Hawkeyethenoo: Sky Bet Dash winner had been as low as 6-1

  PICTURE: Martin Lynch  

Genki new Cup favourite as Hawkeye misses cut

LAST year's winner Genki, who has been drawn in stall 25, is the new favourite for Saturday's Bluesquare.com Stewards' Cup after Hawkeyethenoo, who headed the betting in the ante-post market, missed the cut for  Glorious Goodwood's big handicap.

The first three home last year - Genki, Evens And Odds and Knot In Wood - all reoppose, with Genki Paddy Power's 7-1 favourite.

The  past three winners have come from stalls 10, 14 and 11, with no horse drawn higher than 19 winning the race since Patavellian 2003.

Nevertheless, Channel 4 Racing's Mike Cattermole, who was drawing stalls on behalf of Genki's trainer Roger Charlton, selected a high draw (25) for thesix year-old.

Cattermole said: "The ground is said to be slightly quicker on the far side, but it may be chewed up by Saturday which could help those drawn low.

"As they say it's the luck of the draw, butI've spoken to Roger and he's happy," he added.

The Jim Goldie-trained  four-year-old Hawkeyethenoo, who was as low as 6-1 with the sponsors for the 6f contest, needed a few above him in the weights to come out and missed out as Singeur, drawn 21, claimed the final slot in the field on 8st 12lb.

Castles In TheAir (2), who won the International Stakes at Ascot, has come in for market support and is now 20-1 (from 25).

Trainer Richard Fahey said: "I didn't have much choice and had to go low, but it takes a bit of pressure off.We're happy enough because there is pace low."

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Enact (27), is prominent in the betting at 10-1, while Palace Moon (20), who has registered a string of impressive placed efforts in competitive handicaps, is second favourite at 8-1.

His trainer William Knight said: "Looking at the Turftrax readings the far side is slightly quicker and thats where we'll be, and there's a lot of pace and fancied horses around us so I'm happy."

Others leading fancies who did not make the cutinclude Victoire De Lyphar, who was as short as 11-1 after winning the £64,500 Reg Griffin Memorial at York.

Dever Dream, winner of four of his six career starts for trainer William Haggas and as short as 10-1 with Coral, also misses out.