Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Melissa Jones

Haydock horse race to predict World Cup 2022 winner with England among six runners

Runners will be under starter's orders for a special horse race which will predict the winner of the 2022 World Cup.

Just two days before England's opener against Iran, the event is being staged at Haydock Park on Saturday.

It is scheduled before the racecourse's meeting featuring the Betfair Chase, where reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup title-holder A Plus Tard attempts back-to-back wins.

The sponsors have put together a field of six horses for the Betfair Race to the World Cup Stakes, to represent the teams most likely to lift the trophy according to the betting.

They are England, Brazil, France, Argentina, Spain and Germany.

Professional riders will be aboard the horses in the five-furlong sprint, scheduled for 11.30am, 40 minutes before the main card begins.

Bryony Frost will be aboard the England horse and one of her raceday rivals is champion jockey Brian Hughes, who teams up with current World Cup holders France.

Betfair spokesman Barry Orr said on Racing TV: "We're running a race over five furlongs in Haydock Park to determine the outcome of this year's World Cup.

"Obviously Paul the Octopus did it a couple of years back. Each horse represents one of the top six teams in the betting. We're raising £10,000 for the Injured Jockeys Fund so it's going to be a bit of fun."

Between 2008 and 2010, Paul the Octopus made headlines worldwide for correctly predicting the outcome of international football matches.

His keepers in Germany would decorate two food boxes with the flags of the teams facing their national team – and he nominated the winner by whichever one he went to first.

A Plus Tard ridden by Rachael Blackmore after winning the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival (PA)

England's jockey in the weekend race, to be shown on ITV and Racing TV, will wear white and red silks.

Gareth Southgate's players are 8-1 with Betfair to win the World Cup, which concludes on December 18 in the 80,000-seater Lusail Iconic Stadium.

Brazil are the outright favourites (100-30) – and they take on Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon in Group G.

Former England manager and the firm's ambassador, Glen Hoddle, is presenting the trophy for the horse race.

He said: “For me, you've got to beat Brazil. On paper, France look very strong but this is all about tournament football. Forget England's form from the Nations League, it's a tournament now and, if you get momentum, you get confidence. Brazil are favourites, but I think England are in a group of about six countries that could go all the way.”

And Hoddle has urged 52-year-old Southgate to leave his post if he delivers a World Cup victory from their opening position from Group B.

Southgate, in position since September 2016, aims to become the second Three Lions manager after Sir Alf Ramsey to win a major tournament.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.