TRAINER Karl Burke and owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum appear to be in prime position in today’s Group 1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock.

The top three in the market are either trained by Karl Burke or owned by Sheikh Obaid, and one of them is trained by Karl Burke and owned by Sheikh Obaid.

Inisherin is owned by Sheikh Obaid and he is trained by Kevin Ryan, but that’s not why he is favourite.

His position in the market is more down to the fact that he is the Commonwealth Cup winner, a high-class sprinter after they gave him every chance to be a Guineas horse.

A three-year-old from whom there could be more to come, and perhaps bolstered by the fact that he won the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes on soft ground over today’s course and distance in May on his only run to date at Haydock.

But he was sent off as favourite for the July Cup last time, and he could finish only fifth. It may have been that Newmarket didn’t suit him, it may have been that the speed test that the July Cup presents, on the July Course, where it is often difficult to come from too far back, was more intense than ideal.

And he was staying on again close home. And maybe he raced on the wrong part of the track, close to the stands rail, from his low draw.

Maybe he will bounce back today.

That said, it doesn’t make sense that you can back Swingalong at around about twice Inisherin’s price.

Karl Burke’s filly ran a massive race in the July Cup when we had her on side. She looked a likely winner when she was still in front as they raced deep inside the final furlong, before she ultimately gave best to Mill Stream, going down by a neck in the end.

You could have backed her at 16 times Inisherin’s price in the July Cup, but even twice Inisherin’s price today, with that extra piece of evidence in the locker, looks big.

Ran a cracker

The Showcasing filly has run just once at Haydock, in this race last year, when she ran a cracker to finish fourth.

She can probably be marked up significantly on the bare form of that run too, because she raced more or less on her own for much of the race from her high draw in stall 18 towards the near side.

The winner Regional was drawn high too, but not quite as high, in stall 13 and, more importantly, he moved over towards the far side and finished off his race over there.

Clifford Lee has chosen to ride Elite Status instead, and you can understand why, he is a player, he is two for two this season and he could progress again.

However, the prospect of rain was probably factored into that decision, and not much has materialised, not yet anyway, and it may be that there is not much between the top two Karl Burke horses in the market. As well as that, William Buick is obviously a great booking.

Swingalong’s high draw may not be ideal, low numbers appeared to be favoured yesterday, but you know that William Buick will be aware of that possibility, and that he will have a plan.

She likes to go forward, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see her rider allowing her edge towards the far side from a prominent position early in the race.

Bucanero Fuerte comes into it. A Group 1 winner last year, he looked very good in winning the Group 3 Lacken Stakes on his debut this season, giving 3lb to Givemethebeatboys (also a player) and beating him by a head.

He hasn’t run since then, but Adrian Murray said at Galway that this race was the plan, he goes well fresh, and his low draw is probably a positive.

Ascot handicap

Conditions were testing at Ascot yesterday, and those conditions should suit Goodwood Odyssey, who has a big chance of winning the 12-furlong three-year-olds’ handicap there.

Third in a good 12-furlong handicap at Newmarket’s July meeting, when he was in front from a long way out and rallied after he had been headed, David Menuisier’s horse stepped forward last time at Goodwood in first-time blinkers, staying on strongly through the soft ground and winning well, leaving the impression that he had a little more in hand than the bare winning margin.

He is 5lb higher now, but a 5lb hike was fair. He won with a little bit in hand, and he continues to progress. He has raced just six times in his life, just five times on turf, and there could be more to come.

His highish draw is a positive over a mile and a half at Ascot, especially on soft ground, and his trainer has his horses in really good form. With the blinkers retained, the Ulysses colt could step forward again.

Recommended:

Swingalong 3.35 Haydock - 1pt win 7/1 (generally)

Goodwood Odyssey 2.10 Ascot - 1pt win 7/2 (generally)