Nick Luck’s William Hill blog: Haydock Sprint Cup Day tips

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck previews Saturday’s ITV action from Haydock, Kempton and Ascot.

Saturday, Haydock

SUITE FRANCAISE can continue her sharp progression in the Superior Mile (1.15), the ITV curtain raiser at Haydock this weekend. She showed she had learned plenty from Sandown when racing professionally from the front here last month, coming away from the Sandringham winner with a smart closing split. She was never going to be beaten that day, possibly enjoying a bit of cut in the ground, and can build on that against stronger opponents.

BOW ECHO can win the battle of the exciting two-year-olds in the Ascendant (1.50). This is tough race to handicap, but the selection drew away from a subsequent good winner in such taking style at Newbury – and with such an impressive closing sectional – that it is reasonable to think he might have a bit more pace than Publish, and might be a bit readier to really show something like his full hand.

WAY OF STARS looks the overpriced one in the staying handicap (2.25). Only a tick behind favourite Valiancy here last time, there’s quite a strong case to be made that he should have gone close to winning, as he was the only one of the principals not to be held up and made a move into the race a bit soon. If running with that zest, but conserving his energy more effectively, he’ll be very close here.

DRAMATIC STAR might be a bit more than a second string to the Haggas bow in the Old Borough Cup (3.00). Favourite for the Melrose last year, he went badly off the boil, but the gelding operation seems to have done the trick, and there’s no doubt he should have won a competitive Shergar Cup heat last time. Stamina is in no doubt, and he has a very handy draw to make the most of it.

KIND OF BLUE looks very backable in the Sprint Cup (3.35). It’s taken him a while to find his feet this year, but there’s little doubt that he looked back on point in Ireland, when he had to be ridden against his natural game on a day when pace was impossible to defeat given a brutal tailwind. That was a pretty handy trial in the context of this, and if we’re taking it as evidence of his return to something like last season’s best, he’ll be a danger to all.

Saturday, Kempton

GIAVELLOTTO is worth a small play against Kalpana in the September Stakes at Kempton (1.35). The favourite was superb in this last year en route to Group One glory, and has improved again this year. That said, there is simply not enough on proven ability between the big two here to justify the price disparity. Oisin Murphy gets a particularly good tune out of Giavellotto and knows his main rival better than anyone, while the horse was good on a synthetic surface early in his career.

SKY SAFARI looks to have loads in his favour in the London Mile series final (2.05). Still progressive, fond of this track, well drawn and with a top rider booked, he remains capable of significantly more, particularly with his stable running into a nice bit of form.

Saturday, Ascot

LEADMAN is given another chance in the big handicap at Ascot (2.40). I liked him at York last time, but the way he ran in that race told me that I should like him a lot more back at seven furlongs, on a straight track, and somewhere he could get plenty of cover. All those boxes are now checked, and he should travel smartly into this.

TENABILITY surely has loads more to offer in the twelve-furlong race (3.15). He truthfully bolted up in a Shergar Cup race that has worked out really well, and was surely value for way more than his four-pound rise. He has a strong pedigree, and can continue on the up.