Overdose (pictured) won’t be in action this Saturday, but the six furlong Sprint Cup at Haydock Park still has a terrific line-up. A win for the antepost favourite, High Standing, would see comeback jockey Kieren Fallon steal the headlines in the Sunday papers.

The Group One race isn’t open to juveniles, and was won by the French trained African Rose last year at 7/2. In the last thirty years only one six year old has won, Nuclear Debate, so it’s hardly surprising to see huge odds alongside the elder horses on your antepost list. Judd Street, Al Qasi, Asset and War Artist will attempt to defy lofty odds.

The most successful trainer in this race, John Dunlop, doesn’t hold any entries this year. The going is forecast to be good to firm.

Will it be a fairytale comeback for Fallon? Does the form of the Betfair Cup (Goodwood) hold the key to finding the winner here? Let’s cast our eye over the fancied runners.

4/1 High Standing

Won the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot and hasn’t been beaten all year. William Haggas was forced to retire the previous favourite, King’s Apostle, but still has a great chance at landing the spoils with High Standing. If Kieren Fallon does indeed take the ride, you could see this one being sent off as short as 15/8. For that reason it looks a great back-to-lay prospect.

A Fallon Group One winner would be fantastic news for racing, so we can let this win at any price. His last ride in a Group One was when he won the 2007 Arc on Dylan Thomas.

9/2 Fleeting Spirit

Beat off the game Borderlescott in the Temple Stakes here last year, breaking the track record in the process. She missed the Nunthorpe due to a set back, but has been working well on the gallops lately. If she can reproduce the form of her July Cup win, she must have a big chance.

6/1 Finjaan

Weakened in the 2000 Guineas, so dropped in trip since. Well backed in the Betfair Cup over seven furlongs and has an outstanding chance again here. The three year old has run only seven times, and keeps on improving. Balthazaar’s Gift has won since then and Finjaan will also be receiving 2lbs from his rivals. 

Difficult to find any negatives, and with the Tregoning stable in good health, he looks a good bet to me at 6/1 with Bet365 and Blue Square.

8/1 Main Aim

One of the so-called ‘bankers’ at Glorious Goodwood, Main Aim finished last in the Betfair Cup at 6/5. He banged his head on the stalls that day, but the subsequent break should do him good. That said, he still has to reverse July Cup form with Fleeting Spirit, but at least the price is right.

12/1 Corrybrough

Only fifth on his seasonal debut at Lingfield this month, but has been backed from 20s for this race which is a good sign. He was fourth last year, only beaten by about a length. Illness and injury has kept him off the racecourse for a year, but the signs are that he has come on for his outing on the sand.

Trainer Henry Candy also saddled the winner of the Great St Wilfrid in the shape of Markab.

Can make the frame.

16/1 J J The Jet Plane

Moved to Richard Hannon‘s yard for ‘personal reasons’, meaning we won’t be seeing Kevin Shea in the saddle again. Poor in the Betfair Cup, but that was over seven furlongs. ‘J J’ has a touch of class about him, but he may be another star suffering from the dreaded ‘Dubai Bounce’.

20/1 Regal Parade

Stayed on strongly in the Hungerford to finish second, and won the Ayr Gold Cup last year for Dandy Nicholls. You have to keep on the right side of this trainer in the big sprint races, but Regal Parade isn’t classy enough to land this.

20/1 Triple Aspect

This £43,000 purchase was second in the Coral Charge, from a plum draw. Owner Harry Findlay probably has his big bucks down on High Standing.

25/1 Art Connoisseur

Provided Hayley Turner with her first ride in a Group One, and beat some decent horses in the Golden Jubilee at 20/1. That form isn’t brilliant considering it was the richest race at Royal Ascot this year, and the colt had everything in the race to his favour. Yes the price looks gigantic this time out, but it would surprise me if he made the frame.

25/1 Heart Shaped

Fourth in the 1000 Guineas, but this filly by Storm Cat hasn’t done much since to suggest she can be competitive here.

Betting Advice:

The bookies are only paying three places in the Sprint Cup, so why not dutch both FINJAAN (6/1) and CORRYBROUGH (12/1).

Odds correct as of 31 August

bookies.com is your best bet for comparing antepost horse racing odds:

Betfred Sprint Cup Betting

Ladbrokes St Leger Betting

Arc De Triomphe Betting

This Sunday’s 1000 Guineas at Newmarket has had a hot favourite in the shape of Rainbow View for some time now. Fantasia is also in the same ownership. but heads for the Longchamp equivalent.

