The Stewards’ Cup had its inaugural running in 1840 over a sprint distance of six furlongs. The contest has now become the feature race on the concluding Saturday of the Glorious Goodwood Festival and always attracts a large and competitive field.

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Let’s take a look at all the trends and statistics based on the last ten runnings of the race.

Age (win-place-runners)

3-y-o: 2-1-17

4-y-o: 4-7-76

5-y-o: 2-9-69

6-y-o: 2-7-54

7-y-o+: 0-4-50

Horses aged either three or four have the best combined record winning a total of five times in the last six years. Eight of the twenty-eight entries fit this age criteria in 2017.

Horses aged over six years have a bad record in recent times. This statistic bodes badly for seven of the total entries.

Three-year-olds had a bad record in this race until the last couple of years when they have won on both occasions. Just two three-year-olds are in the line up this year if you fancy that trend to continue?

Weights

Six out of ten winners carried 9st 1lb or more.

Three out of the last four winners have been between the 8st 11lb and 8st 12lb mark.

9st 1lb runners or more account for twenty entries in the field, whilst 9st or less runners account for just eight entries.

Horse ratings

OR 99+: 4-13-133

OR 91-98: 6-16-121

OR 90-: 0-1-7

Ten out of the last ten winners had an official rating of between 95-104.

Just two horses are rated under 95 this time around.

Key Races

Seven of the last ten winners ran in the Wokingham

Previous winners of the Infinity Tyres Stakes at York have a super record here.

Eight of the last fifteen winners has raced at Goodwood before.

Draw

Eight of the last ten winners were drawn in stalls 10-19.

Trainers

The only trainers that have won the race in the last ten years and are represented again are:  M.W Easterby, A.Balding, C.Hills, W.Haggas, R.Cowell and R.Charlton.

Price

All ten of the last ten winners have come from the first six in the betting. At the time of writing the first six in the betting are: Projection, Danzeno, Sir Dancelot, Polybius, Growl and Raucous.

Chances of the principle runners in the betting:

Projection

Ante-post favourite Projection (Roger Charlton, 9st 6lb) was third in the Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot.

The four-year-old gelding competed in the consolation £75,000 Qatar Stewards' Sprint Handicap at the Goodwood Festival last season and came home a close fifth when denied a clear run in the closing stages. 

Any reproduction of that run will give him a great chance in this feature race.

Danzeno

Mick Appleby expects Danzeno (9st 11lb) to make his presence felt on his step back up in trip.

The six-year-old gelding gained his first win since landing a conditions race at Musselburgh in September 2015 when defying top weight over the minimum trip at Ascot last time out.

He was also a close fifth in the Wokingham, but does have to shoulder a 6lb penalty for that recent win which gives him top weight and makes his task all the more harder.

Raucous

Also prominent in the ante-post betting market is Raucous (9st 5lb, William Haggas), who finished eighth in the Wokingham Handicap after meeting lots of trouble in running. 

This drop back into handicap company after finishing fourth last time in Group company is a shrewd move by Haggas and the booking of Jim Crowley makes this horse a must on any shortlist.

Sir Dancelot

The 101 rated Sir Dancelot (David Elsworth) gets into the handicap here carrying just a mere 8st 12lb which is a massive 13lbs pull on the top-weighted Danzeno.

The three-year-old was a good second last time out at Newmarket and has arguably one of the best jockeys in the world aboard in Ryan Moore.

There is every chance that the three-year-old recent trend in this race is due to continue on Saturday afternoon.

Polybius

Polybius (9st 3lb, David Simcock) ran a cracker of a race in the Wokingham Handicap finishing fourth to Out Do.

The six-year-old has since gone on to finish an eye-catching three-quarters of a length second to Danzeno in a hotly contested heritage handicap.

Polybius is now 6lbs well in with Mick Appleby’s charge and it could be enough to turn the tables.

Growl

Richard Fahey’s runner (9st 10lb) was well fancied for this race last year but failed to overcome a terrible draw.

This year the draw is much more favourable and Fahey has employed the services of Connor Murtagh to take off a valuable 10lbs.

Growl has been the victim of some very bad luck of late but if things finally click again this weekend he is a live contender.

Race summary

Based upon all the above trends and statistics over the last ten renewals of the Stewards’ Cup race, the pair who keep coming to the fore are Sir Dancelot and Raucus.

Given the size of the field and the attractive each-way odds and concessions available on the race, it could be well worth backing both horses.

Check out our latest prices on the race here at 888sport.

In an exclusive interview with 888sport, Liverpool legend John Aldridge has named the players he believes will be off-loaded by Jurgen Klopp this summer and if the respected pundit is correct it may be prudent to change the Shankly Gates into revolving doors.

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“When Jurgen took over at Dortmund in his first close season he let 17 players go and brought 12 in. That might tell you something. Thankfully Liverpool don’t need to do that but it needs slimming down and I’m sure there will be comings and goings. He has already brought two players in and there may be five or so more. You might be looking at Kolo Toure leaving because of his age and obviously Skrtel. Enrique will go, Bogdan will probably go and there are question marks over a number of midfielders. There will be a mini-cull at Liverpool.”

Despite Liverpool finding form and results of late, it will be revolution over evolution, then, as the German coach seeks to mould a team in his own image.  There is also the small matter of Christian Benteke, the club’s second most expensive addition, whose travails up front have earned Aldridge’s sympathy.
“When he came I was delighted. I’d seen him at Villa and he was an excellent scorer and excellent player. But the way Liverpool play doesn’t really suit him and he has suffered.”

This, though, is no time to focus on negatives. Liverpool are flying right now, a revival in no small way aided by their legendary supporters, and there is no question Anfield’s unique and thunderous atmosphere helped inspire the Reds to a miraculous comeback against Borussia Dortmund in their Europa Cup quarter final last week.

