Kind Of Blue camp target Sprint Cup breakthrough

Kind Of Blue will bid to make it third time lucky in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday.

James Fanshawe’s speedster has finished second in the Group One feature in each of the past two seasons, going down by a head to Montassib in 2024 before taking the runner-up spot behind Big Mojo 12 months ago.

He now returns to Merseyside searching for a first victory since his inaugural appearance in the old gold and peacock blue of Wathnan Racing in the British Champions Sprint in October 2024.

“He’s been placed in the race twice and he was just a little unlucky in the race last year with the draw being slightly against him, but he still ran a big race,” explained Richard Brown, the owners’ racing adviser.

“He’s been knocking on the door and goes well at Haydock. He’s not ground dependent and we’re looking forward to seeing him run again.

“He’s been a bit of an unlucky horse since he won his Group One and a few things haven’t gone right, but that’s what happens in sprints and hopefully he gets a clear draft into the race on Saturday.”

Kind Of Blue is one of three Wathnan-owned entries alongside Ed Bethell’s Paborus and the William Haggas-trained Division.

Paborus was last seen finishing eighth in the City Of York Stakes over seven furlongs, having previously won Newcastle’s Chipchase Stakes over six on his return from a lengthy absence.

“It’s quite quick back from York, but he hasn’t had much racing and is relatively unexposed,” Brown continued.

“Ed called me up two days after York and said he had bounced out of the race and James (Doyle) thinks six furlongs with a bit of ease in the ground would be right up his alley.

“It is a quick turnaround, but it’s hard to leave races behind when you finally get your ground and we all saw what Eve (Johnson Houghton) was able to do with Zavateri winning the Celebration Mile last weekend, so it can absolutely be done.

“As long as Ed is happy with the horse we’ll let him take his chance.”

Division filled the runner-up spot in the Prix Maurice de Gheest in early August, but his participation could be scuppered by soft ground.

Brown added: “He needs quick ground and no slow in it at all as he’s a good-moving horse with a low action.

“He’s in the Garrowby Stakes at York (on Sunday) as well, but they might also get a lot of rain, so it might just be a case of keeping him on the boil in case Champions Day came up as better ground. It may be that his time of year has gone, which would be a real shame.”