A RACE in which a 10/1 shot beats a 33/1 no-hoper - in a tight finish and with several more-strongly-fancied horses well behind - requires a bit more explanation than most. That was the situation with this year’s Betfred-sponsored Sprint Cup at Haydock, and time analysis can help to solve the puzzle.

It was no great surprise that the unbeaten Twilight Son prevailed, even if this was a big step up from the handicaps he had been contesting, but the proximity of Strath Burn, a short-head back in second, is less easy to explain, as is the fact that the closest horse at single-figure odds was Danzeno in sixth.