Support 'cooled' for Curragh newcomer after overnight gamble into 6-4 from 40-1

Interest in Sarlaochra, the unraced two-year-old who had been subject to a major gamble on Saturday morning, has reportedly "cooled" according to Paddy Power. He had been slashed into 6-4 from 40-1.

The Sioux Nation colt is now out to 15-2 with the firm having been of serious interest throughout the morning.

His trainer Pat Flynn has trained only two Flat winners this season and has not saddled a two-year-old winner in the last five years, yet he is all the rage with Kevin Manning set to ride.

The €55,000 purchase opened up at 40-1 for the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden (1.45) on Friday with Paddy Power and Betfair, and was as short as 6-4 on Saturday morning before again drifting.

Paul Binfield, spokesman for Paddy Power, said on Saturday morning: "We were 40-1 about Sarlaochra yesterday and he was well backed overnight at big prices, although it’s fair to say that the support has cooled a bit now.”

Other firms have also slashed his price but William Hill are still offering 9-1, despite trimming him from 20-1 on Saturday.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Pop Star is favourite with that firm for the six-furlong contest. Also sired by Sioux Nation, he is an unraced half-brother to the exciting Royal Aclaim who is fancied to extend his unbeaten run to four in the Group 1 Nunthorpe at York next week.

Saturday's major market moves come a day on from a huge gamble across four races at Tramore. Two legs won but not Twoplustwo Equals, who was slashed from 100-1 into 4-6, and So Scottish.

Flynn sends out four runners across Saturday's cards but other Curragh runner Accessory (5.15) and Tramore pair Rips Dream (6.30) and Walnut Beach (8.00) have not attracted significant interest.

Updated at 11am

Winner's enclosure out of action at Newbury due to heat

Television viewers and racegoers at Newbury will not see horses in the winner's enclosure as a precaution for the soaring temperatures, which could reach up to 32C.

Similar to Friday's fixture, the decision was made to prioritise immediately washing down and cooling horses following races. Not going into the winner's enclosure shortens the time runners are exposed to the sun and ITV has been "well briefed" on the change ahead of its coverage of five races from Newbury.

Clerk of the course Keith Ottesen explained: "It's going to be hot once again. There's been a couple of degrees knocked off the forecast and we had a nice breeze yesterday so it's very bearable. The horses are well acclimatised and there's lots of people here taking care of them and quickly.

Keith Ottesen: happy with conditions at Newbury on Saturday morningCredit: Edward Whitaker

"We didn't bring any horses back into the winner's enclosure yesterday and we'll do the same today. We want to concentrate our resources in the wash-down areas and it really shortens the amount of time the horses are exposed post racing. Every horse has its own team and then they're back to the stables which are much cooler.

"ITV is well briefed for those races and they'll be doing plenty of coverage and showing the horses being well looked after post-racing."

The ground at Newbury is currently good to firm and Ottesen added: "We put 5mm on the track after racing yesterday from five furlongs [out] of the straight course, around the bends and the pull-up areas.

"We'll leave it good to firm, the times weren't particularly quick yesterday being a second or two above standard. Considering the conditions my team have done a fantastic job and we've got lovely ground today."

The ground is good to firm, good in places at Ripon, where the William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap (2.50) takes centre stage. Blackrod tops the betting but there has been some support for Emperor Spirit who is 13-2 (from 8).

Updated at 11am

Pogo takes over as Hungerford Stakes favourite, Double Or Bubble out

Pogo has been shortened into 3-1 favourite for the BetVictor Hungerford Stakes (3.35), with Tiber Flow a notable drifter in Saturday's Group 2 feature at Newbury.

The new favourite arrives in excellent form, having won two races this season and running a close third in the Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last time. He is as short as 11-4 now, shortening from the 100-30 available following the notable withdrawal of Double Or Bubble.

Pogo: fancied in the Hungerford Stakes bettingCredit: Pool

The Chris Wall-trained mare was taken out due to swelling but was considered a live contender at odds of 11-2. She had won narrowly at the start of the season before running respectively at Group 1 level on her next two starts.

Documenting is another big mover on the card in the preceding 7f handicap. Jack Mitchell's mount is now 9-2 (from 6) to record a ninth win on his 40th racecourse appearance.

Updated at 11am

Non runners

Newbury
3.35: Double Or Bubble
4.10: Stonking

Ripon
2.50: Hyperfocus
4.33: Robin Goodfellow

Newmarket
2.45: Junaid
3.18: Mister Bluebird, Wentworth Falls

Saturday previews:

1.55 Newbury: 'I'll be disappointed if he doesn't win' - which trainer is ultra-confident?

2.30 Newbury: Zechariah takes on his seniors in trial for St Leger in staying feature

2.50 Ripon: Who has the luck of the draw this time in the Great St Wilfrid?

3.18 Newmarket: Who doesn't love a grey? Trainer quotes for the Grey Horse Handicap

3.35 Newbury: Richard Birch examines a Hungerford with more depth than the market suggests

4.05 Curragh: O'Brien warns Luxembourg will 'improve plenty' for comeback run after injury

4.40 Curragh: Irish St Leger and Melbourne Cup clues as Search For A Song and Raise You clash

Sign up to receive The Ante-Postman, Robbie Wilders' top weekly newsletter. Get weekend tips, festival fancies and big-race selections delivered straight to your inbox.