Sprint to it at Haydock
Haydock’s Betfred Sprint Cup takes centre stage this week as the top older speedsters reconvene for the latest episode of the sprinting championship.
As a two-year-old, Nunthorpe hero Kingsgate Native is unable to tackle his elders in this particular showpiece, but champion elect Sakhee’s Secret should be in town to flex his muscles.
The £300,000 event is sure to attract a host of classy horses hoping to blot his immaculate 2007 record, with Dutch Art and Marchand D’Or chief among the other high-profile possibles.
While the six-furlong feature is the jewel in the weekend crown, the £75,000 betfredcasino.com Old Borough Cup provides able support.
Further afield, Kempton stage some decent action headlined by two Group Threes - the totescoop6 Sirenia Stakes and the totepool September Stakes.
Those two races are sure to tempt some classier horses than are usually seen at the Sunbury venue, while the £75,000 totesport.com London Mile will provide punters with a real puzzle to solve.
Domestic action is otherwise relatively sedate, although York’s popular Wednesday fixture features the Grahame Stowe Bateson Family Lawyers’ 25th Anniversary Strensall Stakes.
Run over the specialist trip of nine furlongs, this Group Three is always one of the more intriguing races of its type.
Goodwood also ensure the midweek quality is upped a little thanks to a decent Tuesday card featuring the Group Three Charlton Hunt Supreme Stakes – a seven-furlong affair for three-year-old’s and upwards.
Across the Irish Sea, racegoers can look forward to some top-notch fare on Saturday.
The Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes promises to be a cracking race as a number of the elite are set to clash in a race won by the likes of Sadler’s Wells, Daylami, Giant’s Causeway and High Chaparral in recent years.
Fans will also be licking their lips in anticipation of the Group One Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes, which could see Red Evie bid for back-to-back successes.
While that mile contest will see the best fillies and mares assembled in Ireland, Longchamp’s Qatar Prix du Moulin offers both sexes the chance to shine at the highest level over the same trip.
Fixtures (Flat in capitals):
Monday: HAMILTON, LINGFIELD, WOLVERHAMPTON.
Tuesday: GOODWOOD, LINGFIELD, Sedgefield.
Wednesday: Hereford, KEMPTON (evening), LINGFIELD, YORK.
Thursday: REDCAR, SALISBURY, WARWICK, WOLVERHAMPTON (evening).
Friday: CHEPSTOW, HAYDOCK, KEMPTON (evening), NEWBURY.
Saturday: HAYDOCK (CH4), KEMPTON (CH4), Stratford, THIRSK (CH4), WOLVERHAMPTON (evening).
Sunday: Fontwell, YORK, Stratford.
