Expert Panel: Weekend Racing including Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock

Trainer Karl Burke confirmed that Clifford Lee has chosen to stick with Elite Status over his other two runners in Saturday’s Betfair Sprint Cup – has he made the right choice and is Lee’s mount a real threat to the Kevin Ryan-trained Inisherin in the same ownership?

Ben Linfoot: It can’t have been an easy choice for him with both Elite Status and Swingalong having very good chances in the race. However, Swingalong is 0/7 at the top level and Elite Status, 0/1 on the same metric, has terrific potential including in this grade, so I can see why he’s gone with the younger horse. Elite Status beat the same horses Inisherin did in the Commonwealth Cup in the Hackwood Stakes and I would say the biggest threat to Sheikh Obaid in the race is Sheikh Obaid.

Tony McFadden: It can't have been an easy decision for Lee but I'd be favouring the claims of Inisherin. He needs to bounce back from a disappointing effort when sent off favourite for the July Cup but he was in trouble a long way out at Newmarket, especially considering how strongly he tends to travel, and it's possible that he was uncomfortable on the undulating track. He'd previously been an impressive winner of the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot (replay below) and the Sandy Lane Stakes at this venue on his first two attempts at six furlongs, and those performances are right up there with the best on offer.

Matt Brocklebank: This doesn't look an easy call on the face of it as there is only 1lb between Swingalong (113) and Elite Status (112) on official BHA ratings. However, the latter is still a relatively unexposed three-year-old who looks on a steep upward curve based on his two wins at Newbury so far this season. He's obviously had one or two physical issues this horse, connections have stated as much, but when he's right he can be deadly and I actually think there's a chance he might usurp Inisherin at the top of the betting market come the day.

Is there an outsider on the radar for Haydock’s big Group 1 event?

Ben Linfoot: Yes there are loads because of the nature of the race. There isn’t stacks of proven Group 1 form in this and while the Sheikh Obaid-owned pair rightly head the betting they’re not miles clear of their rivals on their best form by any means. The fly in the ointment is Bucanero Fuerte, as a literal reading of his four-length win over Porta Fortuna at two gives him an outstanding chance and you’ve just got to weigh up how much one run in the last 12 months will be a negative for him. Kind Of Blue is lightly-raced and improving for James Fanshawe and Shouldvebeenaring has the course form, so plenty to consider.

Tony McFadden: Unequal Love produced a smart performance when winning the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot on her penultimate outing and looks worth a crack at this sort of level in an open year. She was beaten in a Group 3 for fillies and mares at York last time but she arguably did well to prove so competitive in third given she was forced to make her challenge on the unfavoured near-side of the track and away from the bulk of the action. This is a step up in class but the form Unequal Love showed in the Wokingham allied with her sex allowance puts her in the mix and only 5 lb behind top-rated Inisherin on Timeform's figures, so 33/1 could be too big.

Matt Brocklebank: There are a few! Annaf has been nibbled in the betting since the start of the week and the latest quotes from Mick Appleby certainly wouldn't put you off him, while Bucanero Fuerte is another high-class performer who lacks a recent outing but deserves plenty of respect if fighting fit and ready. I was with Shouldvebeenaring at York the other week but came away from that kicking myself as it looked like a bit of a tee-up job for his main aim here as he seems to prefer racing at Haydock on the whole. So he's another contender at long odds, along with Unequal Love, Kind Of Blue and Flora Of Bermuda who I'm refusing to rule out too. It's a long shortlist at this stage.

Who should we be looking out for in the Betfair Exchange Old Borough Cup Handicap?

Ben Linfoot: This century eight Old Borough Cup winners were beaten at York last time out so that’s a good starting point. Six qualify this year including the top three in the market; Epic Poet, Divine Comedy and Oneforthegutter, while the other three are Knightswood, Euchen Glen and Law Of The Sea. Of the six perhaps Knightswood is the one to concentrate on back at 1m6f, although I do worry we might see a familiar bad luck in-running scenario with him from the one stall.

Tony McFadden: Dancing In Paris was taking advantage of a lower all-weather mark when successful in a Racing League Handicap at Southwell last week but he's still one to be interested in on turf. He's 7 lb higher than at Southwell, though only 2 lb higher than when a good third in the Shergar Cup at Ascot on his penultimate start. Both of those outings were over a mile and a half but Dancing In Paris stays further as he showed when winning over this kind of trip at Ascot in July. That form has worked out well with the second and third both winning next time, and Dancing In Paris is still relatively unexposed over staying trips.

Matt Brocklebank: Is this the day Epic Poet comes good? He's been a bit unlucky a few times this summer and ran another excellent race despite being hampered briefly in the Sky Bet Ebor last time. He's surely still on a fair mark (100) and looks dead obvious here but the market hasn't missed him by any means. Grand Alliance hasn't run for a year or more but looks an intriguing one under William Buick, while If Not Now is a horse I've backed in the past and could see him stepping up to the plate in a race of this nature before the year is out. He'd possibly want the ground on the softer side of good.

Is there another name to note either at Haydock or anywhere else in Britain this Saturday?

Ben Linfoot: Age Of Gold and Luther set the standard in the Listed Ascendant Stakes at Haydock but I’ll be keeping a keen eye on Hugo Palmer’s Hawksbill. The Kameko colt has improved with each start and he has an entry in the Royal Lodge, so we should get a good gauge as to how high he can rise now he faces opposition of this ilk. I think he could be quite nice.

Tony McFadden: Heathcliff looks to have plenty in his favour in the final of the London Sprint Series (16:20) at Kempton. Heathcliff is progressing well with experience, as is typical of horses from the James Fanshawe stable, and he's probably unlucky not to be unbeaten in handicaps as he was left with too much to do when third over this course and distance in July. He's won his other three starts in handicaps, though, including his last couple of outings in the style of one with more to offer. He represents a yard in form, is well drawn and should get a strong pace to chase, so he can take another step forward.

Matt Brocklebank: He's rapidly approaching something of a 'cliff horse' for me but look out for Badri in the five-furlong handicap at Ascot (5.05). He's now fully 10lb lower than when winning over this course and distance last October and his three recent runs since switching yards to Michael Herrington have been typically teasing and may just tempt me in once more with this capable (and slightly frustrating) sprinter.

Who wins this fascinating clash between Charyn and Notable Speech on ‘Souple’ ground at Longchamp on Sunday?

Ben Linfoot: A Sunday treat although not particularly one to strap the betting boots on for. That ‘Souple’ ground could be key and it’s probably why Charyn has emerged as the favourite between the two given Roger Varian’s stable star is well proven in soft conditions. He’s proven on his travels, as well, having won at Deauville and Chantilly amongst his trips across the Channel and those factors do probably swing things quite significantly in his favour; I’d have to agree with the current market here.

Tony McFadden: There's little to split Charyn and Notable Speech on Timeform ratings, though the latter needs to prove his effectiveness with cut in the ground so that perhaps tilts things in favour of his older rival. I'm not sure it gives Charyn as big an advantage as the market suggests, however.

Matt Brocklebank: I must admit, I thought the layers might fall for Notable Speech and have him favourite over Charyn which he isn't, so that's a little bit annoying as I'd be firmly with Roger Varian's grey on this one. The Sussex Stakes didn't take much winning given Maljoom was second and Henry Longfellow (reopposes this weekend) bombed out, whereas you can't argue one bit with Charyn's body of work this season. He can get down and dirty in soft ground too so I'd expect the older horse to take the world of beating.

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