According to Aldridge, the ear-deafening festival of noise and colour might also bring about additional benefits to the Merseyside giants.
 
“If we can win the Europa League it will make life in the transfer market a lot easier for Jurgen. He’s got a great stature so players will want to come and play for him and after what we saw at Anfield against Dortmund, players will look at that and think ‘I’d love to play there. That is incredible’. So last Thursday was a massive marketing tool for Liverpool, and Jurgen Klopp is as well. If we can get into the Champions League he can go out and do some serious damage I’m sure.”

Unsurprisingly, numerous names are already being bandied about in the gossip columns but the popular ex-marksmen – who scored a staggering 50 goals in just 83 appearances for the Red Men in a trophy-laden era for the club – is convinced there is sufficient attacking talent emerging through the ranks to save Klopp countless millions this summer.

“The manager has breathed life into the academy and given them a chance and they’ve done really well. Young Ojo is a proper talent who has so much ability it’s frightening and I just hope it develops. He’s got a great chance.“

Then there is Daniel Sturridge, a goal-scoring force of nature whose return to fitness is a very welcome boost, not just for his club, but potentially his country too.

“He’s a very influential player and he can be at the Euros. He has a point to prove not just to Klopp but to himself and to Roy Hodgson. England have some very good players going to France and at this moment in time he’s probably number four whereas he should be number one. He will know that.”

Following a chaotic season of departures, arrivals, under-achievement and optimism, it is undoubtedly a rosy period for the Reds, which makes this Wednesday night’s derby fortuitous in its timing. Yet we can expect the highly unusual situation of both sides being distracted by other matters that are even more pressing than local bragging rights.

“Both teams have a little bit of a dilemma. Everton in the fact that they’ve got a massive semi-final against United at the weekend and although Liverpool still have a very slim chance of a top four place, their best chance of Champions League football is winning the Europa. So it’s hard to predict what sides the managers are going to put out. I still fancy Liverpool because they’re on a wave at the moment and the belief is big among the players.”

For Everton the avoidance of defeat will be critical if only to temporarily stem the slow spiral into crisis that is consuming the club at present. That goes ten-fold for under-fire manager Roberto Martinez whose tenure at Goodison Park appears to be coming to an end.

“I feel for him personally because he’s such a lovely person and a football man but it’s not working for him. This new owner will want to stamp his authority on the club and he will be listening to the fans as well.”

When asked about the Toffees’ decline this term Aldridge is as puzzled as each and every supporter whose increasing unrest has only added further pressure on the manager’s shoulders.

“I do a phone-in show twice a week with Graeme Sharp and the Everton fans are absolutely bamboozled. You look at the Everton squad and it’s very decent yet they are languishing in a position in the league where they should be nowhere near. Have the team lost belief in the manager? I don’t know. But I do know the team should be higher in the table and without Lukaku’s twenty goals where would they be?”

We may well find out next season with the Belgian hit-man recently agitating for a move and unwisely making kissy faces at Bayern Munich and Manchester United. Predictably enough the comments that were attributed to the player’s camp hardly went down well on Merseyside.

“From the city of Liverpool’s point of view the Evertonians won’t be happy when Manchester United is mentioned. He wants Champions League yes but unfortunately players today use the Champions League as a cop out when they want to leave clubs. They do really well and then it’s an easy cop out and for the clubs it’s something you have to swallow. Luis Suarez and lots of other players have done it before him but Lukaku owes Everton big-time. Unfortunately he’s not a scouser like Steven Gerrard was so he will leave if Everton get the right price for him.”

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Ex-Manchester United striker insists there is only one man for the Manchester United job = Jose Mourinho.

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While Louis van Gaal defiantly insists he will still be in charge next season, speculation increases unabated on who his successor may be with many – including several former players – putting forward Ryan Giggs as the best possible candidate.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with 888sport, however, the ex-United striker believes the thirteen times Premier League champions would be wiser to opt for the shrewd know-how of a certain Special One.

“I think with what they have gone through in the past two years United would be better to have a coach with Mourinho’s experience.”

This is meant as no slight on Giggs, of course, and the Uruguayan hitman is quick to point out to what extent his eighteen years scoring goals for fun across South America and Europe has been defined by playing under managers with wizened stature. At Villarreal there was Manuel Pellegrini as the El Submarino Amarillo temporarily broke up the Barca-Real duopoly.

His brief spell in England earned him a league title and FA Cup triumph under the studied guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson, while bagging the Golden Boot award at the 2010 World Cup can be partly attributed to a coach in Oscar Tavarez who goes by the nickname of ‘the teacher’. 

The 36 year old from Montevideo evidently favours miles on the clock and laughter lines in the dug-out.

The Welsh legend also misses out when Forlan nominates his most talented team-mate from his two years at Old Trafford, with Paul Scholes getting the nod, and it is answered so emphatically it’s a reminder once again of how much the midfield schemer is treasured by those who benefited from his vision. 

Those who know Forlan largely for his stint in English football would question just how much he benefited at all, a return of ten goals over two campaigns meaning his time here is regarded as something of a disappointment. Yet that is a tremendous disservice to a lethal forward who ripped up goalscoring records wherever else he went. At Atletico Madrid his feats far outshine those of Fernando Torres or Diego Costa ,including a magnificent 2007/08 season that saw him crowned the top scorer across the continent with 32 La Liga goals. Mention the word ‘flop’ to Atletico fans and you risk getting a paella hurled in your direction. 

