Last year's winner Regional misses Sprint Cup but Andrew Balding supplements new challenger for Haydock Group 1

Last year's Betfair Sprint Cup hero Regional has run his last race this season and will not defend his crown at Haydock on Saturday, but a new contender has emerged after Andrew Balding supplemented Prix Maurice de Gheest fourth Flora Of Bermuda.

The star of Ed Bethell's yard in Middleham, Regional missed the Nunthorpe at York due to a bad scope and has failed to recover in time to take his chance in the Group 1 sprint over six furlongs.

"He won't be running on Saturday and is finished for the season," said Bethell. "It's respiratory and not a big problem, it's just that I didn't have enough time on vet's advice to get him back for this particular race."

Regional, who cost 3,500gns from the horses in training sale in 2021 and has earned nearly £600,000 in prize-money, also holds an entry in the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday week but Bethell is happy to wait for next season with the six-year-old gelding.

"He's a fast ground horse and, while we could rush him to get him ready for that, if it comes up soft ground in Ireland, which happens regularly, it seems pretty stupid," he added. "The horse owes us nothing and we're going to come back a healthy horse next year. He deserves a good break and we'll go from there."

Flora Of Bermuda gets her nose in front at York in JulyCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Three-year-old filly Flora Of Bermuda won a Group 3 at York in July and handled the step up to Group 1 company creditably when finishing best of the British and Irish challengers, which included July Cup winner Mill Stream, in the Maurice de Gheest.

Inisherin heads the sponsor's Sprint Cup market at 4-1 following Monday's confirmation stage. The Group 1 Commonwealth Cup scorer finished fifth in the July Cup on his latest start but trainer Kevin Ryan is confident Haydock will play more to his strengths than Newmarket's July course.

Elite Status, who like Inisherin is owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, is second favourite at 6-1, while his Karl Burke-trained stablemate and dual Group 1 runner-up Swingalong is next best at 8-1.

Bradsell and Believing, first and second in the Nunthorpe at York, were the most notable absentees and Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes winner Khaadem also misses Saturday's race.

Betfair Sprint Cup (3.35 Haydock, Saturday)

Paddy Power: 4 Inisherin, 6 Elite Status, 8 Jasour, Swingalong, 10 Kinross, Lake Forest, Montassib, 12 Givemethebeatboys, Shouldvebeenaring, 14 Bucanero Fuerte, Kind Of Blue, 16 Annaf, Shartash, 20 Art Power, Spycatcher, 25 Flora Of Bermuda, Moss Tucker, 33 Unequal Love, 50 Frost At Dawn, Twilight Calls, Vadream, 66 Azure Blue

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