IT’S a while since Be Friendly won Haydock’s Sprint Cup.

(Sir) Peter O’Sullevan’s horse isn’t the only two-year-old winner of the race, because The Blues won it in 1972, seven years and six renewals after Be Friendly had won the inaugural running, after the 1968 running had been lost in the fog.

But there hasn’t been another juvenile winner since, and there can’t be another one, not today, and not until they change the conditions to allow the whipper-snappers back in.

Be Friendly is the only dual winner of the race though, which is bizarre, because the Cyril Mitchell-trained horse won the first renewal and the second renewal. The second renewal is 55 years ago, and no horse has won it twice since.

Several have gone close, like Habibti, who was first and second, and Sheikh Albadou, who was second and first.

Gordon Lord Byron was second and first and second again, and The Tin Man was second and third and first and second, but Emaraaty Ana will bridge a 55-year gap to Be Friendly if last year’s winner follows up today.

He has a chance too, because he did well to get as close as he got in the Nunthorpe last time, racing in rear over a trip that is surely short of his best in a race in which the pace held up well.

It would be surprising if Kevin Ryan hasn’t had a repeat bid in the Betfair Sprint Cup at the top of his list of objectives for the Shamardal gelding this season and, at a track at which he is one for one, he could run a big race.

That said, he is short enough at no better than 7/1, perhaps because this race has been his intended target for a while, and because that was factored into the ante post market. At only a slightly shorter price, Naval Crown looks over-priced.

Second behind his stable companion Creative Force in the Jersey Stakes last year as a three-year-old, Charlie Appleby’s horse has improved this season for dropping down to six furlongs.

He was a game winner of the Platinum Jubilee at Royal Ascot in June at a big price, when he exacted his revenge on Creative Force, and he proved that there was no fluke about that when he ran another big race to finish second behind Alcohol Free in the July Cup.

You have to forgive him his latest run in the Prix Maurice de Gheest, but that was back over six and a half furlongs, when he was keener than ideal early on.

He did disappoint in the Prix Jean Prat last season on his only other run at Deauville, so perhaps the track just doesn’t play to his strengths. Also, he goes well on fast ground, but that big Jersey Stakes run last season was on soft ground, so he should be okay if the rains arrive.

Rohaan would appreciate any rain, as would Kinross, surely, who is a seven-furlong specialist and for whom it might all just happen a little quickly.

Art Power could run well now, dropping back down to six furlongs, while Castle Star is fascinating.

Fozzy Stack’s horse was a top class juvenile last season, and he goes into the race fresher than most at this stage of the season, having run just once thus far this term, in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh on Irish Oaks day, where he travelled really well for a long way before lack of a recent run probably took its toll.

He could run well at a big price, but Naval Crown is the bet.

Handicap selection

And Speycaster is the bet in the three-year-olds’ 14-furlong handicap earlier in the day. A winner over a mile on his final run as a juvenile last season, when he kept on well to beat this year’s Bahrain Trophy and Great Voltigeur winner Deauville Legend by a half a length, Ralph Beckett’s horse put up a career-best performance last time, over today’s course and distance, when he finished fourth behind Nathanael Greene in a valuable handicap in early July.

Stumble

He ran better than the bare form suggests too. He stumbled on leaving the stalls, which wasn’t ideal, it left him at the back of the field.

Still second last of the 14 runners as they rounded the home turn, he travelled well to the three-furlong pole, he made nice ground towards the near side.

He had to switch in order to secure a clear passage at the two-furlong marker, and he stayed on well from there to take fourth place.

That race is working out well since, with the runner-up Giavellotto winning impressively at Newmarket next time and now 12lb higher than he was then, and the fifth-placed Percy Jones winning at Brighton next time and now 4lb higher. It was a career-best performance by Speycaster, over today’s course and distance, over the longest trip over which he has ever raced.

He gets to race off the same mark today of 81 and he is progressive enough to go beyond that mark, with just six runs on his CV. Also, the first-time blinkers could elicit a little more improvement, and he won’t mind if the ground eases. There are plenty of positives.

Recommended

Speycaster, 1 point each-way, 2.20 Haydock, 8/1 (generally)

Naval Crown, 1 point win, 3.30 Haydock, 5/1 (Ladbrokes, Coral) or 9/2 (generally)