All the leading fancies were among Saturday's 27 confirmations for the £200,000 Darley July Cup at Newmarket. Aidan O'Brien, who sent out Stravinsky to take the six-furlong championship two years ago, has seven still in the race, headed by 3-1 ante-post favourite Mozart.
His others are Ishiguru, Minardi, Freud, Modigliani, Dietrich and Juniper. Lincoln Dancer, and Pipalong, who were second and third in a finish of short heads by Japan's Agnes World 12 months ago, bid for glory again. The sole French raider is Iron Mask, trained by Criquette Head-Maarek, winner of the Group One Singapore Airlines Kris Flyer Sprint in May. Henry Cecil's Shibboleth, the 4-1 second favourite, and Funny Valentine were supplemented on Friday for £15,000 each.
The going at Newmarket for the three-day meeting that starts on Tuesday remains good to firm although the course received its first significant rainfall (about 4.5mm) for several weeks on Saturday morning. "The ground has been very much on the firm side and to have some rain now is ideal," said clerk of the course Michael Prosser. "We obviously don't know how much more we are likely to get over the next few days, but it'll take quite a lot for it not to still be good fast ground next week."
Darley July Cup: Fath, Gorse, Harmonic Way, Invincible Spirit, Lincoln Dancer, Misraah, Mount Abu, Primo Valentino, Superior Premium, Three Points, Tillerman, Vision Of Night, Cassandra Go, Pipalong, Freud, Hurricane Floyd, Iron Mask, Ishiguru, Juniper, Minardi, Modigliani, Mozart, Volata, Dietrich, Enthused, Funny Valentine, Shibboleth (27).
Filed by Pat Nugent