This Wednesday evening at the Vicente Calderon Stadium his former club take on Barcelona in an all-Spanish Champions League quarter final second leg clash that promises plenty of fireworks and drama. Yet despite Diego Simeone’s men needing to overturn a 2-1 disadvantage Forlan advocates calm in the oncoming storm.

“Atletico must be careful to not be swayed by the euphoria of the crowd. Barcelona are masters at exploiting spaces so the issue of chasing the result must be handled carefully otherwise we will be exposed. Set pieces will be vital and it will be a tough tie as all Atletico v Barcelona games are. It’s going to be a boiler.”

It certainly will be but requiring at least one goal in such a cauldron of passion and against an indomitable Barca defence it’s also fair to state that Atletico could do with their talismanic striker Torres leading the line this week. Yet his dismissal at the Camp Nou means he is unavailable, his contentious sending off having potentially costly consequences for the rojiblancos. Looking back on the first leg encounter Forlan insists the yellows were on the cards.

“The sending off looked inevitable. Five or ten minutes earlier he’d been booked but he already looked nervous and was arriving late into every challenge he made. Barcelona knew how to take advantage of that.”

There were reportedly tears from Torres in the changing room after the game with the ex- Liverpool forward inconsolable and thinking he had blown any chance his team had of progressing. According to Forlan though he remains a pivotal figure at the club and with that in mind it’s crucial they tie him down to a contract extension this summer.

“It would be really good if they renewed his contract. He may not have scored many goals this season but his work-rate is crucial and the ones he has scored have all been important. He is still a great player and it is hugely significant that he is a local boy with the club in his heart.”

Goodwood Racecourse this week will host five days of thrilling equine action set against the backdrop of the beautiful Sussex countryside. The Qatar Goodwood Festival – still popularly referred to as “Glorious Goodwood” – is one of the highlights of the flat-racing season.

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The Qatar Goodwood Festival is a spectacle that has to be experienced. Fashion combined with some of the greatest races in the world go towards creating a wonderful festival atmosphere.

Here is a guide to each day of the Glorious Goodwood Festival 2017:

Tuesday

The Tuesday highlight is Goodwood’s newest Group One, the Qatar Goodwood Cup worth £500,000.

Frankie Dettori missed out on winning the Ascot Gold Cup riding Big Orange because of injury but he is back on board as the Michael Bell-trained gelding attempts to become only the second horse to win the Goodwood Cup three times.

Bell's admirable six-year-old goes to the Sussex track on the back of a memorable victory over Order Of St George in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. He is the red hot 4/5 favourite with us at 888sport following that brilliant win.

Horses taking on the “Orange” are Willie Mullins' Wicklow Brave, winner of last year's Irish St Leger. Aidan O'Brien is represented instead by US Army Ranger whilst William Haggas is having a crack at the Gold Cup winner with Dal Harraild.

Also run on the opening day of the Festival is the Lennox Stakes.

Dean Ivory believes the return to seven furlongs will see the best come out of his Librisa Breeze. A winner of two handicaps over that trip last season, he has run with great credit in Group Ones over six furlongs the last twice. Most recently he finished fourth to The Tin Man on his seasonal return in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

Current race favourite Limato was a convincing winner of the Prix de la Foret last autumn. He has not run beyond six furlongs so far this season, over which he has been placed in both the Diamond Jubilee Stakes and July Cup. His participation however depends on the state of the ground on Tuesday when connections will make up their mind on whether to run him or not.

Wednesday

The Qatar Sussex Stakes is one of the highlights of the flat racing season, with prize money of £1 million attracting a world-class field. This mile-long Group One race has previously been won by the peerless Frankel, the popular French grey Solow and in 2016, by The Gurkha.

Richard Fahey’s Ribchester can confirm his place as Europe’s top miler if he adds the Sussex Stakes to wins in the Queen Anne Stakes and Lockinge Stakes this year. His rivals are headed by Aidan O’Brien’s English and Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Churchill and Jean-Claude Rouget’s French raider Zelzal.

Thursday

The prestigious Group One Qatar Nassau Stakes is the highlight of the eight-race card on Thursday, worth £600,000. Previous winners include Ouija Board, Midday and Minding.

Aidan O'Brien's Winter has carried all before her with victories in the English and Irish 1000 Guineas and the Coronation Stakes.

She is now stepping up to a mile and a quarter for the first time in search of a fourth successive Group One triumph.

So Mi Dar is set to make her first appearance since October when she came third in the Prix de l'Opera at Chantilly.

Her trainer John Gosden also runs Shutter Speed, who suffered a first defeat when fourth in the French Oaks on her latest start.

Sir Michael Stoute bids to equal Sir Henry Cecil's record of eight Qatar Nassau Stakes triumphs with last year's Breeders' Cup heroine Queen's Trust.

Roger Varian is also excited by the prospects of Nezwaah. The four-year-old is two from two so far this season and took the Group Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh last time out.

Friday

The sight of a packed field of horses hurtling at speeds of over 40mph past the Goodwood grandstands makes the £300,000 Group Two Qatar King George Stakes one of the highlights of the entire week. With three further Group races being held on the same afternoon the Friday of the Qatar Goodwood Festival has to be one of the most enthralling day's racing in the entire calendar.

Dual winner of the race Take Cover is among the 13 entries for the Qatar King George Stakes at the confirmation stage.

David Griffiths' sprinter lifted this five-furlong dash in 2014 and 2016 and was only beaten a head in the 2015 renewal.

The 10-year-old showed he still has an appetite for the game when winning the City Walls Stakes at York on his latest start.

The William Haggas-trained Muthmir won the race two years ago and reopposes again.

Battaash, succesful in two races at Sandown this year, Profitable and Marsha - second and third to Lady Aurelia in the King's Stand - head the other contenders.

