Regional loading up for Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes

The seven-year-old is the hero of Edward Bethell’s Middleham Stable and has flown the flag for the young trainer at the highest level, including winning the Group One Sprint Cup at Haydock in 2023.

He may be yet to win since, but he has hit the frame time and time again in the top sprints and was fourth when most recently seen in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.

“Hopefully the rain stays away, but we’ve got a good draw (three) and we’ll keep our fingers crossed,” said Bethell.

“He seems in really good nick so we’re looking forward to it, he just does what he has to do every day and you hardly know he’s there. He’s such a professional horse.

“He has never, ever let us down. He’s an absolute legend and we’re all lucky to be a part of him.”

Clive Cox is set to saddle two runners in the Listed event, with the 2023 winner Kerdos coming into the race following a luckless bid for the Nunthorpe at York last week.

“Kerdos lost a shoe last time, but he has come out of the race well, if we got the heavy storms that would really suit him,” said the trainer.

“If we don’t get them then it will still be good to firm and I really don’t know how much that would be to his liking.”

Cox’s second runner is Redorange, who has never failed to come home in the money this year when progressing from handicaps to the Listed Prix du Cercle at Deauville, in which he was second.

“He’s run some super races, both at Goodwood and Ascot as well as at Deauville last time out,” said Cox.

“He’s come back well from France and we’re very pleased with him.”

Elsewhere in the field is Simon and Ed Crisford’s Adrestia, with further runners including William Haggas’ First Instinct, David O’Meara’s Star Of Lady M and T J Kent’s Habooba.

Robert Cowell’s Clarendon House has been declared, although he is becoming increasingly awkward when it comes to leaving the stalls, while Mick Appleby’s Shagraan and Paul Midgley’s Elegant Erin complete the field.

The William Haggas-trained Crown Of Oaks has far more scope to progress than most of his rivals in the William Hill Silver Cup Handicap.

Prominent in the betting for the Cambridgeshire, this is just his fifth lifetime run so he needs more experience ideally if he is to take in that cavalry charge.

A cosy winner off a mark of 79 at Ayr last time out, he can cope with a 6lb rise.

My Cloud puts his growing reputation on the line when he heads to Deauville for the Barriere Prix Quincey on Saturday.

Roger Varian’s four-year-old made it four wins on the bounce when landing the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot.

Held in the highest regard by connections, with an entry for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes later in the season, he faces the acid test of his big-race credentials in France.

“He’s a nice horse and a horse we’re very excited about moving forward through the autumn and also looking ahead to next year,” said Varian.

“It’s a Group Three and I’m delighted with how he’s training and looking forward to seeing how he gets on.”

Connections have had to remain patient since the son of Blue Point struck at the Royal meeting in June, but they are taking encouragement from some of the season’s other stars that My Cloud can take the required next step in his career.

Varian explained: “We never mind waiting if there is a reason to, you can’t get too frustrated and he’s a horse with a big future who will be very important for us – if we could have run since Ascot we would have.

“He will take us to some nice races, he has a huge engine and we’ve seen the likes of More Thunder and Never So Brave start off in handicaps before moving on to bigger things this season."