Trainer Clive Cox on weather watch for Harry Angel ahead of Saturday’s 32Red Sprint Cup at Haydock racecourse
Cox will be keeping a close eye on the weather and has warned that if the ground turns heavy then his brilliant July Cup winner may not take his chance at Haydock
CLIVE COX is slightly concerned about the weather as he prepares Harry Angel for the 32Red Sprint Cup on Saturday.
With more rain set to hit Haydock, Cox will be keeping a close eye on the ground.
Cox told Press Association Sport: "We are obviously very much watching the situation. We are hoping and praying it will be fine.
"I'm pleased (jockey) Adam Kirby has rides in the previous races as he can get a feel for the ground.
"We are very much keen to run, but if it were to turn heavy, that might raise a question.
"The horse is in excellent form, though, and we will see what happens with the weather."
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Should Harry Angel take his place in the line-up, he will be bidding for a Group 1 double, having landed the July Cup at Newmarket.
Cox said: "We were all very excited going into the July Cup and I think Adam's visible delight when he crossed the line was clear to all.
"It was not a shock to us and we hoped we could beat Caravaggio. His performance there proved that he is top flight.
"The track holds no fears as he showed when breaking the track record (in the Sandy Lane Stakes in May), which we are very proud of."
Brando ran well in third place behind Harry Angel in the July Cup and has since gone on to register his own Group 1 victory in the Prix Maurice de Gheest.
Trained by Kevin Ryan, the five-year-old is owned by Peter Tingey, who feels Brando could have finished closer at Newmarket had things worked out differently.
"Brando apparently ran the last three furlongs of the July Course in the fastest time since records began," said Tingey, ahead of the latest leg in sprint division of the Qipco British Champions Series.
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- 1.50 Haydock - Dee Ex Bee: 'Drops in class and can bounce back'
- 2.05 Kempton - Midterm: 'Tons of ability and showed that last time'
- 2.25 Haydock - Tasleet: 'Conditions are right up his street and you can forget his last run'
- 2.45 Ascot - Birchwood: 'Back to his best at Goodwood last time and had strong claims'
- 3.00 Haydock - Holmeswood: 'Plenty of speed and goes on any ground'
- 3.15 Kempton - Commodity: 'Proven over this course and distance already'
- 3.35 Haydock - Ballet Concerto: 'This is his best trip and he has a huge chance'
- 3.55 Ascot - Cape Coast: 'On the up and this trip is ideal'
- 4.10 Haydock - Ravenous: 'Knocking on the door and put in a top effort last time'
"Tom (Eaves) did right thing in following Caravaggio, who was red-hot going into the race, but in hindsight if we'd been following something else we might have got closer to Harry Angel.
"It's not going to be easy and Harry Angel is the one to beat, but I think they will be as worried about Brando as we are are about Harry Angel."
The Tin Man found only Quiet Reflection too good 12 months ago before winning the Champions Sprint at Ascot.
He struck gold at the Royal meeting this year in the Diamond Jubilee, but was disappointing in the July Cup.
Trainer James Fanshawe said: "I don't think he wants extremes of going, but he is in good form.
"I don't want to make excuses for his last run when obviously he didn't run so well. We just want to get him back on track."