Haydock Sprint Cup and Irish Champion Stakes in a brilliant week's racing We give an overview of this week's racing and look ahead to the Haydock Sprint Cup and Irish Champion Stakes, both of which are held on Saturday...
Sunday 28 August
The Group 3 Supreme Stakes run over seven furlongs at Goodwood is the highlight in Britain on Sunday, boasting a field of strong performers that includes Libranno, Doncaster Rover and The Cheka. That card will be accompanied by Flat Racing from both Beverley and Yarmouth on a relatively busy Sunday afternoon.
There are no fewer than four pattern races at the Curragh on Sunday, with the Group 1 Moyglare Stakes the feature on that card. Maybe and La Collina represent Ireland, whilst Mick Channon's Samitar will be the sole contender from Britain.
Three Group 3 contests also feature during the meeting and the pick of those is arguably the Flying Five Stakes with the likes of Sole Power, Amour Propre and Invincible Ash all currently entered. Action in Ireland is completed with a seven-race National Hunt card from Galway on what appears to be a very strong afternoon's racing.
Monday 29 August
There are ten meetings on an action-packed Bank Holiday Monday with eight meetings in Britain and two over in Ireland. The listed Two Year Old Trophy at Ripon is the highlight on the flat in Britain with action also coming from Chepstow, Epsom, Newcastle and Warwick. Over timber, there is racing from Bangor-On-Dee, Cartmel and Huntingdon with the Class 3 Burlington Stone Handicap Chase the pick of the day's Jump Racing.
The Irish racing for the day consists of a National Hunt meeting at Downpatrick and action on the level at Galway where the listed Oyster Stakes over twelve furlongs is the undisputed highlight with some relatively unexposed three-year-olds currently entered.
Tuesday 30 August
Flat racing takes the focus on Tuesday with afternoon meetings at Epsom, Goodwood and Ripon, whilst there are all-weather meetings from both Southwell and Wolverhampton during the evening.
Wednesday 31 August
There are three meetings on Wednesday afternoon with Flat Racing from both Bath and Folkestone. The solitary National Hunt card comes from Hereford during the afternoon whilst the evening racing consists of action on the level at Carlisle and an all-weather meeting from Wolverhampton.
Thursday 1 September
Redcar is the venue for Flat Racing on Thursday afternoon with Kempton hosting an additional evening meeting but the highlight of the afternoon is the Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes, a listed contest over six furlongs from Salisbury. The sole Jumps meeting of the day comes from Newton Abbot whilst over in Ireland there is a Flat meeting at Clonmel.
Friday 2 September
Flat Racing from Brighton, Chepstow and Haydock will feature on Friday afternoon with an evening meeting from Kempton also taking place on the level. The one and only Jumps meeting of the entire day comes from Ireland as Kilbeggan host a seven-race National Hunt card during the evening.
Saturday 3 September
The highlight of the entire week comes on Saturday afternoon at Haydock with the Group 1 Sprint Cup featuring on a card that otherwise includes two Group 3 contests. The Sprint Cup itself looks wide open as Dream Ahead currently vies for favouritism with Deacon Blues , whilst Society Rock and Bated Breath are also entered.
There is flat racing from Ascot, Thirsk, Musselburgh and Kempton to complete the afternoon racing whilst Wolverhampton hosts an evening meeting on the all-weather. The solitary Jumps meeting of the day comes in the afternoon at Stratford on a seven-race card.
Over in Ireland there is a twilight meeting at Leopardstown consisting of two further Group 1s with the Irish Champion Stakes the highlight of their card as So You Think attempts to take his seasonal total to four wins from five starts. The Group 1 Matron Stakes will also feature during the same meeting with Misty For Me currently heading the field whilst the ten furlongs Group 3 Kilternan Stakes will also be of interest.
