Tale tops Sprint Cup betting
Soldier’s Tale has been installed as the 6-1 favourite for the William Hill Sprint Cup at Haydock Park on September 3 after 51 entries were received for the Group One race.
Jeremy Noseda’s talented four-year-old was last seen finishing fourth in the Darley July Cup having won his first two starts of the campaign in stylish fashion.
Etlaala, who finished one place ahead at Newmarket, is another possibility, along with Wokingham winner Iffraaj, who disappointed in the race coming home 14th.
Tim Easterby’s Somnus, winner of the Haydock race in 2003 and runner-up 12 months ago, is also entered along with stablemate Fayr Jag, while last year’s winning trainer Roger Charlton is represented by Avonbridge, who was second in the July Cup, Kind, Patavellian and Striking Ambition.
Aidan O’Brien has a quartet of entries: last year’s Group One Middle Park Stakes winner Ad Valorem, Airwave, Dark Cheetah and Tiger Dance, with further Irish interest provided by the David Wachman-trained duo of Damson and Indesatchel.
Jim Bolger could also bid to provide the first Irish-trained winner since Abergwaun in 1972 with Democratic Deficit, who would be stepping down in distance after being campaigned primarily over a mile.
Other leading contenders include Richard Hannon’s Galeota, runner-up in the Golden Jubilee at the Royal meeting before running disappointingly in the July Cup.
The £225,000 (€325,600) contest will be sponsored for the first time by William Hill following their recent acquisition of previous sponsor Stanleybet.
“William Hill is absolutely delighted to be sponsoring this prestigious race,” said David Hood, head of public relations at William Hill.
“The history of the Sprint Cup is littered with top-class champions and, with the current crop of sprinters, we are looking forward to a race of the highest calibre.”
