"This is her Derby" - No Half Measures primed for Betfair Sprint Cup

Richard Hughes hopes stable star No Half Measures can fulfil a long-term plan by striking gold in what he has described as her ‘Derby’ in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock Park on Saturday (September 6th). 

After supplying Hughes with a breakthrough Group One success as a trainer when springing a 66-1 surprise in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup at Newmarket, the daughter of Cable Bay will now bid to add a second top level win to her name in the £400,000 contest , which has received 22 five-day confirmations today.

And having shown she is effective on any type of ground Hughes, who won the six-furlong race as a jockey on Tante Rose in 2004, believes she will take plenty of stopping at a track where conditions should play to her strengths. 

Hughes said: “She looks really good at the moment and we are really pleased with her. She has had a nice gap, but we always thought this was going to be her Derby.

“When we got started with her in the spring, we said the Sprint Cup at Haydock Park was her race as it is normally slow ground but either way now it doesn’t matter what the ground is really.

“If it is slower ground up there, she will step forward again. My horses always seem to run well up at Haydock Park. I’m not sure why they do, but they do and that is a good thing to have on your side, while Neil (Callan) will keep the ride.”

While looking forward to sending No Half Measures back to the Merseyside track, where she finished second on her penultimate start in the Listed Betfred ‘The Classic Bookmaker’ Achilles Stakes on May 31st, Hughes admits he will not forget her July Course heroics any time soon. 

Hughes said: “It was a brilliant day in the July Cup. We were hoping she would run well, but on that ground we didn’t think it would be possible to win. 

“I thought she would need it softer to be able to overcome that level of horse, but she went and proved she can do it on any ground. 

“I don’t think she had an advantage with the draw so you could probably upgrade the performance, but she did everything right and got to the line well. 

“Before you get that Group One winner you feel like you are hanging on by your fingertips trying to survive in this game getting the winners and keeping your owners happy. 

“When you get that Group One it feels like you can freewheel for a bit. We haven’t had that many winners since, but a big win like that takes the pressure off.”

Although No Half Measures showed smart form over five furlongs both last year, and on her penultimate start, Hughes feels she is now racing over her optimum distance. 

He added: “Ryan (Moore) kept saying she is really good over five furlongs but I thought she might be able to excel if she could travel over a bit further, and she hasn’t let me down. 

“She is always just hanging in there over five furlongs. 

“She ran well at the track on her penultimate start. She had a penalty that day and there was also a track bias. She hasn’t done anything wrong. 

“She is improving, and although she was beaten on her first start over six furlongs, she hasn’t been beaten over it since.”

No Half Measures is bidding to become the ninth horses to complete the Newmarket-Haydock Park double in the same season following Tudor Music (1969), Lianga (1975), Moorestyle (1980), Habibti (1983), Green Desert (1986), Ajdal (1987), Dream Ahead (2011) and Harry Angel (2017). 

While No Half Measures has already proven herself at the highest level, Hughes believes his other entry in the race, Sayidah Dariyan, more than merits her place in the line-up. 

And despite the daughter of Dariyan only finishing seventh back over five furlongs in the Coolmoore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York the Lambourn handler feels there is a valid excuse for that effort.

He added: “She missed the kick in the Nunthorpe trying her over five furlongs. We were hoping she would be quick enough, but when you miss the kick like that in a sprint you have no chance, however she ran on strongly to the line. I was impressed with her. 

“Her only dent is the Nunthorpe, but she has plenty of valid excuses for that effort.

“No Half Measures has been there and done it, but I have high regard for both fillies and I dare not say which is better as they are two good fillies that are going the right way. 

“If it is slow ground at Haydock Park it would hamper her performance a little bit, whereas we know it is fine for No Half Measures, but she is a very good filly."