Betfair Sprint Cup: Richard Hughes pair on target

The three-year-old provided the trainer with a breakthrough Group One success when springing a 66/1 surprise in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup at Newmarket and bids to add a second top level win to her name in Saturday's £400,000 contest.

And having shown she is effective on any type of ground Hughes, who won the six-furlong race as a jockey on Tante Rose in 2004, believes she will take plenty of stopping at a track where conditions should play to her strengths.

Hughes said: “She looks really good at the moment and we are really pleased with her. She has had a nice gap, but we always thought this was going to be her Derby. When we got started with her in the spring, we said the Sprint Cup at Haydock Park was her race as it is normally slow ground but either way now it doesn’t matter what the ground is really.

“If it is slower ground up there, she will step forward again. My horses always seem to run well up at Haydock Park. I’m not sure why they do, but they do and that is a good thing to have on your side, while Neil (Callan) will keep the ride.”

Although No Half Measures showed smart form over five furlongs both last year, and on her penultimate start, Hughes feels she is now racing over her optimum distance.

He added: “Ryan (Moore) kept saying she is really good over five furlongs but I thought she might be able to excel if she could travel over a bit further, and she hasn’t let me down. She is always just hanging in there over five furlongs.

“She ran well at the track on her penultimate start. She had a penalty that day and there was also a track bias. She hasn’t done anything wrong. She is improving, and although she was beaten on her first start over six furlongs, she hasn’t been beaten over it since.”

The trainer also believes his other entry in the race, Sayidah Dariyan, more than merits her place in the line-up.

And despite the daughter of Dariyan only finishing seventh back over five furlongs in the Coolmoore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York last time, the Lambourn handler feels there is a valid excuse for that effort.

He added: “She missed the kick in the Nunthorpe trying her over five furlongs. We were hoping she would be quick enough, but when you miss the kick like that in a sprint you have no chance, however she ran on strongly to the line. I was impressed with her. Her only dent is the Nunthorpe, but she has plenty of valid excuses for that effort.

“No Half Measures has been there and done it, but I have high regard for both fillies and I dare not say which is better as they are two good fillies that are going the right way. If it is slow ground at Haydock Park it would hamper her performance a little bit, whereas we know it is fine for No Half Measures, but she is a very good filly."

Betfair Spokesperson, James Mackie said: “The ante-post betting suggests that the French raider Lazzat should be a class above this 22-runner field at 2/1 and the Royal Ascot winner has been strong in the betting being backed from 4/1 in the last few weeks.

“The closest opposition in the field comes from Sayidah Dariyan at 8/1 with No Half Measures and Time for Sandals being the money horses in the ante-post market. Richard Hughes’ Group One winner was cut from 14/1 into 8/1 and as for the Royal Ascot winner she was as big as 20/1 at one stage but is now the joint second-favourite at 8/1.”

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