Going quickens to good at Haydock with new straight course in use for Sprint Cup

Punters believe William Haggas could saddle his first Sprint Cup (3.35) winner this afternoon as Unequal Love has come in for support in the Haydock Group 1.

Inisherin still holds sway at the top of the market, although he has drifted out slightly from 4-1 to 9-2. Elite Status, who runs in the same Sheikh Mohammed Obaid silks, is much closer to him in the market now as a general 5-1 chance with July Cup runner-up Swingalong at 11-2.

Unequal Love has enjoyed an excellent season, beginning with a Listed victory at Newmarket in May before winning the Wokingham the following month.

Sandwiching those two efforts was a respectable fifth in Group company at the Curragh, while her latest effort saw her finish a running-on third at York after being squeezed out at the start.

Available at as big as 28-1 last night and generally 18-1, Unequal Love is now as short as 11-1 in places. The four-year-old is an intriguing contender given she has won six of her 11 starts and has yet to be tried at this level.

Watch: Robbie Wilders, Charlie Poste and David Jennings preview the weekend's racing on The Morning Post

She carries the well-known silks of Cheveley Park Stud, who owned part of the 2015 Sprint Cup winner Twilight Son. However, he did not run in their silks, nor did David Thompson's 1991 winner Polar Falcon, so Unequal Love would also give them a notable first if successful.

Haggas also runs Montassib, who has gone the other way in the betting at 20-1 (from 14s). Curiously, the Newmarket trainer's stable jockey Tom Marquand will not ride either runner and instead goes to Kempton to partner Hamish in the September Stakes (2.35).

Danny Tudhope gets the leg up on Unequal Love for the first time, while Cieren Fallon maintains his partnership with Montassib.

Some of the later morning money has been in favour of the Clive Cox-trained Jasour, who is 10-1 from 12-1. Cox, who is known for his prowess with sprinters, won the 2017 running with Harry Angel.
Published at 9.15am, updated at 11.15am

Handicap mover

The Goat has halved in price for the renowned team of Oisin Murphy and Andrew Balding in the £100,000 Old Borough Cup (2.25).

The historic race is one of the highlights on the undercard at Haydock and has seen a significant market move, with the four-year-old now an 8-1 shot from 16-1 last night.

The four-year-old has been running well all season, including when a staying-on third to La Yakel at Hamilton when last seen, and punters are clearly enthused by the prospect of him racing over this 1m6f trip again and the application of first-time cheekpieces.

Oisin Murphy and Tamfana win the Atalanta Stakes at Sandown

Oisin Murphy: in red-hot form at Sandown last weekendCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Murphy, who is leading the race to be champion jockey, is in fine form having enjoyed a treble at Sandown last weekend. His haul included the feature-race success of Tamfana.
Published at 10.30am

Haydock ground quickens

Conditions are quickening up on Sprint Cup day as the ground was changed to good on the straight course at 7am.

Yesterday's card was run on good to soft, but warm and dry conditions have prompted clerk of the course Daniel Cooper to alter the official description to good, good to soft in places. It is significantly faster in the straight, with a new course in operation for today's Group 1 event.

Sunny spells are forecast for this afternoon's action, with highs of 21C, and any meaningful rain is set to arrive after racing.

"We've gone to a new stands' side course today, the outer course," Cooper said. "The straight is certainly tighter and there's less moisture, so it's definitely quicker than the last two days.

"I've done the change on the straight course. There's no doubt the round has still got good to soft in it in places, a mile onwards to the bend is quicker, but it's 50-50 on the back straight."

Inisherin: 2-2 since returning to sprinting

Inisherin: favourite for the Sprint Cup at HaydockCredit: Edward Whitaker

Cooper also expressed his delight at the 16-strong field for the Sprint Cup.

He said: "I'm delighted. It's a huge race. Just looking through the form of where they've all been – it's incredible."

However, he would not be moved to nominate his idea of the winner.

"I'm not going to say!" he responded. "It's so open and I'm not sure you can completely be sure on your favourite. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy it with my radio in my hand ready to take it all in."

A bumper nine-race ITV Racing card on Saturday afternoon also features two races from Ascot, where the going has improved to soft, good to soft in places (from soft) after a dry night.
Published at 8.20am

Key non-runners

Haydock
1.50 Highland Bling
3.00 Designer
4.40 Titan Rock

Ascot
2.10 High Order, Galactic Charm
2.45 Shah
3.20 Lautrec, More Thunder
3.55 Buccabay, Rock Opera
4.30 Surveyor, Moon Spirit
5.05 Dream Composer, Good Earth, Existent, Miss Attitude, Cover Up