July Festival races coming together
Europe’s richest sprint, the £400,000 July Cup (Eng-G1) on July 11, featured 47
entrants at the forfeit stage, while the £400,000 Falmouth S. (Eng-G1), the
highlight of the opening day of the 2008 July Festival on July 9, has attracted
35 of the best distaffers across Europe.
The six-furlong July Cup, run over The July Course at Newmarket on the third and final day of the July Festival, will be the third and last British
leg of the inaugural Global Sprint Challenge in 2008.
The first British leg of the Global Sprint Challenge, which brings together
the best sprinters from around the world, began in Tuesday’s King’s Stand S.
(Eng-G1) going five furlongs at Royal Ascot. No less than six of the first 10
home in that event remain engaged in the July Cup, including Australian
superstar sprinter TAKEOVER TARGET (Celtic Swing), who finished a close second
in the King’s Stand. The nine-year-old gelding is set to make his second
appearance in the Newmarket showpiece after finishing a close seventh in 2006,
and the multiple Group 1 winner could re-oppose
King’s Stand third-placer FLEETING SPIRIT (Invincible Spirit), who has already shown herself
to be a potential superstar with a scintillating victory in the Temple S.
(Eng-G2) at Haydock in May.
Joe Janiak, trainer of nine-year-old Takeover Target, believes his sprinter
can do well in the six-furlong Golden Jubilee S. (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot on
Saturday and is then looking forward to coming to Newmarket for the July Cup.
“If he pulls up well on Saturday, he will go to the July Cup at Newmarket,”
Janiak said. “It’s part of the series and now we know more about the track there
than when he was seventh in 2006 — we’ll put more work on him this time.
“(Jockey) Jay (Ford) is under the impression he’ll get further now that he’s
older so a stiff six furlongs shouldn’t be a problem there.”
BENBAUN (Stravinsky), who took last year’s Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp
(Fr-G1), is also set to line up in the July Cup having finished seventh at Ascot
on Tuesday, as could ninth-placer ABRAHAM LINCOLN (Danehill) and 10th-placer
KINGSGATE NATIVE (Mujadil), last year’s Nunthorpe S. (Eng-G1) winner .
The Golden Jubilee, the second British leg of the Global Sprint Challenge is
also likely to provide significant clues for Newmarket. Last year’s July Cup
victor, SAKHEE’S SECRET (Sakhee), is set to do battle with the likes of listed
winners ZIDANE (Danzero) and FAT BOY (Choisir) as well as ASSERTIVE (Bold Edge)
and WAR ARTIST (Orpen), who finished first and second, respectively, in the Duke
of York S. (Eng-G2) at York last month.
There are 12 Irish-trained entries going forward for the July Cup, including
Tuesday’s Queen Anne S. (Eng-G1) hero HARADASUN (Fusaichi Pegasus), who is trained by
two-time July Cup winner Aidan O’Brien. The champion
trainer of Britain and Ireland has 11 engaged in the July Festival, including English (Eng-G1)
and Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) hero HENRYTHENAVIGATOR (Kingmambo), who
exits an impressive victory in Tuesday’s St James’s Palace (Eng-G1), and the talented sprinter US
RANGER (Danzig), who is set to contest the Golden Jubilee.
Other notable contenders for the great Newmarket sprint include 2006 July Cup
winner LES ARCS (Arch), St James’s Palace runner-up RAVEN’S PASS (Elusive
Quality) and the unbeaten WINKER WATSON (Piccolo), who was last seen taking last
year’s July S. (Eng-G2) at the July Festival.
New Zealand could have their first runner in the July Cup courtesy of the
Graeme Sanders-trained SEACHANGE (Cape Cross [Ire]), who will make her European
debut at Ascot on Saturday. The seven-time Group 1-winning mare has also been
engaged in the one-mile Falmouth.
Plenty of this year’s entrants have shown form at the highest level,
including 2007 English (Eng-G1) and Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) heroine
FINSCEAL BEO (Mr. Greeley) and two-time Group 1 victress SAOIRSE ABU (Mr.
Greeley), who both hail from the Jim Bolger stable.
A formidable Irish challenge of seven includes the O’Brien-trained
HALFWAY TO HEAVEN (Pivotal), winner of this season’s Irish One Thousand Guineas,
while Dermot Weld has engaged MAD ABOUT YOU (Indian Ridge)) and CARRIBEAN SUNSET
(Danehill Dancer), who finished a close second and third, respectively, behind
Halfway to Heaven at the Curragh.
Notable older fillies entered include Group 1 winner PASSAGE OF TIME (GB)
(Dansili [GB]), who was third in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf
(G1),
There is another opportunity for horses to be added to the field for the July
Cup on July 5, when there is also a £30,000 supplementary entry stage.