Mother Nature will dictate which of Stuart Williams’ runners compete in the £50,000 Totepool Beverley Bullet on Saturday.
The Newmarket handler has Holley Shiftwell and Cordial in contention for the valuable five-furlong Listed sprint at Beverley, but the two horses are suited by markedly different terrain.
Williams said: “We’ll definitely be running one of them at Beverley as it’s a very good race with good prize-money.
“If it’s good or better, then Holley would run, and if it’s good to soft or worse than that, then we’d run Cordial.
“No-one knows what the weather is going to do, but it’s possible we’d declare both horses and make a decision on the day.”
Holley Shiftwell has already shown a fine level form in Listed company but failed to make an impression in the Stewards’ Cup consolation race at Glorious Goodwood at the beginning of the month.
Four-year-old filly Cordial has also been in fine nick this summer, and was last seen finishing fourth in the Listed Abergwaun Stakes at Tipperary on August 7.
Williams said: “Cordial ran a really smart race in Ireland and is a nice filly.
“We obviously need a bit of rain for her as she likes to get her toe in, but she has plenty of speed and ability.
“Holley will have no problems back over five furlongs. She jumped out at Goodwood and found herself in front, and was then in a position where the rest of the field chased her down.
“Before that, she has done really well in some good races.”
Dikta Del Mar finished third in the Abergwaun at Tipperary and is set to join fellow Irish sprinter Maarek in the Bullet, which will be broadcast live on Channel 4 at 2.20pm.
Trainer Tom Hogan said: “The plan is to come over to Beverley and Ben Curtis will ride.
“As a three-year-old filly, she gets some weight off the others, so this seems a good race for her.
“She didn’t seem to act at Goodwood (last in the King George Stakes) for whatever reason, but her run before that behind Stepper Point in the Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh was pretty good.
“She’s won before in soft ground so we wouldn’t be too concerned if they get more rain there.”
Saturday’s £136,000 card is due to begin at 1.45pm, with the going currently good, good to soft in places ahead of Beverley’s richest ever raceday.
The popular East Yorkshire circuit also throws open its doors for a top fixture on Sunday, with £60,000 in prize-money up for grabs.
Totesport bet: 6-1 Maarek, Line Of Reason, 7-1 Iffranesia, Alben Star, Kingsgate Native, 9-1 Katawi, 10-1 Ridge Ranger, Dikta Del Mar, 11-1 Online Alexander, Holley Shiftwell, 12-1 Red Pike, 14-1 Northgate Lad, 16-1 Polybius, 20-1 bar
