he finished a close-up third behind Shagraan.

In August, in another five-furlong handicap, he was close to the pace from early before going down by a neck to Jer Batt, whom he beat into third place on his debut this season at Musselburgh.

He is at his best when he is held up and delivered late, tactics that Paul Mulrennan employed perfectly last time at York. They were finishing well down the near side yesterday on Haydock’s sprint track, so his high draw may not be a disadvantage.

Sandy Lane Stakes

The Group 2 Betfred Sandy Lane Stakes, over a furlong more and for three-year-olds and run 35 minutes earlier, is another really interesting contest.

Symbol Of Honour was good in winning the Listed Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury last Saturday, and Big Mojo, last year’s Molcomb Stakes winner, kept on well to win the Pavilion Stakes over the Commonwealth Cup course and distance on his debut this season. It makes sense that those two are towards the top of the market.

That said, First Instinct should probably be closer to them in the betting than she is. Winner of a novice stakes over today’s course and distance in September on just her second run, she was good in winning the Listed Polonia Stakes at Cork last time on her second run this season.

She travelled well through the early part of her race for Chris Hayes that day and, when her rider asked her for her effort, early enough, she picked up well, she hit the front at the furlong marker and she kept on well.

Back in fourth that day was Babouche and, while she obviously didn’t run her race that day, it was still really encouraging that Ger Lyons’ filly went and won the Group 3 Lacken Stakes impressive next time.

Attitude

There was a lot to like about the attitude that William Haggas’ filly showed at Cork. She wasn’t the last horse off the bridle, but she kept finding, she went to the line strongly. She was always holding the late challenge of Town And Country.

By Bated Breath and out of the Prix Marcel Boussac winner Proportional, First Instinct probably didn’t stay seven furlongs in the Oh So Sharp Stakes on her final run last season, when she was keener than ideal through the early part of the race.

She probably found five furlongs on fast ground at Bath on the sharp side when she finished third in a listed race there on her seasonal return, a race before which she shipped a kick at the start.

But she saw out the five-and-a-half-furlong trip at Cork last time and, back over six furlongs today, and back at a track at which she is one for one, she could out-run her odds by a fair way.

Recommended:

First Instinct, 3.00 Haydock, 10/1 (generally), 1 point win

American Affair, 3.30 Haydock, 4/1 (generally), 1 point win