Neil Morrice walks you through the front runners for Saturday’s showpiece at Haydock Park.
Sprint Cup (Group 1)
After an inclement week in the North West the going will ride soft for the track’s marquee race of the Flat season.
The scenario has claimed the appearance of July Cup winner TEN SOVEREIGNS whose trainer Aidan O’Brien watched two races from the course on Thursday and decided the following day to scratch his colt.
Consequently, Ryan Moore will almost certainly jump onto the filly FAIRYLAND while SO PERFECT will also represent the Coolmore operation.
Sure to appreciate the testing underfoot conditions is HELLO YOUMZAIN who has been a springer in the ante post market through the week. Three-year-olds have won four of the last five running and this is an unexposed improver who floored odds-on Calyx over the course and distance back in May.
Kevin Ryan, who also saddles outsiders BRANDO and MAJOR JUMBO said: “Hello Youmzain ran a great race to finish third in the Commonwealth Cup after missing the break. That can happen in sprints, but it was a one off and hopefully Saturday will be different.”
One big market mover is DREAM OF DREAMS who is another soft ground specialist. He flopped in the July Cup but has been given two months to freshen up in his trainer Sir Michael Stoute’s knowledge that he would come back to find ideal conditions through the autumn.
Owner Saeed Suhail’s racing manager Bruce Raymond said: “Sir Michael thinks Dream Of Dreams is better on soft ground. He didn’t show up in the July Cup but it was very firm that day and he’s perhaps not really suited to the July course. He goes to post in very good shape, and if running up to the level of his second at Royal Ascot he must be bang there.”
If there’s a joker in the pack then that horse could be Stewards Cup winner KHAADEM. It’s a massive jump up from handicap to Group 1, but the actual margin of improvement required is not quite as stark in the sprinting division, while trainer Charlie Hills is a master with fast horses as his handling of champions Muharaar and Battaash bears out.
Prediction
1st HELLO YOUMZAIN
2nd Dream Of Dreams
3rd Khaadem
4th Fairyland
Written by Neil Morrice for Hollywoodbets