One of the handicap highlights of the year, the Betfred Mile, for which the race trends suggest you back a horse drawn higher than nine at your peril, provides plenty of each-way betting value.

Godolphin's Blair House went down by only half a length to Zhui Feng in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot and marginally heads the market.

Saturday

The Qatar Stewards Cup takes centre stage for the final day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival. This historic race provides racegoers with the opportunity to witness 28 of the finest equine speedsters dashing down the Goodwood home straight in an attempt to claim the £250,000 prize. Previous winners of this famous sprint include Loch Song and Dancing Star.

The six-furlong Stewards' Cup is one of the hardest sprint handicaps to win but the Roger Charlton-trained Projection is a clear 9-1 favourite after placing third in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Mick Appleby expects Danzeno to make his presence felt as he steps back up in trip for the contest,

The six-year-old gelding gained his first win since landing a conditions race at Musselburgh in September 2015 when defying top weight at Ascot last time out.

***

The best of luck with all your “Glorious Goodwood” gambles this week.

This race was first held in 1951 and was won by Supreme Court. The 1975 renewal featured Grundy and Bustino. These two top-class thoroughbreds fought out such a titanic finish that the race is regarded by many as one of the best in the history of the sport.

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The race is run over a distance of one and a half miles at Ascot in late July. Three year-olds carry eight stones and nine pounds, while older horses are allotted nine stones and seven pounds. Fillies and mares receive a three pound allowance, while four pounds is deducted from any four year-old runner who ventures here from the southern hemisphere.

Some incredibly famous horses have won this contest over the years, including Galileo, Montjeu, King’s Theatre, Opera House, Generous, Nashwan and Reference Point. Brigadier Gerard is perhaps the most well know champion of all.

Here are some trends and statistics based on the last ten runnings of the race. Ten runners go to post this year in a hotly contested renewal.

Age (wins-placed-runners)

3-y-o: 2-4-13

4-y-o: 8-6-43

5-y-o: 0-4-11

6-y-o+: 0-1-8

Eight of the last ten winners were aged four which is good news for backers of: Idaho, Ulysses and Sixties Song.

Being five or six-years-old could prove to be a negative for Desert Encounter, Highland Reel, Jack Hobbs, Maverick Wave and My Dream Boat.

Since the year 2000 there have been just three three-year old winners which is a trend Enable and Benbatl will be trying to buck.

Form

Nine of the last ten winners finished in the first three places last time out. That is a bad sign for Jack Hobbs, Maverick Wave and My Dream Boat.

Ten out of ten winners had run two to four races that season.

Seven out of ten winners had won at least one race that season.

Trainers

Michael Stoute (2-6-15) has trained the winner three times since the turn of the millennium.

John Gosden (2-3-12) has had two winners to his name in recent times.

Aidan O’Brien (3-2-15) also has a formidable record in this race having won most recently with Highland Reel in 2016.

Starting Price

Nothing over 9/1 has won for the last ten years. It is highly probable this trend will continue on Saturday.

Runner-by-runner guide

Desert Encounter

Trainer David Simcock believes that if the conditions come up as being testing on Saturday his five-year-old gelding may have a chance of causing an upset in the race.

Desert Encounter produced a career-best performance to finish third in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown at the start of July.

Highland Reel

Defending champion Highland Reel is in line to become only the third horse to win back-to-back King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Aidan O'Brien's five-year-old has won six times at the highest level overall and goes to post on the back of a determined success in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting last month.

Highland Reel relishes quick ground so connections will be anxious that the recent rain has not changed the going conditions considerably.

Idaho

Idaho bounced right back to his best when scoring in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out.

Idaho, who is a full brother to Highland Reel, has not won a Group One race yet while Highland Reel has won six and has raced in several countries and on three different continents. His brother will be a hard act to follow but apparently he is getting onto his heels at home.

Jack Hobbs

Jack Hobbs trailed home a disappointing eighth behind Highland Reel in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last month but his trainer John Gosden has put that whole episode down to the heat and the lightening fast track.

The runaway Irish Derby winner of 2015 should certainly run much better on Saturday with conditions back in his favour.

Maverick Wave

Maverick Wave is expected to employ pace-making duties again in this race and is duly priced up at 100/1 to cause any sort of shock result.

My Dream Boat

Clive Cox’s five-year-old is one of six Group One winners in the line-up – his finest hour being when winning the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last season, beating the subsequent Arc winner Found into second place.

He ran his best race of this season when finishing fourth behind Zarak in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on his latest start which was within two lengths of the winner.

Ulysses

Sir Michael Stoute's charge came out on top in the Coral Eclipse Stakes at the start of the month, seeing off the excellent three-year-old Barney Roy, the winner of the St James's Palace Stakes, by a nose.

Stoute, who has won five King Georges, is confident the step up in trip will pose no problems for his exciting four-year-old who will be partnered again by Jim Crowley.

Sixties Song

Four-year-old Sixties Song, who arrived in Newmarket last Sunday, will break new ground in this Group One by becoming the first South American-trained runner to compete in Britain.

Connections of the Argentinean horse believe that the colt should not be underestimated as he is already established as the best middle-distance horse in South America.

Benbatl

Saeed bin Suroor's Benbatl, who was fifth in the Derby before going on to win the Hampton Court Stakes could easily outrun his large odds.

Benbatl appears to be taking a chance in this race rather than being entered up at York for the Juddmonte International next month.

Enable

John Gosden's filly was an impressive winner of the Epsom Oaks and then followed up by winning the Irish equivalent at the Curragh a fortnight ago.

Enable was only given the green light on Wednesday morning after consultation between John Gosden and owner Khalid Abdullah.

