Alex Hammond racing blog | Betfair Sprint Cup preview and tips

What are your early thoughts on the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock?

The ground is good at the beginning of the week with showers forecast for the days running up to the Group 1 on Saturday.

Wathnan Racing are well represented with Sky Bet’s 2/1 favourite Lazzat and last year’s runner up Kind Of Blue (12/1), with James Doyle jocked up on the former. The relatively new team will be relieved to get their retained rider back in action after his enforced spell on the sidelines with a virus. He is scheduled to ride on Wednesday, so should be back in the groove by the weekend. It was disappointing to see Lazzat beaten by Sajir in the Prix Maurice De Gheest last time out, particularly after the impression he made in winning the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

His conqueror at Deauville was denied the chance to run at the Royal meeting as he was withdrawn having got upset in the stalls. Well, he certainly showed what he’s capable of in last month’s French Group 1. Lazzat was a bit too fresh and well in that race and hopefully he will have a little less twinkle in his toes at Haydock. The faster ground was also in the winner’s favour at Deauville.

Kind Of Blue shouldn’t be overlooked and could offer some each way value at 12s if he can replicate last year’s performance. He was only beaten a head that day, but he has most to fear from his teammate. He has looked disappointing this season having fluffed his lines at the start in France on his reappearance and then running flat on the all-weather at Newcastle after that. He looked more like his old self at the Curragh last time out.

Flora Of Bermuda is also entered for Wathnan Racing and she’s no mug providing she doesn’t blow it at the start as she did last time out at Newmarket. Her trainer Andrew Balding is on target to enjoy his best year since he took over from his father Ian.

Three year old filly Time For Sandals will get weight off her older and male rivals if she lines up for trainer Harry Eustace. She won the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, a race also won en route to this by Quiet Reflection, who was the last three year old filly to win the race back in 2016. Like Quiet Reflection, Time For Sandals was also beaten after Royal Ascot before winning at Haydock.

The William Haggas trained Almeraq has plenty to find to win this but he’s an improving three-year-old from a leading yard. He’s a 10/1 shot.

Trainer and former multiple champion jockey Richard Hughes rode Tante Rose to win this 21 years ago. He has a strong hand with July Cup winner No Half Measures and three year old filly Sayidah Dariyan in the field. The latter should suit stepping back up to six-furlongs having blown the start in the Nunthorpe last time out. She has bags of potential, but again, when faced with the likes of Lazzat, this is no easy task.

So, in summary, if Lazzat is at his best he will take all the beating. He’s a league above his rivals when things go right.

What are you expecting from Kalpana in the September Stakes?

Oh, this should be straightforward for her and her price (4/7 favourite) reflects that. This race has been used as a tool for some high class horses over the years, none more so than Enable who won this twice en route to the Arc, winning at Longchamp after her first Kempton victory.

Kalpana won this last year when rated 107 and she’s 122 now. Granted, as a three-year-old filly she got all the weight allowances last year, but she has a great chance of taking this again before heading to Paris for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, for which she’s 6/1 favourite with Sky Bet.

She came up against a star in Calandagan in the King George last time out and may well have given him more to think about had her challenge been delayed slightly. She won’t meet him at ParisLongchamp though and this race times perfectly for her prep ahead of the race at the beginning of October.

How much are you looking forward to the Betfred St Leger with Lambourn and Scandinavia both on target?

I’m really looking forward to the St Leger Festival and will be at sunny Donny for the duration. The Ballydoyle duo are the top two in the market for the final classic of the season with Scandinavia Sky Bet’s 11/8 favourite and Lambourn trading at 7/2 at the time of writing.

Scandinavia marked himself as a stayer on the up when winning the Goodwood Cup last time out and cheekpieces seem to have been the making of him.

He was only 5th in the Queen’s Vase behind Carmers though, albeit without the best trip round, and you can’t overlook that horse after his staying on second to Pride Of Arras in the Great Voltigeur over a mile and a half at York last time out. He’ll appreciate stepping back up in trip at Doncaster. He’s 11/2 to win for trainer Paddy Twomey.

Dual Derby winner Lambourn must put his defeat in the Great Voltigeur behind him. He carried a penalty there but that wasn’t the excuse for his fifth place finish. Aidan O’Brien isn’t afraid of a defeat for his stars though and he’s well capable of bouncing back.

I’ve been a fan of 5/1 third favourite, Lazy Griff since he finished 2nd to Lambourn in the Chester Vase back in May. He really stood out as a quality individual in the paddock beforehand and showed so much promise. He finished runner up to the same in the Derby before seeing his backside once again at the Curragh in the Irish Derby. With a bit of luck there will be some ease underfoot at Doncaster which will bring out the best in this big horse and he’ll also relish his first go at this mile and three quarter trip. He’d be a popular winner for Yorkshire based trainer Charlie Johnston in God’s Own County.

It's shaping up to be a superb race.

But how difficult an autumn will it be for Aidan O’Brien with Ryan Moore sidelined?

Any time you don’t have your number one, and probably THE number one, jockey available to you it’s going to be difficult. It sounds like Ryan Moore has been soldiering on for months with this thigh fracture, which was described in an article I read as being a stress fracture. That’s an incredibly painful injury to be living with as a sportsperson and can take some time to heal. How he has continued to ride with it is beyond my comprehension.

It would seem the autumn, and possibly much of the winter could be written off with an injury that can take months to heal properly and needs careful management.

So, no number one jockey but there are a few super subs.

In the immediate future, Wayne Lordan is unavailable due to suspension (unless his appeal is successful) but that big cog in the Ballydoyle wheel will be back from 19 September to pick up some of the slack.

Christophe Soumillon has been confirmed as one of those super subs, and you could do much worse than using the talented Belgian with his experience on the international scene. It’s not an ideal situation for a team like that but the world will keep turning and they will continue to operate in his absence.

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