Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock

Big race in the U.K. today is the Group One Betfred Sprint Cup over 6 furlongs at 16.25 CET. Two non-runners, Confessional and Soul, who both need softer ground, but 13 left in and on all known form either Bated Breath (Roger Charlton/ James Doyle) or the Australian mare Ortensia (Paul Messara/ William Buick) should win. Bated Breath is a course specialist and was very unlucky not to win this last year, when he was just touched off by Dream Ahead. Everything looks perfect for him today, but he did finish behind Ortensia in the Nunthorpe at York over five furlongs, however she was better suited by that distance, although she stays 6 as well. She is very classy and has struck up an excellent relationship with Buick, who also won on her at Goodwood.

One big problem is that Bated Breath is drawn 1 and Ortensia 15, so everything will depend on the run of the race. If the big two fail to win, Strong Suit (Richard Hannon/ Richard Hughes) is next best; he will love the fast ground but things might happen too quickly for him here as he is arguably best at 7 furlongs or further. French challenger Wizz Kid (Robert Collet/ Gerald Mossé) is another possible, but she has never run on ground as fast as this. Society Rock (James Fanshawe/ Kieren Fallon), who won the Golden Jubilee on soft ground last year and who finished third on heavy ground in the July Cup last time, is the only other conceivable winner in our opinion, but would probably prefer better going, It´s a tricky one but we just prefer Bated Breath.

However Wizz Kid fares, we still expect Mossé to go home with a winner, as we think that David Nicholls´ Tax Free can follow up his recent York win by taking the 5 furlongs handicap at 15.15. As for Hannon and Hughes, threy can take the opener with Havana Gold, who was very unlucky last time at Deauville, when his saddle slipped when he was looking the likely winner, while Charlton and Doyle can win the listed mile race at 15.50 with Thistle Bird.