No decision yet on promising Almeraq’s weekend target

Connections of Almeraq have yet to decide whether to throw the promising colt in “at the deep end” in Saturday’s Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock.

The William Haggas-trained three-year-old has won two of his four starts to date and was last seen making a mockery of an opening mark of 90 on his handicap debut at Ayr in July.

The son of Dark Angel has the option of returning to Scotland for the Ladbrokes Ayr Gold Cup later this month but owners Shadwell are favouring a step up in class this weekend, with the Listed Garrowby Stakes at York on Sunday a possible alternative to Saturday’s Group One feature on Merseyside.

“No decision has been made as yet,” Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold said on Tuesday.

“I spoke to William this morning and it’s sort of depending a bit on the weather and how much rain they get (at Haydock). We’d like a good bit of rain for him as we know he likes soft ground and also we’re just debating whether we throw him in at the deep end or take a more gentle approach.

“We’ve been very patient with him, William has been very patient. He hasn’t had much racing and is a very unexposed horse, so from that point of view it might be asking too much to lob him straight in against the best and that’s what we’re discussing.”

If Almeraq does not head for Haydock, he could instead step up to the highest level on Qipco Champions Day at Ascot next month.

Gold added: “He’s in a Listed race at York on Sunday, so whether we go down that route first to try and make him a Stakes winner and then if he was to win that and win nicely we could look at the British Champions Sprint.

“He’s had so little racing this horse and has missed so much of the year with the firm ground, it will just be nice to get him back on the track and see where we’re going with him.

“There certainly is rain around, but you never quite know where it’s going to hit, so we’re going to work the horse in the morning, have another chat then and try and make the right decision.

“He’s also in at Ayr, but he’s not a Stakes winner as yet and we every much hope that he is Stakes class, so it would be nice to make him a Stakes winner.”