Falcativ bids for Newton honours

Luca Cumani is keeping his fingers crossed everything falls right for Falcativ when he contests the bet365 Old Newton Cup at Haydock.The four-year-old recorded two clear-cut successes at the end of the last campaign, and picked up where he left off with an impressive display at Yarmouth on his comeback. He let down favourite-backers when only fifth on his latest outing at Doncaster, but Cumani is hoping for a stronger pace on Merseyside."It's a bit of a lottery, with so many runners, but if things go right for him then he might have a chance," said Cumani, who won the race 12 months ago with Mad Rush."There were a couple of things that didn't go right for him at Doncaster as there was no pace and the horse started pulling a little bit - he wasn't as relaxed as he should have been. Hopefully things go to plan."Clive Cox is double-handed in the race, with 2007 winner Dansili Dancer and the hat-trick-seeking Red Merlin both prominent in the betting."Red Merlin has done well, and is up in the handicap, but he is a bit of a tricky customer," said the Lambourn trainer."He has to be produced exactly right, and things need to go right for him, but we hope a competitive race will suit him. We kept him fresh and didn't run him at Royal Ascot in order to keep him right for this, so hopefully he'll give a good account of himself."Dansili Dancer won this a couple of years back and ran really well to finish sixth in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot. He comes here in good heart and wouldn't want conditions to change a lot as he doesn't want it to easy. I'm delighted he's here taking his chance."