Dream Of Dreams slashed for Sprint Cup glory with rain on the horizon

Dream Of Dreams was on Tuesday at the centre of a sizeable gamble for Saturday's Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock, and connections have issued a positive bulletin regarding the Royal Ascot runner-up whose chances have been helped by forecast rain.

The five-year-old, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, is something of a forgotten horse on the sprinting scene after his flop in the July Cup but his previous second to Blue Point in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee stands up to close inspection.

Dream Of Dreams, who was generally cut to 8-1 (from 12) for Haydock, has had a two-month break since his Newmarket disappointment and heads to Merseyside a fresher horse than most.

Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail, said: "Sir Michael thinks Dream Of Dreams is better on soft ground so the forecast looks in his favour for the weekend. He didn't show up in the July Cup but it was very firm that day and he's perhaps not suited by that track. He goes there in very good shape and if he runs up to the form of his Royal Ascot second he must be bang there."

Raymond, in his role as Rabbah Bloodstock racing manager together with Philip Robinson, has additional interest in the Sprint Cup with Hello Youmzain, owned by Jaber Abdullah, and the James Tate-trained Invincible Army, who is owned by Saeed Manana.

Raymond added: "We could have three good chances in the race as we know Hello Youmzain likes the track as he beat Calyx in the Listed Sandy Lane there in May. He is another who will enjoy the ground, as will Invincible Army who has been freshened up since his last run."

Hello Youmzain is around 10-1, while Invincible Army is available at 14-1.

Haydock clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright said on Tuesday: "We're good to soft at the moment and looking at the forecast I would say we may go soft but no slower than that. We have a few showers around in the next few days but have something more substantial on the radar for Friday. After that, Saturday itself looks dry."

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