WE may be short of really world-class sprinters in Britain and Ireland but a positive side to this is how competitive the Group 1 sprints are and there is certainly no shortage of runners.

At Royal Ascot, there were 44 horses in action between the Commonwealth Cup and Diamond Jubilee. Today bookmakers go 4/1 the field as 17 take on the Betfair Sprint Cup (3.30) and a competitive and likely large field should also be on hand for the Flying Five at the Curragh next Sunday. For many, that is just as attractive as one or two out-and-out stars dominating.

Without doubt, the sprinting division has gone through a transition period and the inception of the Commonwealth Cup has played an integral role. A Group 1 for three-year-olds only has given trainers and breeders an option they didn’t have before and that in turn has seen an upward trend for three-year-olds taking on their elders in the later season Group 1 sprints.

Since the Commonwealth Cup was introduced, four of the last seven renewals of the Sprint Cup and four of the last eight July Cups have gone to the classic generation.

That is worth bearing in mind today, despite there being no standout contender among the six three-year-olds set to take their chance. Yesterday evening, you had to go down seven places in the market to find the first three-year-old, Go Bears Go, who was a good winner of the Phoenix Sprint at the Curragh last time but hasn’t exactly looked like a Group 1 winner in waiting this season.

Flaming Rib, the Commonwealth Cup runner-up, has been overlooked by the market to an extent after a disappointing effort in the July Cup and he could have a say today, but both of those two horses are pace-pushers, and that is the other big factor to consider in today’s big race.

Those two three-year-olds like to get out in front, but so do Art Power, Naval Crown, Brad The Brief and Dubawi Legend, so this could turn into a real burn-up and consquently harm the chances of any of those in the early firing line.

Indeed, it could set things up nicely up for Minzaal, who is a really solid choice and rightful favourite, considering he found only subsequent Nunthorpe winner Highfield Princess too good in the Prix Maurice de Gheest and accounted for Go Bears Go and Dubawi Legend in the Hackwood Stakes prior to that.

Emaraaty Ana might also benefit from sitting off the scorching pace as he bids to become only the second ever multiple winner of this race since Be Friendly way back in 1967.

And finally, don’t discount the Irish contender here, Castle Star, a forgotten horse in many ways. He was a high-class juvenile last season but has only run once this term, finishing fifth in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh. He should come on for that race fitness and interestingly, he is a three-year-old who likes to come from off a strong pace, therefore ticks the boxes for the two talking points above.

He bids to become only the third Irish-trained winner in the Sprint Cup, following the successes of Abergwaun (1972) and Gordon Lord Byron (2013).

TONY Martin is operating at a 17% strike rate (8-46) on the flat this season and he runs three horses at Navan today, two of which are notably handicapped when considering their jumps form.

Sil Ver Klass (5.25) is perhaps the most obvious one, returning to the course and distance of his previous flat win and off the back of a couple of very good performances at both the Galway and Punchestown festivals.

“He is consistent and has run well in defeat plenty of times now,” Martin told The Irish Field. “We freshened up since Galway and he’s in good form. He ran well twice in Galway and before that he was a third in a good handicap chase at Punchestown.

“He’s won over this distance at Navan before so we’d be very hopeful he can give a good account of himself.”

Martin was notably as positive about Marvel Fan (4.15), who was last seen crashing out at the final hurdle when in contention to win at the Easter Festival at Fairyhouse last April.

“She has superior hurdles form so if she ran to that level, she’d have a good chance,” the Meath trainer said. “We think she has the pace to contend with this distance (10 furlongs) and she has been in great form. We were keen to start her off on the flat after the fall at Fairyhouse, just to get her confidence back but she is well handicapped and I wouldn’t surprised if she runs well.”

Martin’s other runner was Draco Pulchrac (4.50), for Newtown Anner Stud. She has disappointed on her last two starts but there have been mitigating circumstances.

“She got a fright coming out of the stalls at Bellewstown (penultimate run) she carried that over to her next run,” Martin explained. “She has been in good form since that last run and hopefully she can run much better.”

Navan have watered their track with the going description as good, good to firm in places yesterday. There was approximately 6mm of rain forecast overnight.