Officials at Haydock Park are taking no chances ahead of the richest horse race of the year this weekend.

The racecourse is taking no chances with the wet weather and has put down a waterproof cover on the track's home straight to keep as much rain off the turf as possible.

Some of the fastest racehorses in Europe will be making their way to the North-west for the 42nd running of the £300,000 Betfred Sprint Cup on Saturday.

For the first time ever, the total prize fund on one day at the racecourse exceeds £½ million.

Dickon White, managing director of Haydock Park, said: "The Betfred Sprint Cup meeting is a hugely popular occasion with racing fans, attracts a big crowd, and is the highlight of our Flat racing season."

A maximum of 17 horses will take part in the race from the 42 that were confirmed as entries this week.

Two previous winners could take part this year. Reverence, trained in Lancashire and owned by Haydock Park director Gary Middlebrook and his wife Lesley, was victorious in 2006, while Somnus won the race back in 2003.

The two highest rated horses are Royal Ascot winner Kingsgate Native and last year's Betfred Sprint Cup favourite Sakhee's Secret.

Top Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien, who has yet to win the event, has five horses entered.

The entire racecard at Haydock is very classy, including the betfred.com Old Borough Cup, the Betfred Ladies Poker Tour Superior Mile and the betfredbingo.com Be Friendly Handicap, which commemorates the horse that won the first two runnings of the Sprint Cup in 1966 and 1967.

Be Friendly - owned by the former BBC 'Voice of Racing' Sir Peter O'Sullevan - remains the only horse to have won the race twice, and a life-size bronze of him now stands resplendent in the paddock at Haydock Park.

The horse was denied the chance of going for a hat-trick of victories by fog in 1968.

The first race time is currently scheduled for 2.05pm.

  • Admission: Newton Enclosure £10, Tattersalls £20, County Enclosure £34, and Premier Enclosure £45. Accompanied children aged under 16 enter free. Senior citizens and students, with appropriate identification, enter Tattersalls and the Newton Enclosure at half price.