Johnny Murtagh has won Group 1 races on both Sole Power and Gordon Lord Byron, and he gives a slight preference to Eddie Lynam’s charge in today’s Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock.

Speaking yesterday evening, and expecting the ground to be on the fast side today, Murtagh said: “When I won the race last year on ‘Gordon’ the ground was on the slow side and he came home really strongly. He’s tough, genuine and comes good at this time of the year. He would have a good chance but I always thought he liked a little cut in the ground.”

Of Sole Power, on whom Murtagh won three races, he said: “He is in the form of his life and Richard Hughes gets on great with him. Six furlongs is a question mark but the horse is settling much better and they have a perfect draw in the middle of the field. It’s going to be a close call but, on firm ground, my slight preference would be for Sole Power.”

Eddie Lynam, told the Press Association: “The ground seems okay. He’s drawn in the middle (nine) which doesn’t seem a bad draw and he’s in good form. We’re hopeful of the best.

“He needs to settle and you wouldn’t need to be too bright to realise he’s probably better over five, but I believe he’ll get six and we’re going to let him take his chance as he seems in very good form.”

With Sole Power and Slade Power, Lynam has won all five Group 1 sprints run in Britain this season. “This is the last Group 1 sprint over in England, so we’re having a shot at it.”

Gordon Lord Byron bids to become only the second horse since Be Friendly, who won the first two runnings of this race in 1966 and 1967, to claim the title twice.

His trainer Tom Hogan reports the globe-trotting six-year-old to be 100% again after being under-par in the summer.

“He suffered a bit of a back injury at Royal Ascot which he had to be medicated for and he also had some issues with his feet but they are all sorted now,” he said.

“He is ready for a winter campaign in some far-flung places and Saturday is his first task. He has loads of international invites but we will take a decision about where he goes after Saturday - he should just be reaching his peak now at the age of six.

“In terms of the ground, the only thing he can’t manage is heavy.

“He floats on fast ground and he ran one of the best races of his life on firm when he was second in this race two years ago in an extremely fast time, despite being drawn on the wrong side where there was no pace.

“He has also twice run well in Hong Kong on very fast ground, which he loved, so firm ground is not an issue.”

Hogan will be a guest on Channel 4’s Morning Line today, along with Gordon Lord Byron’s groom Kate O’Brien.

CARD: B28