Fleeting Spirit for July Cup
Jeremy Noseda confessed to being surprised when Sans Frontieres caused an upset in Princess of Wales’s Stakes on the second day of Newmarket’s July meeting.
But the trainer can now claim the showpiece of the meeting with Fleeting Spirit who would become the first horse since Right Boy in 1958-59 to win back-to-back renewals of the Group One Darley July Cup.
The mare faces some stiff opposition most notably from Starspangledbanner. Aidan O’Brien’s Australian import shook off a slightly substandard first run for the yard, when fifth to Prime Defender in the Duke Of York Stakes in May, to win the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot three weeks ago.
Starspangledbanner beat Society Rock by one-and-three-quarter lengths, with the American runner Kinsale King another head away in third. It was a further half-length back to Fleeting Spirit but it could be more a case of the width rather than the distance that was most significant in her defeat.
The draw at Ascot had been a matter of some debate, with a high draw seeming to confer an advantage early in the meeting. However, by the Golden Jubilee on the final day, the opposite appeared to be true with the first three home drawn four, 13 and nine respectively.
Fleeting Spirit raced from stall 21 but this time she is drawn next to Starspangledbanner, who is again likely to be up with the pace from the start. That should suit Fleeting Spirit, who is likely to have come on from what was her first run of the season, who can come off a strong pace to give Frankie Dettori his first win in the race.
Given the current form of Richard Hannon’s two-year-olds at this meeting it may be worth giving King Torus another chance in the Group Two 32Red.com Superlative Stakes. He probably saw too much daylight early on when he finished fourth to Zaidan in the Chesham Stakes at the royal meeting and has a good chance here receiving 3lbs from Formosina.
The 32Red Bunbury Cup will be its usual cavalry charge but, with a record of two wins and two seconds from four starts on the July course, Captain Brilliance can at least be expected to handle the track. He is only 4lbs higher than when finishing a neck second to Plum Pudding in this race last season and the return of a visor – missing for his last run – could have a positive effect.
Highland Knight can make the switch from maiden to handicap company in the 32Red Casino Handicap while at York the Group Three Cuisine De France Summer Stakes the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Letteratura has a good record of four wins and three seconds in seven races since being dropped to sprint distances.
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