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Confirmed runners and riders for Saturday's Sprint Cup at Haydock

Starman (centre) and Glen Shiel (dark blue cap) are set to do battle again in the Sprint Cup
Starman (centre) and Glen Shiel (dark blue cap) are set to do battle again in the Sprint CupCredit: Mark Cranham

Irish sprinter Gustavus Weston will not get the chance to take on Starman in the Betfair Sprint Cup on Saturday after he did not feature among the final field of 11 for the Haydock Group 1.

The Joe Murphy-trained five-year-old has been in fine form this season, winning the Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh earlier in the campaign before warming up for a potential tilt at the Sprint Cup with success in the Phoenix Sprint at the same track last month.

However, Murphy had indicated his stable star would need a sufficient amount of rain to fall if he was to take his chance and with ground at the track described as good to firm and a dry forecast expected, the trainer has scratched him from the field.


Betfair Sprint Cup card and betting


Veteran sprinter Brando and the Charlie Fellowes-trained Vadream have also not been declared.

July Cup hero Starman will bid to emulate the likes of Dream Ahead and Harry Angel in winning the Newmarket and Haydock showpieces in the same season and will be ridden by Tom Marquand, with the pair having finished third on their previous outing in the Prix Maurice de Gheest.

Starman: fourth individual Group 1 winner for Cheveley Park's Dutch Art
Starman: July Cup winner remains on course for more sprint glory at HaydockCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Art Power and Creative Force took minor honours behind Starman in the July Cup and are set to oppose him again, while last year's British Champions Sprint hero Glen Shiel bids to go one better at the Merseyside venue this year, having finished second behind Dream Of Dreams in 2020.

Frankie Dettori will partner Nando Parrado for the first time and is one of two in the contest for trainer Clive Cox, who will also be represented by last year's Middle Park Stakes winner Supremacy, while Nunthorpe Stakes second Emaraaty Ana and recent Group 3 winners Happy Romance and Garrus will also take their chances.

Betfair Sprint Cup runners and riders

Art Power Silvestre De Sousa
Emaraaty Ana Andrea Atzeni
Garrus Richard Kingscote
Glen Shiel Hollie Doyle
Starman Tom Marquand
Summerghand Daniel Tudhope
Creative Force William Buick
Nando Parrado Frankie Dettori
Supremacy Adam Kirby
Chil Chil David Probert
Happy Romance Sean Levey


Betfair Sprint Cup

Betfair: Evens Starman, 5 Creative Force, 13-2 Art Power 8 Glen Shiel, 14 Summerghand, Supremacy, 16 Happy Romance, 22 bar


Read more on the weekend action

'We thought we'd lose a fortune' - Happy owners eyeing Sprint Cup success

Dry forecast raises Supremacy Sprint Cup hopes after super Saturday for stable

'She's in incredibly good form' - Lantern's green light for Moulin blockbuster

Ed Walker: Really excited about perfect chance for Starman to land 'awesome' Sprint win (Members' Club)


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Matt RennieReporter

Published on 2 September 2021inNews

Last updated 13:32, 2 September 2021

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