Although she could be lining up against the strongest King George field for many years it is possible she could be sent off as the odds-on favourite on Saturday.

Summary

Understandably Enable is at the head of the market as she gets a big weight allowance for being a filly. Frankie Dettori has been going all out with his diet this week to meet 8st 7lb which is his bare minimum and there is every chance he will be rewarded for his stellar efforts and commitment once again.

News of the drying ground at Ascot from the Clerk of the Course must have been music to the ears of Aidan O’Brien as the weekend approaches. O’Brien’s Highland Reel will overtake Cirrus Des Aigles as the record-earning horse in Europe if he wins this top class midsummer mile-and-a-half championship event.

888sport predicts 1. Highland Reel 2. Enable

Click here for our current odds

The Super Sprint Trophy is a flat horse race held at Newbury for two-year-old thoroughbreds and was first run in 1991.

• Bet on Weatherbys Super Sprint

The race is currently restricted to horses sold as yearlings at Weatherbys sales for 37,000 guineas or less before July 1st, or 40,000 guineas or less after June 30th. The weights carried are determined by the sale price of the horses, with one pound deducted for each 2,500 guineas below 40,000.

The Weatherbys Super Sprint quite often produces a fairytale story and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top at Newbury on Saturday. Mrs Danvers attracted not one sales bid at a reserve of £1,000 as an unraced juvenile but went on to amass upwards of £120,000 in prize money last year. She went on to win twice more for the Jonathan Portman stable, including at Group Three level, so it’s a “never-say-never” race for many of the contenders this weekend.

A maximum field of 25 juveniles go to post on Saturday afternoon and here is a look at some of the leading contenders:

Mother Of Dragons

Joe Tuite is excited by the prospects of Mother Of Dragons (8st). The Qatar Racing-owned filly, who cost just €2,000 at Tattersalls Ireland in 2016, was narrowly denied on her first two starts at Windsor and Goodwood before finishing mid-division in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Tuite said: “I am very happy with Mother Of Dragons. The filly is in good shape and we are looking forward to Saturday.

“I thought she ran well at Ascot. We were not disappointed and ever since then we have been aiming at the Weatherbys Super Sprint.

“We get in the race off a very raceable weight that’s for sure, and there doesn’t appear to be a Tiggy Wiggy or the likes turning up this time. It doesn’t look that way at the moment anyway!

“I am very happy with mine and, off eight stone with Jimmy Quinn on board, I wouldn’t swap her.”

Tuite previously saddled Field Of Vision to take third place in this in 2015.

Maggies Angel

Maggies Angel (8st 6lb) arguably brings the best form into the Weatherbys Super Sprint. 

The two-year-old Dark Angel filly finished second to stablemate Dance Diva over a furlong further in Newmarket's Listed Empress Fillies' Stakes on July 1st. Yorkshire trainer Richard Fahey is chasing a third victory in five years in this contest.

One For June

William Haggas, who lifted this prize with Superstar Leo in 2000 and Jargelle in 2008, goes in this time with One For June (8st 5lb). The daughter of Arcano got off the mark earlier this month.

"She won at Lingfield last week. It was six furlongs. I think she's got enough speed for five and she's in good form, so we're going to have a go," Maureen Haggas, the trainer's wife and assistant, told At The Races earlier in the week.

Snazzy Jazzy

A Goodwood maiden winner who missed a possible Royal Ascot run for this race. Clive Cox chose to swerve that meeting with the colt and he could reap the rewards here instead.

The Goodwood win was nothing special, but given how Cox's juveniles are performing this season, further improvement would be no surprise for Snazzy Jazzy (9st 1lb).

Time Trail

The unbeaten filly Time Trail will race off 8st 8lbs on Saturday.

The daughter of Swiss Spirit scored by a short-head first time up at Beverley in May and doubled up three weeks later in a five-furlong novice event restricted to fillies at Catterick, defeating Lady Anjorica (8st 4lb) by a head.

Michael Dods paid £38,000 for Time Trail at Goffs in September said about his filly: "Time Trail is in good form and there is a good chance she will run in the Super Sprint provided the ground doesn't get too quick.

"She has won her two starts narrowly so far. She did well on debut at Beverley and then struggled a little bit under the penalty at Catterick.

"I think the handicapper has probably got her where she should be at the moment. She has to step up if she is going to be competitive, but we feel it is worth having a go."

Bengali Boys

Another contender for Richard Fahey who runs a total of five horses in this race. This colt has done well in novices after a debut win, finishing runner-up twice.

He certainly makes plenty of each-way appeal after running three gutsy races thus far.

Corinthia Knight

Archie Watson, who is enjoying a highly successful first full season as a trainer, is hoping dual winner Corinthia Knight can provide him with his most valuable success so far in his fledgling career.

Watson said earlier in the week: "He's in very good order and has only 8st 7lb to carry. His overall form is very good. He won two races impressively on the all-weather and the form of his second to Frozen Angel at Ascot in May – where he possibly ran a bit flat – has worked out well. He finished a long way in front of Tangled, who is now rated 88 after winning a Newmarket nursery."

Falabell

Kevin Ryan’s maiden was beaten a short-head on debut and was then demoted to third place.

Not many maidens win this race but Kevin Ryan’s stable is flying again after an interrupted season and this runner will easily be missed on the betting radar by many.

Verdict

25 two-year-olds sprinting over the minimum distance does not look the obvious place to be finding winners but there is some value lurking in there somewhere.

Richard Fahey’s runners all deserve a second look given his recent record in the race but the selection goes to the lightly weighted, Qatar Racing owned, Mother Of Dragons.

The Qataris won’t just be at Newbury for a fun day out on Saturday and Joe Tuite is likely to have this runner in tip top condition.

