Some of the fastest racehorses in Europe will be making their way to the North West for the 2011 running of the Betfred Sprint Cup on Saturday 3 September.
The race, which is the highlight of the two-day Betfred Sprint Cup Festival starting on Friday 2 September, is among those in the inaugural QIPCO British Champions Series which concludes with Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse in October.
The total prize fund during the Betfred Sprint Cup Festival is well over £400,000.
Dickon White, the managing director of Haydock Park, said: "The Betfred Sprint Cup Day, which is now part of a two-day festival, is a hugely popular occasion with racing fans, attracts a big crowd, and is the highlight of our Flat racing season."
The opening day of the festival - Friday 2 September - is Betfred Big Society Day, in conjunction with local charity Bolton Lads & Girls Club. The first race on Friday is at 2.10pm.
A maximum of 17 horses will take part in the six-furlong feature race on Saturday.
Sponsor Betfred makes Royal Ascot winner Deacon Blues and Darley July Cup hero Dream Ahead their joint 7-2 ante-post favourites, while Bated Breath - already a winner twice at Haydock Park - is rated a 7-1 chance.
Champion jockey Paul Hanagan, who hails from nearby Warrington, could be on board Wootton Bassett (16-1), a horse that is starting to get back to his best form of 2010.
The entire racecard at Haydock Park on Saturday 3 September is very classy, including the Betfred Bundles Old Borough Cup, the Betfred 'Goals Galore' Superior Mile and the Betfred 'The Bonus King' Be Friendly Handicap, which commemorates the horse that won the first two runnings of the Sprint Cup in 1966 and 1967.
Be Friendly - owned by the former BBC 'Voice of Racing' Sir Peter O'Sullevan - remains the only horse to have won the race twice, and a life-size bronze of him now stands resplendent in the paddock at Haydock Park.
The first race on Saturday is at 2pm. Gates open at 12 noon. There is a free shuttle bus service from Newton-le-Willows train station to Haydock Park from two hours prior to the first race, with returns after racing.
*The next racing at Haydock Park is the Betfred Sprint Cup Festival on Friday 2 and Saturday 3 September. Friday is Betfred Big Society Day, in conjunction with local charity Bolton Lads & Girls Club. Admission: Friday - £12 Newton/Tattersalls, £24 County, £36 Premier; Saturday - £12 Newton, £22 Tattersalls, £35 County, £48 Premier. Accompanied children under 18 enter free. Senior citizens and students, with appropriate identification, enter Tattersalls at half price. More at haydock-park.co.uk.
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For further information, please contact:
Dickon White, managing director, at Haydock Park Racecourse, on 01942 725963
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