BUSHMAN HAS IT ALL IN FAVOUR; Multakka looks laid out for this.

Byline: TANYA STEVENSON

IF you didn't already know, Kieren Fallon rides the favourite High Standing in today's Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock.

High Standing is unbeaten at six furlongs and his best run for me was his most recent when winning on soft at Newbury. A worthy favourite.

Stats wise, 18 of the last 19 winners had already won over six furlongs or further and three of the last six have gone to three-year-olds. Fillies have a great record, winning five of the last fifteen runnings.

Fleeting Spirit is where we'll start. I was with one of the joint-owners on Thursday, Andy Stewart. He was keen for her to run, but the need was for no worse than good ground, she doesn't like it soft. A brilliant winner of the July Cup, when many doubted her stamina, she bypassed the Nunthorpe. If the ground had been Good to Firm she would be favourite, she is though a doubtful runner.

At Newmarket she defeated Main Aim and JJ The Jet Plane. When hitting the front Fleeting Spirit swerved all over the course, hampering Main Aim in the process. Main Aim hardly covered himself with glory behind Finjaan but Ryan Moore said the beaten favourite had hit his head on the stalls. Providing you can forgive him for that, you know he stays, likes soft and has won at Haydock this season.

JJ The Jet Plane has joined Richard Hannon, having also run poorly behind Finjaan. I think you can certainly scratch that run over seven furlongs, as he is more at home over today's six. Ten runs have produced seven wins and a third. He will lead for the majority of the race, question is can he hang on?

Asset and Finjaan will only run if the ground is suitable. Asset is 33-1, but Finjaan is in the thick of the betting.

Finjaan's win 39 days ago ignited his trainer, Marcus Tregoning's season. The second Balthazaar's Gift confirmed the form by going on to win Newbury's Hungerford Stakes.

What on earth has happened to Art Connisseur? I hear you ask, after his blistering turn of foot in the Golden Jubilee. Michael Bell has been badly out of form and to add to his woes, Hayley Turner's saddle slipped in the Nunthorpe, but that doesn't excuse his run in the July Cup.

Corrybrough must be given a mention. He ran up a sequence of four wins, then slumped in the doldrums, before bouncing back to run a blinder in fourth in this equivalent race at Doncaster last year. In his only subsequent run after almost a year off he ran fifth to Ancien Regime on the all-weather. It's a bold statement of intention by trainer Henry Candy to run him and perhaps one we should take note.

Regal Parade has been a credit to David Nicholls, since his Ayr Gold Cup win last September and will be hard to keep out of the first three.

In summary, Fleeting Spirit once broke the track record at Haydock, in my view she is different class to her rivals. She won't run if there is any moisture in the ground and we won't know that until the last minute so be warned. Mindful of finding a selection for you, I like Main Aim but not the fact he has a new jockey, JJ The Jet Plane has changed stables and that interrupts routine.So by a process of elimination it has to be HIGH STANDING (3.30).

Haydock's first race is on Channel 4 Racing, a five furlong sprint which will give us some guidelines to any draw bias for the big race.

Kieren has the plum ride on Sonny Red, one of four runners for David Nicholls. He won at Ascot, then only beat two home in the Stewards' Cup and last time out was a very close sixth to Barney McGrew at York. He likes soft. This looks an ideal opportunity for Kevin Ryan's ARGANIL (1.55) who takes a massive step down in class. He was way behind in the Duke OfYork Stakes, then ran well at Haydock in the Temple Stakes, following it up with a four lengths fourth in the Chipchase to Knot In Wood. He's my pick.

Rio De La Plata, returns after an eternity and following the disaster of trying to second guess how Delegator would perform after a layoff I'm going to leave well alone. We'll Come remains on good terms with himself, yet this is probably beyond him. Confront is consistent but easily outbattled as Mac Love and Dream Eater will concur. Rock And Roll Kid is an interesting entry, obviously over here due to the inclement weather in Ireland. Ordnance Row has been kept busy. Third to Delegator last Saturday, then 24 hours later back at Goodwood winning the Supreme Stakes. However if there was a BUSHMAN (2.25) fan club, I would be Patron, Chairman and Chief Executive. The horse is back in form on his favoured ground and certainly worth backing.

Hits Only Vic was incredibly unlucky in the Ebor, only beaten a lengthafter being bumped and squeezed at crucial points in the closing stages. He has to be in the calculations. Spring Jim would have been my Ebor selection had he run, but he bypassed the race in preference for this, Hayley Turner's aboard and I'm going to get on and mix SPRING JIM in a forecast with HITS ONLY VIC.

There is top class all weather action at Kempton, with MONSIEUR CHEVALIER (2.10) heading the bill. It's a chance for him to return to winning ways after his third to Showcasing in the Gimcrack Stakes atYork.

Last time Multakka ran on a racecourse was Kempton back in May when he was runner-up to Fogotten Voice who went on to win the Royal Hunt Cup and finish fourth in the Sussex Stakes. So the form is solid enough and MULTAKKA (3.10) has, it seems been trained for this.

QUADRILLE (3.45) was a popular winner for Her Majesty on his debut and looks another winner for Richard Hannon under the smart Pat Dobbs.

Never has the rainfall been more scrutinised, not only do we have to keep a close watch on the runners preferences for the Sprint Cup, but at Leopardstown it's Irish Champion Stakes day.

Sea The Stars in 50-50 to run, live on At The Races and Channel 4 at 3.50. Fame And Glory seems the obvious choice after his Irish Derby success, however Casual Conquest can't be out of it at a massive price.

CAPTION(S):

PAT DOBBS: Rides Quadrille for HMQ