888sport selection: Mother Of Dragons (each-way).

The Eclipse Stakes is a Group One flat race for three-year-old and above thoroughbreds run over a distance of 1 mile 2 furlongs and 7 yards at Sandown Park.

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The race took place in 1886 and is named after the great 18th century racehorse Eclipse. The race has been sponsored by Coral’s since 1976 and is the longest sponsorship in English horse racing.

The Eclipse is traditionally the race when the top horses from the classic generation (three-year-olds) meet older horses for the first time. It is a high quality race, often attracting both Newmarket and Epsom classic winners.

Unfortunately there are no classic winners among the nine declared runners on Saturday, however several of them were on the premises in the aforementioned races earlier in the season.

Here is a guide to the chances of the nine protagonists:

Decorated Knight (R.Charlton/O.Peslier)

Decorated Knight, a son of Galileo, has been going from strength-to-strength with each of his runs with his official rating rising from 85 to 119 in a two season period. He split Highland Reel and Ulysses in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot on his latest start after having previously won the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh.

Decorated Knight has to concede 10lb to his younger rivals however and that may just thwart his chances in this contest.

Desert Encounter (D.Simcock/S.Levey)

Desert Encounter has won five out of his eleven starts, and takes a step down in distance in this. He is clearly in good form, but it is hard to see him having the necessary turn of foot to trouble the market leaders.

Lightning Spear (D.Simcock/O.Murphy)

The oldest horse in the field at the age of six. He has been a great miler and really deserves a Group One win after such battling placed efforts in the Lockinge and the QEII.  He put in a moderate run in last month’s Queen Anne and his stamina is far from being guaranteed.

Ulysses (Sir M.Stoute/J.Crowley)

Sir Michael Stoute has won the Eclipse on five occasions, and his four-year-old could easily give him victory number six. His win in the Gordon Richards at Sandown Park was really impressive, and it is reported that he is going well on the gallops back at home.

He ran a good race at Royal Ascot last time out to be a close third to Highland Reel in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and ranks as a serious contender on Saturday afternoon.

Barney Roy (R.Hannon/J.Doyle)

Richard Hannon three-year-old tackles ten furlongs for the first time. Having run second in the 2000 Guineas, and winning the St. James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, on both of those occasions he has been staying on strongly to the line.

Trainer Hannon admitted he had been tempted to run in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly on Sunday, but he too is looking forward to seeing what Barney Roy might be capable of over the longer trip.

He said: "We debated it thoroughly with Godolphin and weighed up all the angles but agreed the Eclipse is a more prestigious race to have on a colt's CV when he goes to stud, and we get a significant weight pull from the older horses."

We will see if the decision was an astute one come 3.40pm on Saturday.

Cliffs Of Moher (A.O’Brien/R.Moore)

Looked all over the 2017 Derby winner a couple of furlongs from home only to be nabbed on the line by stablemate and outsider, Wings Of Eagles. The drop back to this distance ought to suit him and he is the type to be constantly improving for the Aidan O’Brien stable. O’Brien himself has also won the Eclipse on five previous occasions.

"Everything has gone very well with Cliffs Of Moher since Epsom and we've been very happy," O'Brien said on Tuesday. "He went to Chester for the Dee Stakes over a mile and a quarter and we weren't entirely sure whether he'd get the trip or not. As it turned out, he got it well and he enjoyed it”.

It is very easy to see why this one is the bookmakers’ favourite.

Eminent (M.Meade/S.De Sousa)

Martyn Meade believes the son of Frankel is overdue some good fortune after not getting the rub of things at either Newmarket, where he finished sixth to Churchill, or at Epsom, when beaten a length and three quarters into fourth behind Wings Of Eagles.

It was reported that Eminent clocked 40mph on the gallops recently which will give his supporters plenty of encouragement.

Meade has been delighted with Eminent since Epsom. “Another horse might have sulked or not sparkled for a couple of weeks but he was perfect from the moment he arrived back in the stable”.

Eminent has every chance of doing his esteemed father proud in this renewal.

Salouen (S.Kirk/W.Buick)

Registered several Group One placings as a two-year-old and ran respectfully in the King Edward VII Stakes. Looks up against it here though and a win will come as a major surprise.

Taj Mahal (A.O’Brien/P.Beggy)

Aidan O’Brien’s second-string has already run five times this season and more often as not has been set up in those races as a pacemaker for another O’Brien hotpot.

Hard to see another Wings Of Eagles scenario happening here as this one is almost 100% certain to blast out in front.

Conclusion

A fascinating contest in which you can only rule out three of the nine runners with some degree of confidence.

Eminent marginally gets the nod on this occasion due to his recent work on the gallops and the fact that he is due a change of luck.

888sport suggests Eminent (win).

Speaking in an exclusive interview with 888sport, the talented forward, whose own career was tragically cut short at 26 due to a long-term ankle problem, acknowledges injury remains a concern for the Manchester United striker but, should he be declared fit, his experience will be key.

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“Kane has to start. I’d like to say I was a similar player to Kane and that’s probably why I like him so much, someone with an all-round performance who can be strong and hold the ball up and link the play but is deadly and greedy in front of goal,” said Ashton.

“I would have Rooney behind him if he’s totally fit. He absolutely deserves to start, Wayne Rooney, with his track record for England. Yes, he might have slipped down slightly at Manchester United, but his England performances have always been very good. And we need some experience because if we go with all the inexperienced players we might get found out. So you need experience in there and then you’ve got the pace of Vardy and Sturridge off the bench.”

It may be an opinion that goes against the present grain but that is typical from the straight-talking but highly likeable 32-year-old, who is now carving out a successful career in the media following his enforced retirement in 2009. His views on another forward, however, are much less contentious and will presumably only be met with widespread agreement.

