Hot favourite Shaquille heads 17 final entries in the Sprint Cup at Haydock Park

Julie Camacho's sprint star Shaquille heads 17 entries for this Saturday's Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock Park. And trainer Henry Candy admits that his Run For Freedom, who takes on the hot favourite again, is unlikely to get the better of the 'exceptional' Shaquille.

Camacho's three-year-old – who is a best-priced 11-10 market leader with William Hill – is on course for a crack at Saturday's Group One feature on Merseyside with James Doyle back in the saddle. The Charm Spirit colt has won all four starts this season, going from a Newmarket handicap, taking the Listed Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury before then landing back-to-back Group One victories. Shaquille won the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot in June before beating his elders, including Candy's Run For Freedom – who finished second in the Pertemps Network July Cup at Newmarket.

Candy has won the Sprint Cup twice in the past with Markab in 2010 and also with Run For Freedom's half-brother Twilight Son in 2019. But he is realistic enough to know Run For Freedom, who is a best-priced 18-1 with William Hill, has it all to do to reverse form with the favourite and give him a third win in the Haydock Sprint Cup, which is part of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

He said: “I think this is a slightly stronger renewal and Run To Freedom can’t beat Shaquille, who is exceptional, but I’ll keep trying to win a Group 1 with him. He’s from that fantastic family of Godfrey Wilson’s, which has served us so well, and I’m desperate to win one in order to make him a stallion. I’m just a little bit worried about the drying ground, but we’ll give it a go and see how we get on. He’s won on good to firm, but he prefers a little cut and Ascot next month might suit him better.”

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