The 6f Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup still had 22 runners at penultimate declarations and only 17 can line-up in the feature contest on Merseyside come Saturday, 7 September. Yorkshire-based trainers Kevin Ryan and Karl Burke both hold strong hands in the £400,000 contest.
Ryan trains overlooking the Vale of York from a yard and gallops atop Sutton Bank near Thirsk in the White Rose County and brings ante post favourite Inisherin across the Pennines.
Burke, meanwhile, could run three in the Haydock Sprint Cup from his Spigot Lodge stables on Middleham Moor in the Yorkshire Dales. Elite Status, who has the same owner as Inisherin, heads those, but the yard also has Swingalong and Spycatcher entered.
Bar those first three named, it is 10/1 and bigger on horse racing betting sites for the rest of the field. A very open contest at Haydock Park reflects the nature of the sprinting scene in the British Isles this season.
Ryan Expects Inisherin to Bounce Back in Haydock Sprint Cup
With two wins in the last five editions of the race, Ryan clearly targets it with his best speedsters. He saddled Hello Youmzain to victory in 2019 and fast ground lover Emaraaty Ana two years later. The going on Merseyside this year may feature some cut underfoot.
That’ll be no problem for soft ground course and distance winner Inisherin, however, who routed the field in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes here back in May. The three-year-old Shamardal colt has an unusual pedigree for a sprinter, but proved that was no fluke.
Inisherin followed-up with Group 1 success in the Commonwealth Cup during Royal Ascot. He may have the runner-up, Lake Forest, taking him on again, while third-placed Jasour and the fourth home Kind Of Blue also have entries and could re-oppose.
Sent off a well-supported 11/8 favourite for the July Cup at Newmarket when last in action, Inisherin didn’t fire. He is 0-3 from across the Rowley and Bunbury tracks at Headquarters, however, so it might be better not to read too much into that horse racing form and take it literally.
Those are the vibes from Ryan’s stable, and the market agrees with Inisherin the 4/1 market leader with 888sport now. Sheikh Mohammed Obaid clearly has a very strong hand in the Haydock Sprint Cup with the first two in the betting.
Lee Rides Elite Status, Buick to Partner Swingalong for Burke
Stable jockeys don’t often have the choice of rides in a Group 1 event like this, but Clifford Lee experiences that rare enough thing here. With conditions forecast on the easier side of good, he opts for dual Newbury winner Elite Status.
The three-year-old Havana Grey colt won with cut in the ground as a juvenile and a second Group 3 success to his CV with victory in the Hackwood Stakes last time out. Elite Status lacks the course experience of owner-companion Inisherin, but also a win at this level.
Connections of four-year-old Showcasing filly Swingalong book William Buick for a significant outside ride. Fourth in last season’s Haydock Sprint Cup when drawn on the wrong part of the course and racing alone, the going may scupper her hopes of improving on that.
Swingalong has two close seconds in Group 1 company this term following narrow defeats in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes during Royal Ascot and then the July Cup. She is a general 8/1 third-favourite on leading betting sites behind 6/1 shot Elite Status.
Lake Forest May Wait for Autumn Campaign from Haggas Trio
Burke isn’t the only trainer with three potential runners here. William Haggas has the aforementioned Lake Forest, whose antics in the stalls caused chaos before the City Of York Stakes during the Ebor Festival and forced his withdrawal from that race.
Co-owned by Brighton & Hove Albion chairman Tony Bloom, the three-year-old colt by No Nay Never ties the form lines of Inisherin and Elite Status together having chased both home on his last two starts. Lake Forest holds an entry in the Group 2 Park Stakes over 7f on the St Leger card at Doncaster the following weekend, so that may explain why he’s as big as 11/1 here.
Haggas also has Wokingham Stakes winner Unequal Love in the Haydock Sprint Cup, but she’s a 33/1 outsider. Chipchase scorer Montassib completes the yard’s trio of entries with Cieren Fallon again down to ride after his Newcastle defeat of Kinross on the All-Weather at the end of June.
He looks the most likely contender for Haggas with BetMGM among those offering 14/1 about his chances. Like so many sprinters, Montassib has progressed out of handicaps and this is a logical step for the six-year-old Exceed And Excel gelding.
Shouldvebeenaring Out to Go One Better in Haydock Sprint Cup
Although last year’s winner Regional misses the defence of his crown, the runner-up Shouldvebeenaring returns to Merseyside seeking success. Trained by Richard Hannon, the four-year-old Havana Grey colt took a Group 3 in France before only managing third in the City Of York last time.
Shoudlvebeenaring just failed to overhaul subsequent July Cup hero Mill Stream on the Knavesmire earlier in the campaign over 6f. Quick ground doesn’t seem to suit him as well as an easier surface, so conditions and a strongly run race at this distance might be the answer.
There is bound to be each way support for Shouldvebeenaring with BetUK among those going 16/1 about his chances of going one better now. We haven’t seen Bucanero Fuerte on the track for over 100 days, but he looks set to lead a decent Irish challenge.
The Haydock Sprint Cup is close to a Group 1 in the Emerald Isle with the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh held just eight days later. Adrian Murray’s Bucanero Fuerte brings good back form into the contest, however, with just his racecourse absence a concern.
At a general 14/1, the three-year-old Wootton Bassett is a leading hope from Ireland. Givemethebeatboys, who disappointed in the Commonwealth Cup, is close behind for Jessica Harrington at 16/1, however. Bar those names, it’s 25/1 and bigger for the remaining entries.
