Dubai: Overnight rain has thrown a sizeable spanner in the works for the William Haggas-trained Muthmir who has been the big ante-post favourite for Saturday’s Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes (Listed) at the East Yorkshire racecourse.

The six-year-old son of Invincible Spirit, who is owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, is not a fan of soft ground which Haggas believes may scupper’s his chances of breaking a seven-race losing streak since the Group 2 King George Stakes at Goodwood in July.

A talented sprinter, Muthmir has won five of his 20 races, but none at the top level.

“The rain has been a nightmare, every time I declare him it rains,” moaned Haggas, “I’m planning to send him as it’s warm and dry with no more rain forecast and we’ll just have to see as he needs a race.

“I think it will dry up to good but he needs it fast. It’s a shame, as it’s a stiff five there with plenty of pace on, which will really suit.

“He’s in the Flying Five (Curragh) and the Abbaye (Chantilly) and I’d like to run him in both, but a lot of that depends on how the ground is.

“He’s in fine form and is good to go — he just needs to race.”

Bryan Smart won the Bullet in 2011 with Tangerine Trees and this time saddles his half-brother Alpha Delphini.

Smart said: “He’s in great order and he deserves to have a crack at a race like this. He won his maiden at Beverley and stays five furlongs very well, so we know he likes it at the track.

Richard Fahey saddles Mr Lupton, winner of a valuable handicap at York in June but out of luck in two Group-race efforts since.

Fahey said: “It is a competitive race, but some of his form is rock-solid. He is in great form, but I would be a little bit worried about the drop back in trip.”

Line Of Reason has been placed in the last two renewals and Paul Midgley hopes it will be third-time lucky.

“He’s in great form and hopefully it stays dry between now and the Bullet,” he said.

“Muthmir is the big danger, I think, but as long as conditions are in his favour and he turns up in good form, he should take all the beating.”