West Ham United’s Dimitri Payet has rightfully been lavished with praise this season following a sensational introduction to the Premier League and, as his team prepare for a crucial hosting of Arsenal this weekend, Ashton has enthusiastically joined the French winger’s long line of admirers. By insisting he is now up there with Upton Park’s revered idol Paulo Di Canio in the fans’ affections, it might even be the biggest compliment yet.

“I would say he is. Already he has done things that have put him into cult status. That’s what West Ham fans love, things that shock you and you’re in awe of and he has done maybe five or six special moments like that this season. That’s why West Ham should build their team around him. He has that affinity with the fans already and loves the pressure of being the big player at West Ham which is something Di Canio had as well.”

Aside from terrorising defences with his blistering pace, those special moments have primarily come from set-pieces, with Payet’s ability with a dead ball defying the laws of physics on occasion. His free-kick expertise has even brought favourable comparisons with another such specialist, though here Ashton draws a line in vanishing spray.

“I trained with David Beckham and stood and watched him practise his free-kicks and it was pretty incredible. Payet has done it recently but Beckham did it so consistently over the years so it would take something special to take over that mantle. But then look at the goal he scored at the weekend. No keeper would have saved that with the dip he got.”

It was indeed little short of wondrous and was yet another highlight in an incredible campaign for the Hammers that has seen them sustain a credible challenge for a Champions League berth. Should that be attained, Ashton is excited about what might lie ahead for a side rejuvenated beyond recognition under Slaven Bilic.

“Any team that makes the Champions League suddenly has doors opened and the chance to attract big names, and the attraction of playing in a new stadium as well would pull players in. I’m pretty sure every West Ham fan would love to see Ibrahimovic come to the Olympic Stadium. I know there have been rumours, and what a signing he would be. He brings experience and flair, and he’s the type of player West Ham fans love who can produce something from nothing. He would be incredible.

“Of course money is a factor with his age but it’s not as if you buy Ibrahimovic and he’s going to flop. He’s just not that type of player. He has already shown he doesn’t need lightning pace, he can just drop back and lead the play and he still scores so many goals.”

Such is the Swede’s stature, we can assume several of the Premier League’s leading clubs will be clamouring for his coveted signature this summer, including West Ham’s opponents this Saturday lunchtime Arsenal. The Gunners need for a 20-goal-a-season hitman has been a long-running saga that has exasperated observers for many a year. Ashton believes it has cost the north Londoners dear.

“We’ve all been saying it for years now but Arsene Wenger is determined to do it his way and he’s not going to answer to anyone. He’s got himself into that position due to his track record at Arsenal but without a doubt they would be better off with a top class striker. If you put Aguero into that team you can’t see how they wouldn’t have won the Premier League this year. Ozil said similar and to be honest it does ring true. They’ve missed their chance. I don’t think they will catch Leicester now with the form they’re in and in any other season if City or Chelsea were up there Wenger would have got away with it. But if Leicester win the league the spotlight will be on Arsene.”

So does he expect the stubborn professor to rectify his team’s shortcomings in the next window?

“I’d say yes but you literally don’t know with Arsenal and Arsene Wenger. He could be linked with all these names again and nothing will happen, then he’ll say he’s keeping Welbeck, Giroud and with Iwobi coming through now he’ll say that’s enough. I personally think they do need to go out and get a Higuain or a Cavani type of player who can really take them on to the next level.”

A Dean Ashton in his prime and free from injury would improve the Gunners no end too, though you feel his allegiance to his beloved Hammers would have prevented such a move occurring anyway.  Last week during a testimonial for Mark Noble we were reminded of what English football was cruelly deprived of when he scored an acrobatic ‘worldie’ at the packed and celebratory surroundings of the Boleyn Ground. It was a goal that put a big smile across social media from fans of every club.

“It was great to be asked to honour Mark Noble’s career, but the side thing for me was to be able to produce something like that at West Ham in front of a full house and my kids, who have never seen me play. That was special. My eight-year-old absolutely loves football and I constantly tell him that I used to be a decent player but he never believes me. Finally he gets it, that I wasn’t a bad player. “

Dean Ashton’s quickfire questions

1. Who will win the Premier league?
    Leicester will go on and win it.
2. Who will finish top four?
    Leicester, Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester City. With Aguero in your team if can’t finish top four there are serious problems.
3. Who will win the Golden Boot?
    Harry Kane. He’s on a roll.
4. Who will win the Champions League?
    Barcelona. How can you stop them three?
5. Who will win Euro 2016?
    England of course. 

As soon as Van Gaal walks out of the door there is only one man who should have the job – Giggsy.”

The former Trinidad and Tobago striker’s choice goes far deeper than loyalty to an ex-team mate who he shared many an unforgettable moment with during a glorious era for the club that saw them dominate English football and conquer Europe. Management, he insists, is becoming a young man’s game with even the self-appointed ‘Special One’ Jose Mourinho given short shrift in Yorke’s reckoning.

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“Look at how football is changing. In Spain’s top three all the managers are young ex players. You have Pep who is coming over, a young manager at 45. There’s Pochettino at Spurs and Conte in Italy and Gary Neville is being given a chance. You’ll find now in the next five years there will be more ex players managing football teams because there is a new generation of managers coming through. The old ones are fizzling out. The likes of Sam Allardyce may hang on in there for another year or two but the new generation are coming.”

“For Manchester United now there is no candidate out there. You have to accept that Jose Mourinho has been a great manager but if there is a change of manager at Manchester United and Van Gaal goes then it will be Ryan Giggs. If they don’t either this season or next season then Giggs won’t be around anymore because he has served his time. If he can’t make the step up after three years, after seeing all he has seen, then when? After ten? There is only one candidate. There is no question in my mind who should get the job.”

