NO HALF MEASURES CAN SPRINT TO SUCCESS

By Nick Robson, PA

No Half Measures can prove her July Cup win was no fluke by backing up in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock.

Richard Hughes' four-year-old filly arguably overcame the hardest draw of all that day as she was furthest away from the pacesetter Night Raider, who blazed a trail along the rail while she was stuck in the middle of the track.

Neil Callan did eventually get her across to join the main group and when Big Mojo came to challenge her, she was able to fight him off.

She was a surprise winner at Newmarket but she had only ever been beaten once over six furlongs on her racecourse debut at Wolverhampton.

So while she has shown smart form over the minimum distance, like winning a Group Three at Newbury and finishing fifth in the Abbaye, she is arguably more at home over six.

Another big tick in her box is her ability to handle soft ground, should any further rain fall at the track. Prior to Newmarket there were concerns she may find the ground too quick but there should be no danger of that this weekend.

Bow Echo can claim the scalp of the highly-regarded Publish in the Betting.Betfair Ascendent Stakes.

Publish had been favourite for last week's Solario Stakes but was taken out on account of the soft ground, so there is that to bear in mind this week too.

Bow Echo, who is trained by George Boughey, created a huge impression when winning at Newbury on his debut from a subsequent victor and he is related to several Group-class performers. He looks potentially very smart.

Karl Burke's Ice Max races in the same Sheikh Mohammed Obaid colours and should go close in the Group Three Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Superior Mile Stakes.

He is without a win since success in last year's Celebration Mile but because that was a Group Two, he has had to shoulder a penalty on a few occasions.

Nevertheless, he still went close in the Diomed at Epsom and last time out when attempting a repeat Celebration Mile win, he suffered a luckless passage and finished full of running.

The Betfair Exchange Old Borough Cup can go the way of David O'Meara's Stressfree.

A most consistent type, he gained a deserved win at the track earlier in the season off a mark of 97 and although well beaten on his next three outings, he bounced back to form last time out in the Ebor when the first UK-trained horse home in fourth.

Nudged back up by 1lb, he should run his race once more.

Kalpana should have little trouble booking her ticket for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in the Unibet September Stakes at Kempton.

Andrew Balding's top-class filly has gone close in three Group Ones this season, so it is no surprise her connections want to get her head in front before her big aim, rather than bump into Whirl in the Prix Vermeille.

A pacemaker has been employed and while Giavellotto is a worthy opponent, she should be too classy.

Burke's Native Warrior was a slightly unlucky loser at Goodwood last time out but can gain compensation in the Schweppes Handicap at Ascot.

Winner of a good race at Newcastle on his penultimate outing, he was slowly away and always on the back foot and would have finished even closer but for being short of room most recently.

Burke has booked Jamie Spencer, who has few peers on the Ascot straight track.

The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Tawasol was sent off favourite for a heritage handicap at Newmarket last time out but ran too bad to be true.

Prior to that he had won at Brighton and Doncaster and sports first-time headgear in the Rudding Park Handicap at Thirsk.

SELECTIONS:

ASCOT: 1.40 Study Of Words, 2.10 Crown Of Oaks, 2.40 Native Warrior, 3.15 Nightwalker, 3.50 Treasure, 4.25 Fast Track Harry, 4.55 Thunderbear.

HAYDOCK: 1.15 Ice Max, 1.50 Bow Echo, 2.25 Gran Descans, 3.00 Stressfree, 3.35 NO HALF MEASURES (NAP), 4.07 Jer Batt, 4.40 Mezcala, 5.15 Tele Red.

KEMPTON: 1.35 Kalpana, 2.05 Silent Age, 2.35 Just Call Me Angel, 3.10 Rogue Supremacy, 3.45 Aramram, 4.20 Molten Sea, 4.50 Kind Of Kiss.

NAVAN: 1.45 Lil Hot Shot, 2.15 Fresh Fade, 2.45 Amicitia, 3.20 Fair Taxes, 3.55 Snapretend, 4.30 Grecian Power, 5.00 Roderick, 5.30 Saratoga.

STRATFORD: 4.12 Gavin, 4.45 Animato, 5.22 Stroll On By, 5.55 Gone In Sixty,6.25 Belles Benefit, 6.55 Timeforarum.

THIRSK: 2.20 Real Man, 2.50 Desert Jungle, 3.25 Mystical Land, 4.00 Jowddah, 4.35 Tawasol, 5.05 Ancient Myth, 5.35 Highfield Viking.

WOLVERHAMPTON: 5.10 Moonlight Mirage, 5.40 Tamather, 6.12 Census, 6.42 Level Up, 7.12 Fixated, 7.42 Golden Garden, 8.12 Magic Runner, 8.42 Havana Touch.

DOUBLE: No Half Measures and Bow Echo.