Connections hopeful Almeraq can handle testing ground in Sprint Cup

Connections of Almeraq are optimistic the Royal Ascot winner will handle what will be testing conditions in Saturday’s Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock.

The William Haggas-trained four-year-old suffered a heavy fall in York’s Garrowby Stakes on this weekend a year ago, an incident that would ultimately lead to the retirement of his rider Jim Crowley.

But Almeraq has returned as good as ever this season, with a comeback win at Salisbury followed by Group One success in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes – and while he subsequently disappointed in the July Cup at Newmarket, confidence in the camp is high ahead of his trip to Merseyside this weekend.

“We’re looking forward to getting him back on the track,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell.

“Things just didn’t quite go right for him at Newmarket – he broke a little too well, was without any cover early and got a bit keen. The ground was possibly quick enough for him, but I think it was as much the way the race was run as anything. The very first thing Tom (Marquand) said when he came in was that cover is important for this horse and when I watched it I saw exactly what he meant.

“He’s drawn in the middle on Saturday, so hopefully he’ll be able to get a little bit of a lead early and see if he’s good enough at the business end.

“He’s a big, powerful horse that does himself well, but I think they’ve got him where they want him, so we’ll just see if he’s good enough.”

The official going at Haydock was described as heavy on Friday following 23 millimetres of rain overnight, but Gold is hopeful it will not be an issue, adding: “We never felt soft ground was going to worry him.

“When it’s heavy ground and it goes to extremes, who knows at that stage? It’s the same for all of them and it’s whatever gets through it the best I’m afraid.”

Last year’s winner Big Mojo is due to defend his crown on the back of a confidence-boosting success in the Phoenix Sprint in Ireland four weeks ago, but trainer Mick Appleby admits the ground is a worry.

He said: “He’s come out of his last race really well and hopefully that gave him a bit of confidence. He’s in good order.

“He’s never run on that sort of ground before and you wouldn’t know if he’ll handle it or not. I’ll have a chat with the owner and make a decision about whether we run after that.

“There’s not a lot more races for him, so we’ll have a chat and decide what we’re going to do.”

James Fanshawe’s Kind Of Blue has finished second in the last two editions of the Sprint Cup and is back to make it third time lucky for owners Wathnan Racing.

Wathnan’s racing adviser, Richard Brown, said: “I don’t think Kind Of Blue actually needs soft ground, he also has very good form on better ground. What he can do is go on any ground really, and I think that helps him as some horses don’t really handle soft ground.

“He’s been second for the last two years and was maybe a bit unlucky last year, but that’s just the way it sometimes goes in these sprints.

“This is his final year of racing – he will be off to stud at the end of the season, although plans have not been made as to where he will stand yet.”

The Wathnan silks are also carried by Ed Bethell’s Paborus, who made a winning start to his campaign in the Chipchase Stakes on the all-weather at Newcastle before finishing eighth in the City of York Stakes two week ago.

“I thought Paborus ran well at York last time, and James (Doyle) thought after that run that going back to six furlongs would suit him,” Brown added.

“He won’t mind the ground and is an interesting contender.”

One place ahead of Paborus in seventh place on the Knavesmire was the Andrew Balding-trained Marvelman, who proved his liking for soft ground when trouncing his rivals in the Group Two Park Stakes at Doncaster 12 months ago.

His owner, Charlie Bond, said: “When we saw the rain coming in we were very happy – it will probably be the first time he’s got his ground since he won the Group Two last year. He seems to relish the conditions, so we’ll see how we go.

“The City of York form has worked out, with the fifth horse (Zavateri) bolting up in a Group Two last week (Celebration Mile at Goodwood). I think that’s probably some of the strongest form of the year, so it will be interesting to see him against top sprinters.”

Clive Cox runs recent Hungerford Stakes winner Coppull and James’s Delight, who was third behind Big Mojo at the Curragh.

When asked about how Coppull will handle conditions, the Lambourn handler said: “It’s an unknown territory – we’ve never run him on anything as soft as this so far and there are varied opinions rider-wise whether he’ll cope or not.

“He’s in the form of his life, I was very happy with his success in the Hungerford and he’s come out of that race better than ever.

“He’s out of a Mayson mare and by Bated Breath and they are ingredients that would soften our opinion slightly, but we are where we are and I’d like to watch racing (on Friday) before saying any more than that.

“James’s Delight will absolutely love the ground and he’s in excellent order. He’s got a pretty positive circumstance with his preferred going.”