Pirate to plunder Haydock prize
Sprint handicap king David Nicholls broke new ground when saddling the first two home in the Darley July Cup at Newmarket.
Now that same dynamic duo of Continent and Bahamian Pirate - both wearing the colours of the Lucayan Stud - are likely to lead a Nicholls assault on another Group One event the £200,000 (€315,000) Stanley Leisure Sprint Cup at Haydock next Saturday.
As a jockey Nicholls, who trains near Thirsk, finished second in both the July and Sprint Cups in 1983 on Soba, behind Habibti.
He has put one record straight and the other awaits next weekend.
Continent landed the spoils by half-a-length from his stable companion at the end of the six-furlong dash on the July course, but it would no big surprise if Bahamian Pirate were to come out on top at the Merseyside venue.
The more cut in the ground the better for Bahamian Pirate, who found the minimum trip on fast going all against him in the Victor Chandler Nunthorpe Stakes at York in which he was eighth to Kyllachy, but only beaten three and a quarter lengths.
Continent was just over two lengths in fourth place that day suffering a cut on his leg for his efforts but there is no argument that both horses are more effective over the extra furlong.
Nicholls must go into the Haydock race full of hope despite the likelihood of strong opposition. That will include last year’s runner-up Mount Abu.
He has only recently returned to training at John Gosden’s Manton stables after a nine-month break since competing in Hong Kong last winter.
Gosden said: "Mount Abu has served us well and it’s great to have him back at Manton.
"As Hong Kong took quite a bit out of him we decided to give him a long holiday and prepare for a campaign in the second half of the season. As we know, he’s proven on soft ground and performs particularly well when fresh."
Gosden could also be represented by Malhub, the half-length runner-up to Kyllachy at York. He won the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot but fast ground is a necessity and he will be lucky to get that.
A surprise possible runner is Nayyir. The four-year-old has gone from strength to strength this season, winning two Group Three contests before finishing third in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.
Gerard Butler’s gelding may run in the Sprint Cup before possibly taking on Rock Of Gibraltar in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Air Thule will try to emulate 2000 July Cup victor Agnes World by winning a British Group One sprint for Japan.
The five-year-old mare, trained by Hideyuki Mori, is currently being housed at Geoff Wragg’s Newmarket yard following her game three-quarters of a length second to the Gosden-trained May Ball in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville where she finished ahead of Nayyir.
But it has to be Bahamian Pirate who gets the vote.
There is a Group One feature in Ireland next Saturday as well in the shape of the €1.1m Ireland The Food Island Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
The Irish leg of the World Series Racing Championship features 15 acceptors from champion trainer Aidan O’Brien, who will be confirming his plans next week.
"It looks as though our horses are coming right and it looks more or less assured that one of the big three Hawk Wing, High Chaparral and Rock Of Gibraltar will run," O’Brien said.
Provided there is sufficient give in the ground, another leading Irish contender, Rebelline, from the Kevin Prendergast stable will also compete while his colleague Jim Bolger is considering supplementing his Irish Oaks winner Margarula next Tuesday.
The recent Juddmonte International Stakes winner Nayef maybe the standard bearer for the Maktoum family.
"Nayef was a little tired for a few days after York, but he is flying again now and the Leopardstown race is very much on the agenda though we will have to finalise plans with the owner (Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum) early next week," explained trainer Marcus Tregoning.
Godolphin’s racing manager Simon Crisford indicated that they are more likely to choose Grandera and Noverre ahead of Sakhee.
"It may be that Sakhee will be given a little more time, but the final decision will be down to Sheikh Hamdan. We still have Grandera and Noverre in the race and one or both will probably run," Crisford said.
A definite British-based challenger is Butler’s Common World, of which he remarked: “He has not been out since his run at the Curragh because of unsuitable ground and the cancellation of a meeting at Haydock.
"It has probably worked out in his favour because he is really in tremendous form and is a definite runner."
It is likely to be a mouth-watering contest but Hawk Wing can take the honours on his way to staking his claim to be champion three-year-old.
