David Nicholls' star racehorse Regal Parade fancied for Betfred Sprint Cup win (From York Press)

David Nicholls' star racehorse Regal Parade fancied for Betfred Sprint Cup win

10:07am Friday 3rd September 2010 in

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David Nicholls, destined to give Thirsk a miss tomorrow and head instead across the Pennines to Haydock, can put one over Aidan O’Brien in the feature race.

The North Yorkshire trainer saddles Regal Parade in the £275,000 Betfred Sprint Cup and his admirable stable star is fancied to come out on top of O’Brien’s Starspangledbanner, who is on a recovery mission having come unstuck against 100-1 shot Sole Power in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York a couple of weeks ago.

Regal Parade was an unforgettable winner of this Group 1 prize 12 months ago when he beat Fleeting Spirit by half-a-length. He has since proved that triumph to be no fluke.

On his last two starts, he has won a Group 3 race at Newbury and, most importantly, another Group 1 race, the Prix Maurice de Gheest, at Deauville last month.

Regal Parade is at his best with give in the ground and underfoot conditions promise to be in his favour tomorrow as he bids to complete a notable double for Nicholls and his jockey son Adrian, who knows the six-year-old like the back of his own hand.

Starspangledbanner, brilliant winner over six furlongs at Royal Ascot and Newmarket, will appreciate returning to this trip after his shock Nunthorpe defeat. But whether he can cope with Regal Parade is another matter.

Haajes should make a bold show for Westow trainer Paul Midgley in the £25,000 Betfred Be Friendly Handicap over five furlongs.

The gelding has done well since joining Midgley this season and, following an earlier win at Hamilton, ran a fine race in defeat when fourth to Hamish McGonagall at York’s Ebor Festival.

Richard Fahey’s Talley Close, a dual-winner, has sound claims in the Betfred Nursery.

At Thirsk’s final meeting of the season, which also hosts the course’s ‘Ladies Day,’ George Adamson will be a popular choice in the featured Hambleton Cup.

Trained by in the in-form Alan Swinbank, the gelding has not been out of the money in his last six starts, including two wins.

In the ‘Dressed of Harrogate’ Handicap, the card’s most valuable race, Newmarket raider Rule Maker promises to make a bold assault for Jeremy Noseda.

The three-year-old, a winner at Windsor, has since run creditably in defeat at both Salisbury and Newmarket. He is napped to get back on top.

It can surely only be a matter of time before Select Committee gets his head in front again for Norton trainer John Quinn.

Tomorrow, the sprinter takes up the challenge in the See You Next Year Handicap, an aptly-named race for this fixture which brings down Thirsk’s curtain on 2010.

Racing selections

Thirsk
1.55 Choose The Moment, 2.25 Amazing Star, 2.55 George Adamson, 3.30 Madame Excelerate, 4.05 Rule Maker (NAP), 4.40 Select Committee, 5.10 Johnny Castle, 5.40 Capricornrun.

Haydock
2.00 Desert Myth, 2.30 Haajes, 3.05 Kansai Spirit, 3.35 Regal Parade, 4.10 Talley Close, 4.45 Measuring Time, 5.15 Cat O’ Nine Tails.

Tomorrow’s other meetings:
Kempton, Stratford and Wolverhampton.

Today’s meetings:
Brighton, Kempton, Lingfield and Musselburgh.