The three times league winner was speaking exclusively to 888sport ahead of a defining week for United as they attempt to over-turn a two goal deficit to their archest of rivals Liverpool in the Europa League this Thursday, before taking the short trip to the Etihad this weekend for the mother of all Manchester derbies. Even in the age of endless hyperbole it is a pivotal period for all concerned with the club.

“This week is going to make or break United’s season. They have taken all the stick in the world but this little spell of games can either elevate things to another level and give everyone confidence or have serious consequences.”

The consequences Yorke alludes to go beyond the possible departure of an under-fire boss.

“The season is pretty much done then isn’t it. We’ve seen that with Chelsea. I mean they’re sixth in the league as we speak and before you know it your season is done with nine games to go. It’s not the United way and they’re not used to being in that position. It is hard to swallow. The players know, the manager knows and the situation is written in front of them. Are these players big enough and brave enough to turn this around? I’m sure we will soon find out.”

The 44-year-old excelled in one of the most thrilling and trophy-laden sides ever witnessed on British shores, but while his disappointment in the sterile fare being served up by Van Gaal is clear – “the type of football is just not acceptable” – he refrains from joining old comrades Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes in directly criticising the beleaguered Dutchman. Instead his ire is aimed at the players who have repeatedly under-performed in 2015/16.

“It isn’t good enough what is happening at the football club and we can point the finger at the manager most of the time but the reality is that the players aren’t performing or doing anything significant. They are huffing and puffing and too many players are having too many average games. It is just not Manchester United. Bar the young players such as Martial I think the so-called stars, the senior players, really haven’t performed. I cannot look at any of them and think they have been outstanding. Normally there is at least one. In Fergie’s days they would all be told they’re leaving the club.”

When someone as famously affable as Dwight Yorke unleashes such strong words towards his own then you really know how dire the situation is for the 13 times Premier League champions, and mention of the man who guided them to such an abundance of silverware leads to a discussion on last Thursday’s meek surrender at Anfield. Would Sir Alex have tolerated such an apathetic display in a fixture that has made those scared of blood divert their gaze down the years? Wouldn’t he have fired his players up to boiling point and sent them roaring onto the pitch?

“He wouldn’t have needed to because all the players would have been cranked up anyway. They would have known this is Liverpool and these are the big occasions where you want to show the watching world. When these two sides come together everyone is glued to the television, everyone wants to see the game.”

“To put in a really lame performance to that level…. did these players understand what it’s all about with Manchester United and Liverpool?”

The question hangs heavy in the air. The answer – or at least part of the answer – will be discovered this Thursday evening.

Dwight Yorke Quick-fire questions:

Who will win the Premier League?

I want to say Leicester but I just feel City have enough in their locker to put a run together.

Bet on Premier League winner

Who will win the Premier League Golden Boot?

Aguero

Bet on Golden Boot winner

Who will win the Champions League?

Barcelona

Bet on England Euro 2016

Who will win the Euro 16?

Germany

Bet on Euros 16 winner

Will United make top four?

No

Tick tock goes the clock. The sands of time are running out for Ronald Koeman. Everton fans were optimistic ahead of this campaign after spending well over £100 million in the summer transfer window but it just hasn’t gone to plan as of yet.

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Yes, the Toffees have had a difficult start to the season but seven points from a possible 21 just isn’t good enough, no matter how much of a positive spin you try and put on it.

Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Burnley was the icing on the cake for the Goodison Park faithful; a large section of the Toffees support are now in the ‘Koeman Out’ camp.

A saving grace for the Dutchman is that Farhad Moshiri, Everton’s major investor, has given his full backing to Koeman for the time being. However, he needs wins and he needs them quickly.

Super Slav To Turn Things Around At West Ham?

Next up in 888sport's Premier League betting markets we have Slaven Bilic at 9/2. With just one defeat in their last four Premier League games, the Hammers are showing signs of improvement – which can only be positive for Bilic’s future at the London Stadium.

The Hammers face Burnley, Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace in October and three wins in those fixtures should see Bilic’s side climb into the top half of the table.

Bilic isn’t out of the woods just yet though. Dropped points in October could be detrimental to his short term future, especially if Koeman manages to turn things around. A gruelling run of games in November could signal the end of his regime if things don’t go to plan in the next few weeks.

At 16/1, Eddie Howe Carries A Certain Brand Of Appeal

Bournemouth would have to be crazy to party ways with Howe in my opinion but football is a results driven business these days and the Cherries may have to consider an alternative at some point in the future.

Sitting 19^th in the table, Bournemouth have won just once so far this season – their current position is precarious at best.

Despite their woes, Howe’s spot as head coach seems relatively stable at the present time; hence his 16/1 price. With fixtures against Tottenham and Chelsea to come later this month, it is absolutely vital for Bournemouth to get back to winning ways against Stoke City.

If you are looking for a value bet, Howe is the one to back.

Jurgen Klopp: Dark Horse In The Sack Race?

Again, this sounds ridiculous but Klopp is also worth a second glance at 25/1. After failing to address Liverpool’s defensive issues in the transfer window, some fans have started to turn on the German.

The Reds won’t be challenging for the Premier League title on current form and missing out on a top four berth is out of the question; Liverpool NEED to be competing in the Champions League.

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With managerial veteran Carlo Ancelotti now available, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see one of the big clubs move at some point in the coming months.

Liverpool have struggled to inspire confidence in recent weeks, winning just one of their last seven games – securing an important victory over arch rivals Manchester United after the international break could be the catalyst for a successful campaign.