By Andrew Atkinson racing correspondent
ADVERTISE and Ten Sovereigns headline 13 runners chasing G1 glory in the £300,000 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock Park this Saturday, September 7, Betfair Sprint Day.
Advertise (Martyn Meade/Frankie Dettori) the 11/4 favourite, won the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest on his latest start at Deauville, France, on August 4.
Advertise (7/2) finished second to a revitalised Ten Sovereigns (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore), in the G1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket in July.
Ten Sovereigns returns to six furlongs after coming home sixth behind Battaash G1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York on August 23, his first attempt over five furlongs. Trainer Aidan O’Brien saddles three runners, with Ten Sovereigns joined by last year’s G1 Cheveley Park Stakes scorer Fairyland (Padraig Beggy, 20/1) and G1 Nunthorpe Stakes third So Perfect (Wayne Lordan, 16/1).
Ireland’s champion Flat trainer has yet to win the highlight of Haydock Park’s Flat Season.
Charlie Hills-trained Khaadem (Jim Crowley, 5/1) finished seventh behind Advertise at Royal Ascot, but has since marked himself down as a top-class sprinter with a dominant success in the Stewards’ Cup Heritage Handicap at Goodwood on August 3.
G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes runner-up Dream Of Dreams (Danny Tudhope) (8/1), as trainer Sir Michael Stoute chases a third Betfair Sprint Cup triumph, having last won the contest with Ajdal in 1987.
Dream Of Dreams is aiming to put a disappointing run behind him, having finished 10th in the G1 Darley July Cup.
The Tin Man (James Fanshawe/Oisin Murphy, 14/1) and Brando (Kevin Ryan/Tom Eaves, 14/1), who fought out the finish to last year’s Sprint Cup, both go to post.
The Tin Man would become only the second horse after Be Friendly (1966 & 1967) to win back-to-back runnings of the G1 highlight.
Brando’s trainer Kevin Ryan also saddles G1 Commonwealth Cup third Hello Youmzain (James Doyle, 10/1), winner of the G2 Armstrong Aggregates Sandy Lane Stakes over six furlongs at Haydock Park in May, and Major Jumbo (Kevin Stott, 66/1).
The Irish challenge also includes Forever In Dreams (Aidan Fogarty/Billy Lee, 33/1), who has not raced since finishing second behind Advertise at Royal Ascot.
The daughter of 2011 Sprint Cup hero Dream Ahead landed the six-furlong Listed Cecil Frail Stakes at Haydock Park in May.
German raider Waldpfad (Dominik Moser/Andrea Atzeni, 14/1) won the G3 Hackwood Stakes at Newbury on July 20, a race in which Khaadem and The Tin Man finished second and seventh, respectively.
Waldpfad has since finished second in the G2 Goldene Peitsche at Baden-Baden on August 25.
Dominik Moser said: “Waldpfad is in good form and we have been delighted with his preparation.
“We have been happy with him since his run at Baden-Baden. He came out of it very well and this has been the plan since.
“He was unlucky at Baden-Baden as he got a bump coming out of the stalls and the ground was very quick.
“He took on a talented British horse (Royal Intervention) who got first run and we were unable to make up the ground.
“Rain at Haydock and soft conditions will suit him. Softer ground is a benefit and I think that will see him to good effect.
“It is a little bit of a dream to have a runner in a G1 event at Haydock. We have already won a G3 in England this year and we are looking forward to the opportunity to compete in England again.
“I think six furlongs is his ideal trip, but he stays seven furlongs. It should be a stiff six-furlong test at Haydock and that will suit Waldpfad.”
The 13 runners are completed by Invincible Army (James Tate/PJ McDonald, 16/1), successful this season in the G2 Duke of York Stakes in May and the G3 Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle in June.
Dream Of Dreams, who was initially put in at 10/1 is now 8/1, and attracting strong each-way support.
Betting: 11/4 Advertise; 7/2 Ten Sovereigns; 5/1 Khaadem; 8/1 Dream of Dreams; 10/1 Hello Youmzain; 14/1 Brando, The Tin Man, Waldpfad; 16/1 Invincible Army, So Perfect; 20/1 Fairyland; 33/1 Forever In Dreams; 66/1 Major Jumbo
Here Comes When (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy) go for back-to-back victories in the G3 Bet In Play On The Betfair Exchange Superior Mile Stakes (2.25pm). The opposition includes unbeaten filly Miss O Connor (William Haggas/James Doyle), who landed a Listed contest in taking fashion at the course on August 10, and G2 Sandown Mile runner-up Sharja Bridge (Roger Varian/Andrea Atzeni).
In the £25,500 Listed Read Ryan Moore Exclusively At betfair.com Ascendant Stakes (3.00pm) over a mile noted He’s A Keeper (Tom Dascombe/Richard Kingscote) proved himself over the course and distance with a four-length novice race victory on August 9.
Others to note include Subjectivist (Mark Johnston/Franny Norton) and Shared Belief (Archie Watson/Danny Tudhope), both placed at this level last time out, as well as novice race scorers Tammani (William Haggas/James Doyle) and Sound Of Cannons (Brian Meehan/Oisin Murphy).
Corelli (John Gosden/Frankie Dettori) heads the weights on 9st 10lb for the feature handicap on the card, the £100,000 Betfair Exchange Old Borough Cup (3.35pm).
The 17-strong field also includes last year’s impressive winner Reshoun (Jim Crowley, 9st 1lb), one of three runners for trainer Ian Williams, and Alright Sunshine (Keith Dalgleish/Danny Tudhope, 9st 1lb), who is on a three-timer following wins at Ripon and Musselburgh.
Haydock gets underway at 1.50pm with the £100,000 Better Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap run over a mile and six furlongs for three-year-olds.
Sir Michael Stoute landed the prize in 2018 with Mekong and the Newmarket trainer is represented by The Queen’s Calculation (Ryan Moore, 8st 12lb), a son of Gold Cup heroine Estimate who has won his last three starts.
Melrose Handicap runner-up First In Line (John Gosden/Frankie Dettori, 9st 7lb) and the prolific Moon King (Ralph Beckett/Harry Bentley, 8st 11lb) also feature.
The going at Haydock Park is soft, good to soft in places, with showers forecast for Saturday.
HAYDOCK PARK fromthehorsesmouth.tips selections: 1.50. First In Line. Calculation ew. 2.25. Sharja Bridge. Miss O Connor ew. 3.00. Subjectivist ew. 3.35. Corelli ew. Blakeney Point ew.
4.00. Ten Sovereigns. Dream of Dreams ew. 4.45 Intense Romance ew. She Can Boogie ew. 5.20 Polyphony ew. Time For A Toot ew.
KEMPTON PARK fromthehorsesmouth.tips selections: 2.05 Gibs Hill ew. Best Solution. 2.40 Written Broadcast ew. 3.15 Motawaj ew. Kuwait Currency ew. 3.50 Hexagon. 4.20 Huraiz ew. 5.00 Richie Vallens ew. 5.35 Atletico ew. Key Player ew.
THIRSK fromthehorsesmouth.tips selections. 1.55 Walkonby ew. 3.40 Paddy Power ew. 4.15 Boston George. 4.50 Pattie ew. 5.25 Stonific.
WOLVERHAMPTON fromthehorsesmouth.tips selections. 7.30 Deal A Dollar. 8.00 Tamok ew.
