Hannon waits on Paco’s weekend plan

RICHARD Hannon will leave it late before making a final decision on where his classy performer Paco Boy will line up this weekend.

The dual Group One winner is engaged in Saturday’s Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock over six furlongs, as well as the one-mile Prix du Moulin at Longchamp.

Hannon does not believe either distance will trouble the five-year-old but he is waiting on a number of factors before committing his charge to either race.

“It will be one or the other and we will see what the ground and likely opposition is at both courses before making up our minds,” the trainer told his website www.richardhannonracing.tv.

“I would prefer to go to France unless the ground came up as soft as it was at Deauville, but the owners (Calvera Partnership) would rather have a crack at Haydock.

“People have made a lot of Paco Boy finishing only fourth in the July Cup the last time he tackled six furlongs, but he was all at sea in the dips at Newmarket and flew home when he met the rising ground.

“He’d be much better suited by Haydock and with 8mm of rain forecast up there for Friday and Saturday, the ground should be fine.”

One horse who is set to take his chance at Haydock is veteran sprinter Borderlescott.

Robin Bastiman’s eight-year-old was initially thought to have suffered a season-ending injury when landing the King George Stakes at Goodwood but he made a miraculous recovery to line up in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

The Wetherby handler was not 100% happy with his charge in the days following his sixth place finish on the Knavesmire, but recent homework has offered much more encouragement.

“He seems OK, we are just having a final blood test on him but he has been cantering and doing some half-speed work,” said Bastiman.

“It was just a bit of a muddling race at York. I dont think he would have won anyway but he didn’t get the best of runs.

“He has come out of it well though, the sun is still shining and he still seems well in himself, so if the blood reports are right then he will go to Haydock.

“This race will tell us if he is well enough to go for the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp (October 3), which will be his last run of the season.”

Equiano will try to banish his Nunthorpe nightmare after trailing home last at York.

The five-year-old had previously won the King’s Stand Stakes and finished second in the July Cup before putting up no sort of show on the Knavesmire.

Charlie Hills, son and assistant to trainer Barry, can offer no excuses for that lacklustre show but is expecting Equiano to bounce back at the weekend.

“He has come out of it OK. There are no explanations for York, but there were a lot of horses that didn’t run up to form in that race.”