The exciting Inisherin will attempt to add another top flight success in Saturday’s Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock, which would give trainer Kevin Ryan a third win in the race.
First run in 1966, the six-furlong Haydock Sprint Cup has an illustrious roll of honour, including Ryan's previous winning duo, Hello Youmzain (2019) and Emaraaty Ana (2021). It is a race that has been kind to three-year-old contenders in the past, with half of the last ten renewals going to the younger generation.
Inisherin will be bidding to get his season back on track after suffering defeat at the hands of Mill Stream in the six furlong Group 1 July Cup, where he finished fifth. The son of Shamardal was a surprise winner of the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes on his first attempt over six furlongs and confirmed his new status as an exciting springer with victory in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
"Inisherin is in great form. All his fast work is finished now and he had his last gallop on Saturday," said trainer Kevin Ryan, speaking during a Jockey Club press conference.
"We've had an uninterrupted preparation and all his work has gone to plan when we wanted it to. He is very fresh and well. Knowing the horse, we haven't had a concern with him in any of his work and I'm confident we are in the right place.
The colt is a tactically versatile performer, which is expected to be an advantage in a large field of proven sprinters.
"He is not a complicated ride so I tell Tom just to concentrate on him and not worry about who is beside you," he added.
"There is a fair chance he'll put some of the pace to the race anyway. The good thing about him is that he can go on or take a lead.
"When he ran at Haydock in the Sandy Lane I was worried it might be a bit soft for him but he handled it really, really well and then obviously went and won on opposite ground at Royal Ascot. He handled it just the same and might be quite a unique sprinter in that he can handle fast ground and softer conditions too. I have no concerns about the ground at Haydock. It's a lovely track and this time of year it should be in top shape.
"He will stay further than six furlongs. He showed a lot of speed in the Guineas. Top-class milers and even top-class 10-furlong horses need that speed. I just felt this year while he is starting to strengthen and has that speed, why not try him sprinting? The Sandy Lane slotted in ideally for us and that set him up for Royal Ascot."
Whilst the colt was disappointing in the July Cup, it was still a commendable effort on his first run again his elders:
"The July Cup at Newmarket was a funny one really. Me knowing the horse as well as I do, I was a little bit concerned after a furlong – I felt he just wasn't striding out as well as he can do coming down the hill. The ground had dried out that day and was just a bit loose on top which some horses just can't get a handle on. Once he hit the rising ground, he did start to stay on but in those top-class sprints you just can't afford to lose ground.
"Before Newmarket, he had also been quite busy. He had gone from a maiden, then the Guineas and Royal Ascot which were championship races. He was in the Prix Maurice de Gheest, but I spoke with Sheikh Mohammed Obaid and we decided to miss it and freshen him up for the two big sprints at the end of the year – Haydock and Ascot.
"We just backed off him a bit and have facilities here like the water treadmill which he loves going on. It's just good to give him a change of scenery and keeping him at a certain level of fitness. You work backwards from the race and keep an eye on his weight. Obviously he is now approaching four and is getting stronger and gaining more muscle as the year goes on."
