Haydock Sprint Cup: Andrew Balding’s Alcohol Free misses Team One mission after failure | Racing news

Alcohol Free will miss the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on the Saturday following the defeat.

A double winner of Group One by more than a mile last season after claiming the right to Crown at Royal Ascot and Sussex at Goodwood, Andrew Balding unexpectedly hit the top-level treble with a resounding success six times at Goodwood. Cup of July at Newmarket last month.

Since completing a reliable third following the excellent Baaeed defending her Sussex crown, hopes are high ahead of her intended trip to Merseyside – but she has now been set for a spell beside.

“Unfortunately, Alcohol Free sustained what we hoped was a minor injury, but it was significant enough to knock her out of the Sprint Cup,” Balding said.

“She got a cut and needed stitches in an awkward place. Hopefully that’s not the end of her career, but it will seriously affect her chances of returning to Haydock in the United States. her best form, so we decided to remove that spot and look to alternate plans.

“We’re going to have to be instructed on how she reacts. It’s been stitched up and we need to see how she reacts to that, and we’re definitely not going to take any chances, so we’re going to have to wait and see. We’ll play it on a day-by-day basis.

“We’ll know more things in a week’s time. Racing is full of frustrations and disappointments, so we’re pretty used to them.

“It was a blow, but fortunately they can’t take away what she’s achieved. We just hope she’ll be fine in a week to 10 days.”