‘Sovereigns’ In Doubt for Haydock

[Wandering Eyes]

Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (No Nay Never) could sidestep Saturday’s G1 Sprint Cup at Haydock on account of the rain-softened ground.

After being a beaten favourite in both the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, Aidan O’Brien’s colt belatedly delivered on his juvenile promise with a dominant display in the G1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket on his penultimate start.

The bay could finish only sixth when a hot favourite to follow up in the G1 Nunthorpe S. at York last month, but looked set to return to six furlongs in this weekend’s Group 1 feature on Merseyside.

However, speaking at a press event at his yard on Wednesday morning, O’Brien said: “I would say we wouldn’t run on soft ground. There is rain forecast and that is not good.

“He is a real fast-ground daisy cutter. If he doesn’t run, Fairyland (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) might run instead. That’s what we are thinking at the moment.”

Reflecting on his below-par performance behind the brilliant Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the Nunthorpe, the trainer added: “He was in the stalls a long time, it was very warm and Ryan [Moore] said he felt lethargic when the stalls opened. If you are lethargic when you are running against Battaash you suffer.

“It just happened so quick. He didn’t hardly blow after the race. Five furlongs, as you know, is an art. You can have all the pace and ability in the world but it is an art of hitting those gates and you have to have quick feet.”

O’Brien went on to reveal Ten Sovereigns could bring down the curtain on his racing career in Australia later in the year.

“The Everest is in Sydney and I think two-thirds of the time the ground has been soft there. If it is soft he won’t run there, but he could go down to Melbourne, where he might get better ground,” said the Ballydoyle handler.

“There are a couple of sprints down in Melbourne. I wouldn’t think he will stay in training next year.”

Meanwhile, Haydock have announced Betfair will sponsor the race this weekend, in a deal initially for one year, with the option to extend.

 

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