Australian import STARSPANGLEDBANNER (Choisir) powered up the rising ground
in the closing stages of Friday’s £400,000 July Cup
(Eng-G1) at Newmarket, collaring the front-running Equiano (Acclamation) to capture his second straight top-level sprint prize. American hopeful Kinsale King (Yankee Victor), who had finished a gallant third to
Starspangledbanner in the June 19 Golden Jubilee S. (Eng-G1) at Royal
Ascot, failed to duplicate that effort and tired to 12th.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Starspangledbanner has
presented his Coolmore owners with a dilemma: Should they retire him to stud
immediately, in time for the Australian breeding season, as originally planned?
Or has Starspangledbanner convinced them to prolong his European campaign?
“We have to decide by midnight if he is going to go to Australia for the
covering season,” O’Brien told PA Sport. “John (Magnier), Michael (Tabor) and
all the lads (at Coolmore) will debate hard over the next few hours, and we will
only know after that if he is going to go into quarantine.
“I’ll give my penny’s worth, and as you all know, I’d love to see him stay
here and keep on racing.”
Starspangledbanner garnered the July Cup trophy
that had eluded his sire Choisir. An Australian invader who had turned the 2003
King’s Stand S. (Eng-G2)/Golden Jubilee double at Royal Ascot, Choisir finished
second in the July Cup in his European swan song.
Unlike Choisir, Starspangledbanner raced only
once at Royal Ascot, and was arguably fresher for Friday’s assignment at
Newmarket. The flying chestnut was dispatched as the 2-1 favorite in the July
Cup, where he clashed with two-time King’s Stand S. (Eng-G1) winner
Equiano.
Starspangledbanner blazed to victory in the Golden Jubilee by grabbing the
early lead, but he employed pace-prompting tactics in the July Cup. Right after
the start, Johnny Murtagh angled him all the way over from post 11 to occupy the
far side rail. Although that bold stroke might have been the winning one, it
caused a major traffic jam behind him as he cut over in front of rivals.
Murtagh incurred the displeasure of the stewards, who slapped him with a
six-day suspension. He will sit out July 23 through 28, costing him the
opportunity to ride in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. (Eng-G1) at Ascot
on July 24.
Starspangledbanner initially showed in front when setting up
shop on the far rail, but Equiano soon sprinted to the lead down the center. The Barry
Hills charge made a daring attempt to repeat his heroics in the five-furlong
King’s Stand over the extra furlong at Newmarket. Starspangledbanner kept close
to the pace to Equiano’s inside, with the Australian mare Alverta (Flying Spur)
looming just to Equiano’s outside.
With Equiano maintaining his ferocious pace, Starspangledbanner was coming
under pressure, and Murtagh was just pushing him along to keep up. Kinsale King,
drafting just behind the pace, was likewise being asked to lift his game, but he
was unable to respond to Kieren Fallon’s urgings and ultimately dropped back.
Alverta, however, was still traveling conspicuously well. Only 14th in the
Golden Jubilee after losing plenty of weight in transit from Australia, she was
clearly back in form here, and for a time appeared poised to spring a 66-1
upset.
Instead, it was her compatriot Starspangledbanner who delivered the coup de
grace. The favorite found his best stride when climbing up the hill, and he
outkicked his opponents to take command. Equiano tried to come again, but
Starspangledbanner had a neck to spare in a sparkling final time of 1:09.81 for six
furlongs on the good-to-firm straightaway.
“Not many horses win this after winning at Ascot,” Murtagh reflected, “but
he’s not just got class, he’s got plenty of guts and he’s hardy. I thought the
rail would help my horse. I had to make my own mind up and it helped win the
race.
“Stamina helped us win it; some Australian horses don’t go up the hill, but
this lad does.”
“He’s very tough — he’s a serious horse,” O’Brien said. “He’s got some
courage and great pace. Very few horses have that much courage when they are so
fast.”
Equiano’s near-miss effort answered his detractors who believed that he
wasn’t suited to six furlongs. Alverta reported home three-quarters of a length
back in third. Kingsgate Native (Mujadil) closed for fourth, followed by
defending July Cup champion Fleeting Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit). Nicconi (Bianconi),
the third of the Australian-breds, wound up 10th in the 14-horse field.
Campaigned by Tabor, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier and Ms. Massey,
Starspangledbanner now sports a mark of 15-7-1-2 with a bankroll surpassing
£1.1 million.
Starspangledbanner was initially trained by Leon Corstens in Australia.
Placed in the Blue Diamond Prelude S. (Aus-G3) and Festival of Racing S. as a
juvenile, he really came to hand at three. Starspangledbanner captured the H.D.F.
McNeil S. (Aus-G3) and the Vain S., and later broke through at the top level
with a 2 3/4-length triumph in the one-mile Caulfield Guineas (Aus-G1) in
October.
Acquired by Coolmore interests on the eve of the January 30 Lightning S.
(Aus-G1), Starspangledbanner returned from his Australian late spring/early
summer break to finish a solid fourth in that contest against older sprinters.
The Lightning set him up perfectly for a winning effort in the February 20
Oakleigh Plate (Aus-G1), where he just held on by a short head in a blanket
finish. He concluded his career Down Under with a staying-on third in the
Newmarket H. (Aus-G1) on soft ground and then shipped to Ireland.
Starspangledbanner made his debut for O’Brien in the May 12 Duke of York S.
(Eng-G2) and shaped with great promise for fifth under top weight of 138 pounds.
Bred in Australia by Emily Krstina Pty Ltd., Starspangledbanner was sold for
A$120,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. Out of the stakes-placed Gold
Anthem (Made of Gold), he is a half-brother to the stakes-placed Gold Chant (El
Moxie) and hails from the family of Australian champion Haradasun (Fusaichi
Pegasus), who had also been transferred to O’Brien for an abbreviated European
campaign. Haradasun landed the 2008 Queen Anne S. (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot, and
that victory was enough for him to be ranked as the highweight miler in both
England and Ireland. Haradasun is a half-brother to Australian champion and
U.A.E. highweight Elvstroem (Danehill), hero of the 2005 Dubai Duty Free
(UAE-G1). They were produced by Australian Oaks (Aus-G1) queen Circles of Gold (Marscay).