Pipalong, sure to be in her element on the rain-soaked ground, can tomorrow become the first horse since Be Be Friendly in 1967-68 to win back-to-back runnings of the Group 1 Stanley Leisure Sprint Cup at Haydock.

The chances of Tim Easterby's wonderful mare repeating her famous victory of 12 months ago have increased considerably during the last 24 hours as sufficient rain has fallen on the Lancashire course to make the ground soft and even heavy in places.

Not only will Pipalong relish the conditions, as she did in this race last year, but the gruelling going will be very much against some of her rivals, including the ante-post favourite Three Points, who is reckoned to be most effective on good ground.

"The softer, the better," says Easterby in advance of Pipalong's big-race bid.

The five-year-old, winner of the Duke Of York Stakes on Knavesmire in May, has had excuses for her three subsequent defeats.

Badly hampered in the Cork And Orrery Stakes at Royal Ascot, she had no chance from a poor draw in Newmarket's July Stakes, while a combination of dropping back to five furlongs on quick-drying ground at York last month counted against her in the Nunthorpe Stakes.

Tomorrow, over six furlongs and with the mud flying, Pipalong has everything in place to take her prize money earnings through the £500,000 barrier. Kevin Darley, her usual rider, will be in the hot-seat.

Caxton Lad, another proven mud-lover, should not be missed in the stanleybet.co.uk Handicap.

Peter Makin has managed to get his four-year-old on the track only once this season, but Caxton Lad is a winner over this course and distance and it is significant that his shrewd trainer has engaged the services of Pat Eddery tomorrow. He is awarded the nap vote to bounce back to form.

Middlethorpe, trained by Mick Easterby, who saddled winners at Redcar and Wolverhampton yesterday, makes each-way appeal in the Stanley Racing Old Borough Cup Handicap, while Tahitian Storm represents the likewise in-form Mark Tompkins in the Stanley Racing Nursery.

At Kempton, the highly-regarded Delius can win the £35,000 Milcars September Stakes for Sir Michael Stoute and Kieren Fallon.

Impressive at Windsor last time, the four-year-old is capable of climbing further up the glory ladder.

Tomorrow's Selections

HAYDOCK: 2-00 Just Murphy, 2-30 Middlethorpe, 3-00 Pipalong, 3-35 Lewis Island, 4-05 Oakley Rambo, 4-35 Tahitian Storm, 5-10 Eastern Image, 5-40 Caxton Lad (NAP)

Kempton: 2-10 Right Approach, 2-40 Danielle's Lad, 3-10 Delius, 3-45 Bright Spark, 4-15 Two Marks, 4-45 Millennium Cadeaux

THIRSK: 2-20 Shotley Dancer, 2-55 Santisima Trinidad, 3-30 Banasan, 4-00 Light Scent, 4-30 Cumbrian Harmony, 5-05 Artifice, 5-35 Sandpoint

Updated: 13:19 Friday, September 07, 2001