July Festival Preview

Newmarket's July Meeting is a quintessentially English fixture that is traditionally the domain of the racing purist.

It offers a chance to see excellent horses in a unique racing environment, the July Course, which provides a test of the thoroughbred totally different to Newmarket's sister track, the Rowley Mile.

While the Darley July Cup takes pride of place as the feature of the three days, two other races of note are Friday's G1 Falmouth Stakes and the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes. They are both cracking contests.

Godolphin's filly Lucida was magnificent in defeat when third behind Ervedya and Found in the G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Because of her wide draw, she had to be dropped out, and then she was forced to go around the entire field.

But Lucida was finishing fast for her gallant third. She was beaten only a neck and half a length, and if she runs up to that effort, she will go close against a very strong group of fillies in the Falmouth.

Integral has been disappointing of late but could bounce back, Arabian Queen was brilliant at Epsom, while both Avenir Certain and Amazing Maria are very talented. It is truly a hot contest.

The fact that Andre Fabre has declared Fintry, another in the Godolphin royal blue, following her last start win, is an encouraging pointer.

Godolphin's Rah Rah has a crack at the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes following her 10th in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot. She comes up against old rival Easton Angel, who was runner-up to Acapulco in that five-furlong sprint.

But the one they all have to beat is the Richard Hannon-trained Illuminate, who was impressive in taking the Albany Stakes at the Royal Meeting.

Other Godolphin runners worth noting are Future Empire in the opening Bahrain Trophy on Thursday, the first day of the meeting, and Steady Pace in the Arqana July Stakes.

Future Empire was finishing strongly at the end of the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot and is in top form. But the promising Mr Singh, trained by John Gosden, will be a tough nut to crack.

Steady Pace showed promise of a return to form when third to Washington DC in the Windsor Castle Stakes at the Royal Meeting and should run well again in the G2 July Stakes, which often produces a decent winner who goes on to better things.

Turning to Saturday's card, James Doyle is full of confidence that Brazen Beau, the brilliant Australian sprinter, can land Saturday's Darley July Cup in the famous Godolphin royal blue colours on Newmarket's demanding July Course.

Doyle has sat on Brazen Beau only three times, yet the son of I Am Invincible has already left a lasting impression on the Godolphin jockey.

"I can't believe how relaxed he is," Doyle explained. "When you think of top sprinters, you automatically think of highly-strung, explosive types. But this fellow is different. He is chilled out."

"I rode him twice on the July Course, just to get some experience of the track, and once on the Chippenham gallop. He is a proper sprinter. He is not over-big, but he has a very powerful physique, with big, strong hindquarters. He is well equipped to cope with anything Newmarket can throw his way," he said.

The Australian visitor was beaten only half a length after racing alone on the stands side for most of the six-furlong distance of the Diamond Jubilee. It was a courageous run, full of merit. He had drawn 15, and he stayed on a straight line from that gate for almost the entire trip.

Again, the draw will play a part at Newmarket, but essentially it will come down to who can last home up the hill after the demands of a race invariably run at a furious pace.

"With 17 entered, there is the possibility it will be a bigger field than he encountered (15) in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, and obviously it is a different track, with an uphill finish that tests a lot of sprinters," Doyle said.

"On paper, this Darley July Cup looks a two-horse race, which is reflected in the betting. But there are a few well-respected sprinters among the 'outsiders' and one of them might just pop out of the pack," he said.

Doyle sees His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's Muhaarar as the big danger. "He was very good when he won the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot," the jockey recalled.

"I rode Limato into second in that race. Limato is a very decent three-year-old sprinter and he was beaten three and a quarter lengths by Muhaarar over six furlongs, and that race represented good form," he pointed out.

The Darley July Cup is a 'maker' of stallions. Horses, who have both the speed and the stamina to win a July Cup, seem ideal material to develop into top sires.

One memorable running, in 2003, featured Oasis Dream and another Australian sprinter, Choisir. Both went on to become successful stallions. The winner of Saturday's renewal might well look forward to a similar future.