Betfair Sprint Cup 2026: verdict and best odds
Almeraq heads a small but high-class field at Haydock, with the ground now the biggest talking point of the day.
Haydock’s Group 1 goes off at 15:40, live on ITV, with eight runners after American Affair was declared a non-runner. Here is the verdict, plus the best prices available before the off, following on from our full preview earlier this week.
The verdict
Softer ground is the biggest factor here. It rules some in, rules others out, and splits the field into two clear camps: those with proven form on this surface, and those who now need to prove they can handle it.
The market principals
Kind Of Blue is the one horse with proven form on ground this soft: he landed the British Champions Sprint on a rain-affected surface back in 2024, and has been supported to repeat that trick. Big Mojo beat Kind Of Blue in this race last year, but all his form has come on quicker ground.
Almeraq is narrowly preferred instead. He has winning form with cut in the ground, can be forgiven his below-par run in the July Cup, and is officially the best horse in the field.
The each-way case
Coppull, fresh off his Hungerford Stakes win at Newbury, drops back in trip and has never faced ground this testing, making him hard to assess with confidence.
Marvelman, also dropping back in trip after a solid run in the City Of York Stakes, looks the stronger each-way case of the two. Paborus, fresh from a Newcastle win over course and distance, completes the shortlist for those hunting a bigger
Best odds
Prices move all morning. The table below shows the best available odds on the leading contenders.
| Horse | Best price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Almeraq | 10/3 | William Hill, Betfred and others |
| Kind Of Blue | 7/2 | Betfred, Sky Bet and others |
| Marvelman | 9/2 | BetGoodwin |
| Coppull | 7/1 | BetGoodwin |
| Big Mojo | 12/1 | William Hill, SpreadEx and others |
| Paborus | 6/1 | PricedUp, Sky Bet |
| James’s Delight | 22/1 | Best-priced, matched by several books |
| Aramram | 28/1 | AKBets |
Best available prices as of Saturday morning, 5 September, for all eight runners. Where a price is matched by multiple bookmakers, two are named as examples. Prices move throughout the day; check before betting.
Key facts
- Race: Betfair Sprint Cup (Group 1), Haydock, Saturday 5 September, 15:40
- Distance / prize: 6f straight; £226,840 to the winner
- Going: Heavy (Soft in places)
- Market principal: Almeraq; Big Mojo and Kind Of Blue among the chief rivals
- Field status: eight ran; American Affair a non-runner
- TV: ITV
