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Tuesday 10 July 2012

The July Cup


Clerk of the course Michael Prosser said: "The track has taken all the rain that we had well and we have been very lucky that it has been dry today.

"I am loathe to change the ground until the morning as there is a threat of showers overnight. Saturday's forecast is for a warmer day with sunny breaks and showers."

Trainers quotes for the July Cup on Saturday :

Roger Charlton - BATED BREATH
He is favourite for a Group 1 and my inclination is to let him take his chance because York could be as bad but we will have to wait until tomorrow.
Like most horses he would prefer faster ground. He has run on soft ground before and won well. It's just not to his advantage.
The horse is not going to come to any harm running on the ground - that's not the issue - it's just he may not produce his best and I guess when a horse is about to be a stallion, you wonder whether that's sensible or not.

Richard Fahey - MAYSON
"I just want him to put that disappointing last run behind him. The run before that I was very confident but it was a bit of a disaster. He got very upset in the stalls. If you put those two runs behind him and go back his form at Newmarket then he could run well. He seems in great form at home. I have always liked him and I'm just hoping he can come back to form."

Mayson has been a bit disappointing on his last couple of runs ahead of the Darley July Cup at Newmarket. It was just desperate ground at Newcastle last time and he couldn't get his feet out of it.
He likes the other course at Newmarket and everything is fine for him so I'd be delighted if he could get placed. It would be brilliant to see him win but he would have to be at his very best - we shall see what happens.

Eve Johnson Houghton - THE CHEKA
He seems in really good form after Ascot. I thought he ran below par there but I can't find a reason for it. We did some tests and he's absolutely tickety boo, so I'm hoping it's just one of those things. Unfortunately Neil (Callan) has been claimed to go to York so Jimmy Fortune is going to ride him.
This horse doesn't mind any ground and we are hopeful of a big run from him. It looks an open race, though if Bated Breath runs he's a big danger."

David Marnane - DANDY BOY
He pleased us going into Ascot and has pleased us as much, if not more, since coming out of Ascot. We sat down and had a good chat, he won well at Ascot and we decided to take our chance. He's been a phenomenal horse for us and to win a third big handicap like that in the manner he did shows what a good horse he is on his day. He's a fragile horse and when they are right and well you have to take your chance.
The ground was just good at Ascot, it was touch and go whether he would run because of softer ground but he's a little bit older now and he is fragile so maybe he enjoys a bit ease in the ground now. I think he moved better at Ascot on the slightly easier surface."

DANDY BOY - He's a super horse, he owes us nothing and he's entitled to take his chance in these races. The ground is an issue and he's done most of his winning on level tracks. I just hope he's OK - a big horse like him on those undulations, but he has a tendency to travel well so that should help him. Softer ground is a debate really. I probably wouldn't be mad about it, but he has won over six on yielding to soft at Fairyhouse and has been Group Three placed over a mile on soft ground at the Curragh. There's a little hope that he can handle the ground and it might not help some of the other horses. We're in now so we are going to take our chance. Please God he runs a nice race."

Paul Messara - ORTENSIA
"Prior to the King's Stand she didn't seem to handle the environment. She got upset in the pre-parade ring and broke out into quite a big sweat. By the time of the race she was very revved up and agitated and had run her race before she had even got there.
She ran an average race and pulled up with a sore back but everything's settled down now. We've had a couple of practices here which have been great and she's done well. She's done a good bit of work here and we're hoping she will be a much (better) settled horse on the day.
Her last piece of work was excellent on the course proper here and she will have another gallop tomorrow. We are very pleased with her going into the race."

Mahmood Al Zarooni - SEPOY
"He's a good horse and he's back now. When he arrived here (in Newmarket) he was a bit down. We gave him an easy time to recover. He has recovered and is in good form. He did a piece of work on Saturday and he's showing that sort of form (as he did in Australia).
I don't know why he ran like he did at Meydan. The surface, or sometimes when they travel they get really down. It is long way to Dubai from Australia. That's why I think he ran like he did."

He's in good form and is ready to have a run. I think the ground will suit him, he won a Group One in Australia on soft, but how good he is compared to the British horses, I don't know. His form is very difficult to judge when you try and compare him to the horses over here. He has worked nicely, so we will see

Dean Ivory - SIRIUS PROSPECT
"Sirius Prospect is definitely an intended runner in the Darley July Cup. I was delighted with his run in the Diamond Jubilee and he has come out of that race the best that he has come out of a race all year.
He wore a hood and blinkers for the first time at Royal Ascot and he will be wearing both again at Newmarket. I think that it helps him a little bit because he can get a little bit wound up in the stalls, like a lot of sprinters do. I don't want to lose a length or two in races like this and it gives him a bit more focus.
The ground won't be a problem for him, as long as it is not heavy. He seems to run on all ground and, ideally, I would be happy with good to soft or soft because we know he goes on it.
It took a while for him to get going this season but I think his run in the Diamond Jubilee proved a lot. He was drawn the opposite side to Black Caviar and had to race away from the pace. If he puts in a similar race at Newmarket, then I would like to think that he will be there or thereabouts."