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Prosser to review Silver Bunbury Cup after just seven are declared

1.50 Newmarket
bet365 Handicap (Silver Bunbury Cup) | 3yo+ | 7f | RUK/ITV3

The future of the bet365 Silver Bunbury Cup will be reviewed after just seven runners were declared instead of an expected near maximum of 20.

However, Newmarket clerk of the course sees it as nothing more than a 'blip' following the prolonged heatwave.

Last year's third running of the consolation race for the traditionally oversubscribed Bunbury Cup attracted 18 runners, and the two before it 10 and 16, so the paltry turn out for this year's event, which carries £50,000 prize-money, has come as a surprise.

Prosser, who points out that by contrast Saturday's Bunbury Cup is "very deep", said: "We're disappointed, but we see it as an absolute blip.

"We'll clearly have to review things after the meeting, but history tells us that the Silver Bunbury Cup works well.

"We did have a similar situation a couple of years ago with the Silver Cambridgeshire following a dry late summer and early autumn, and I think it's because of the longevity of the dry period and the volume of racing."

Explaining the declaration process, he said: "If trainers declare for the Bunbury Cup they have the opportunity to tick a box which says they want to run in the Silver Cup if they don't make the cut. That's part of the declaration mechanism.

"We called around all the trainers who would potentially have the opportunity to run, and we contacted them again this morning when it became clear we might have a small field.

"They declined to run and we've ended up with seven, even though there were more than enough horses left in at the confirmation stage for us to expect two full races."

Of the runners, Stuart Williams saddles Swift Approval, who won the race in 2016 and was fourth last year, both times running off a mark 3lb higher than he does this time around.

He said: "He's in good form and I'm very happy with him. My horses are running well and we have a top jockey booked on a track he likes, so I'm very hopeful."

Richard Fahey runs two of five runners from the stable who would have been eligible.

He said: "We've been a bit disappointed with Zap recently but hopefully the blinkers will make a difference for him and the ground should suit.

"Gallipoli has been running really well lately and he just needs everything to drop into place with him because he's doing nothing wrong."


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Graham DenchReporter

Published on 12 July 2018inPreviews

Last updated 16:29, 12 July 2018

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