TESTING ground could be a major concern for several runners at Saturday’s big Betfred Sprint Cup card at Haydock Park.
With the ground changing to heavy, soft in places at Haydock following more rain on Merseyside yesterday several trainers may not declare their horses for Saturday’s feature races, the Betfred Sprint Cup and the betfred.com Old Borough Cup Stakes.
Onesuch is David Arbuthnot who had hoped to be double-handed with Tropical Strait and Desert Sea in the valuable Old Borough Cup at Haydock.
But the Berkshire trainer has decided not to run Desert Sea, as he doesn’t act on soft ground.
Arbuthnot said: “He must have good ground to be seen at his best.
“He’s only had it once this season and that was when he won easily at Sandown but there is no point running him on soft.”
Tropical Strait, though, will run and will look to build on his second to Godolphin’s All The Good in the rearranged Ebor, the Newburgh Handicap, at Newbury last time.
Arbuthnot added: “It’s quite frustrating that he has been put up in the handicap for getting beaten but that’s typical of the handicapper I’m afraid.
“There’s not much you can do about it though. I still think he has a fighting chance. He won’t mind the ground, he seems to have come out of the race terribly well, despite having two races in a week and he seems to be thriving on it. All I hope is that the handicapper is right and he is still improving.
“He’s very lightly-raced and there is no mileage on the clock so hopefully he will keep going.
“I’ll have to have a look and see if he jumps a hurdle after this, I haven’t schooled him yet but he could be fairly useful. The November Handicap is a possible target for him at the end of the season.”
Yesterday’s rain at Haydock means the going is now heavy, soft in places.
Despite 17 millimetres of rain on Tuesday and more yesterday, protective covers continue to protect the home straight as officials and staff work to give themselves the best chance of the prestigious meeting going ahead.
“The forecast is for further rain through to Saturday,” said clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright.
“The covers will remain in situ and we will keep the racing professionals and media updated at all times until Saturday.
“The team here are working extremely hard and looking forward to staging top-class racing action this weekend.”
TODAY’S NAP: Diktalina (3.45pm Salisbury).
