Temple Stakes Betting

The £100,000 Temple Stakes was inaugurated in 1965 and originally conducted at Sandown Park. As a Group 2 flat race for Thoroughbreds aged three years and upwards, it covers a distance of five furlongs.

In 2008, the Temple Stakes was relocated to Haydock Park in Merseyside, Northwest England, where it is now conducted on the straight turf during a Saturday afternoon in late May each year as one of seven races sponsored by betfred. Then, in 2011, this race was selected as the first sprint of the new QIPCO British Champions Series. The series features Britain’s seven highest-rated races in the sprint category, and many of the leading runners here will also be seen in King’s Stand Stakes in June, the second of the QIPCO-sponsored sprints.

The three-year-olds entered in this event carry eight stone ten pounds. Those aged four year and older carry nine stone four pounds. There is an allowance of three pounds for fillies and mares, and penalties are applied to winner of races since August 31 of the previous year, amounting to seven pounds for Group 1 winners and four pounds for victors in Group 2 events.

One of the most exciting editions of the Temple Stakes occurred in 1984, when trainer Sir Michael Stoute’s entry Petorius finished first in a dead heat with Bill O’Gorman’s Teesh. Ten year’s later, Frankie Dettori rode a 4/9 favourite to victory here, the six-year-old filly Lochsong, who went on to repeat as Europe’s Champion Sprinter for 1993-94.

In the history of this event, only one horse has won it twice. That occurred in 1995-96, when Mind Games, trained by Jack Berry and ridden by John Carroll, prevailed as the favourite on both occasions at 10/11 and 7/2 odds, respectively.

Two jockeys accumulated four wins apiece at the Temple Stakes. Lester Piggott was first with success aboard Falcon in 1967, Raffingora in 1970, Shoolerville in 1972 and Fearless Lad in 1983. Then, Walter Swinburn rode Petorius and followed up the photo finish with wins on Treasure Kay in 1987, Dancing Dissident in 1989 and Elbio in 1991.

Among trainers, Sir Michael Stoute schooled four winners other than Petorius. They included Dancing Dissident along with Blue Cashmere in 1975 and Snaadee in 1992, followed most recently by Kingsgate Native in 2010.

It is not unusual for as many as thirty or more entries to be listed for the Temple Stakes. In 2011, there were 33 just weeks prior to post time. The actual number of starters, however, typically varies between eight and twelve.

Age is not a great factor in sorting out the winners from the also-rans here. Since the start of the new millennium, two three-year-olds and three four-year-olds have prevailed. There have been two five-year-olds finish first, and two seven-year-olds. And Perryston View was a health eight when he ran to victory in 2000. As for the six-year-olds, one needs only look back to 1997-98 to find a pair of them, so all age groups are well represented, and winning at single-digits odds is most certainly the norm.

Managed by the Jockey Club, Haydock Park offers fans a choice of four grandstands and 33 private viewing suites, along with restaurants, bars, and first-class conference facilities. Attending the betfred.com Temple Stakes makes for a wonderful Saturday outing. Special catering offers are available for £6.50 per person from the Makerfield Lawn Bar on raceday, including strawberries and cream and a glass of fizz or a deli sandwich and pint of beer or glass of wine. Four pint pitchers of beer cost £14 each.

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