I’m inclined to oppose these short-priced favourites in big fields, but Rainbow View has everything going for her and should win this easily.

Bookies Blog is not here to tell you to back a favourite, we want to find tasty outsiders, like our recent 16/1 winner Hennessy.

Some punters will think that she is still value at odds-on, but she won’t be sent off as short as Crucifix in 1841 at 1/10!

The Irish have a strong hand, and Sky Bet go 7/2 about an Irish trained winner.

5/4 Rainbow View

Favourites have won the last two runnings of the 1000 Guineas: 11/4 Natagora in 2008 and 5/4 Finsceal Beo in 2007. The John Gosden yard have hit the ground running this year, with big prizes going to Expresso Star, Debussy and Mafaaz.

As for Rainbow View herself, she is unbeaten in four starts. She beat Fantasia by two and a half lengths at Ascot, who was an impressive winner of the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes this month.

The only concern for the Dynaformer filly is that she likes to be held up. She has the class to scythe the field down.

Skybet go 5/1 that she wins by five lengths or more, which is an insult to the opposition.

5/1 Serious Attitude

As much as I rave on about Richard Hills and Kevin Manning, Pat Smullen is still my favourite flat jockey.

Serious Attitude was wintered well and Rae Guest thinks that she’ll get the mile. She was snapped up for just 7,500 guineas but has already earned £158,000 in prize money.

5/1 is a very tempting price – Natagora also won the Cheveley Park Stakes before taking the 1000 Guineas.

12/1 Cuis Ghaire

Jim Bolger won this with Finsceal Beo in 2007, and the betting suggest that Derby-winning jockey Kevin Manning will be on Cuis Ghaire on Sunday. The stable had a fantastic 2008 with Lush Lashes and New Approach.

Cuis Ghaire didn’t impress me when winning the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot last year, but that was over six furlongs. She can be excused her two subsequent defeats, and is taken to serve it up to the hot favourite.

16/1 Lahaleeb

The Mick Channon filly won the Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury, and will be ridden by Darryll Holland again on Sunday. She is tough, but isn’t the biggest filly in the field. Will like the extra furlong, but hard to see her reversing the Doncaster form with Rainbow View. Very slim place chance at best.

20/1 Ghanaati

Very well bred out of Giant’s Causeway, but she played up before hacking up in her Kempton maiden. Barry Hills has been in stunning form this year but punters should wait to see what the market thinks. Has been backed at 300/1 on Betfair.

20/1 Shimah

Will like the ground but was beaten fair and square by Again last year. Kevin Prendergast thinks that she has trained on and is a leading contender.

25/1 Heart Shaped

Aidan O’Brien only has Heart Shaped in the field, who missed out on Breeders’ Cup glory by a nose. She was beaten by Maoineach on her reappearance over seven furlongs, but should do better over a mile. The stable has had a quiet start to the year, which is a concern for backers.

25/1 Nashmiah

Some pundits believe that Nashmiah prefers the polytrack. Jamie Spencer reports her to be in ‘great form’ but despite winning the Spring Cup at Lingfield, I can’t see her beating Rainbow View.

25/1 Again

Disappointed in the Prix Marcel Boussac (14th) but has a Group One to her name. More of an Oaks type and can be backed at 16/1.

25/1 Sariska

An eye-catching fourth in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes, she wants further. Probably lines up in the Musidora next. 16/1 for The Oaks.

33/1 Super Sleuth

Likes soft ground and still a maiden.

50/1 Devotee

Frankie Dettori rides Devotee for Godolphin, who have only had one winner in the UK this year. Turned over at 1/3 in the UAE Guineas and is a quirky sort. 50/1 is a very reasonable price though.

50/1 Maoineach

Beaten favourite (9/4) in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes. Stable is hotter on Cuis Ghaire.

50/1 Damaniyat Girl

Beaten seven lengths by Fantasia last time out and hard to see her making the frame.

66/1 Pursuit Of Glory

Should make a good three year old, and the manner in which she stayed on behind Serious Attitude in the Cheveley Park makes her an interesting prospect over the mile. Should be a shorter price and was hampered in the Breeders’ Cup.

Recommendation:

1pt win @ 5/1 Serious Attitude (Ladbrokes, Boyles, Sporting Bet)

1pt win @ 12/1 Cuis Ghaire (Corals)

Prices correct as of 28 April 2009.

bookies.com is the best place to compare antepost horse racing odds:

Stan James 1000 Guineas Betting

Epsom Oaks Betting

Stan James 2000 Guineas Betting

Epsom Derby Betting

Kentucky Derby Betting