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A horse in the shady pre-parade ring at the July Festival

Newmarket July Festival paddock notes from Timeform's David Cleary

By David Cleary

Horse Racing

Wed July 19, 2023 · 1y ago

Timeform's David Cleary was in attendance at Newmarket's July Festival last week and he's written up his detailed paddock observations.

'2 atts gd s lw relaxed'. Scribbled paddock notes for a future champion.

City Of Troy's performance in winning the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket was without question the highlight of the July Festival. My Timeform colleagues have already rightly waxed lyrical about his effort, so I will just expand on the scribblings: City Of Troy has the looks to go with the potential, a good sort of colt, all quality; he looked well and he impressed with his relaxed demeanour, led round, as usual with a runner from his yard, by two handlers.

It's interesting that Aidan O'Brien was afterwards more concrete than is sometimes the case about plans for City Of Troy, potentially just one more run as a two-year-old, in the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at the Curragh. Of O'Brien's previous 11 winners of the National Stakes, five didn't run subsequently at two, two went on to win the Dewhurst and four were beaten later in the campaign, two in the Dewhurst, two in the Grand Criterium.

The quartet of National Stakes winners that went on to victory in the Two Thousand Guineas, include two that didn't run again, King Of Kings and George Washington, and two that did, the Dewhurst winner Churchill and Grand Criterium third Gleneagles. Hawk Wing, runner-up at Newmarket and in the Derby, was another that didn't run again as a juvenile.

City Of Troy looks a magnificent prospect

Perhaps such an early call is interesting, but not significant. However, City Of Troy's pedigree isn't an obvious one for an outstanding two-year-old, that he looks so precocious a harbinger of great things to come, perhaps.

City Of Troy's brother Bertinelli had two runs at two, but only at a mile late in the campaign. Having won the London Gold Cup over a mile and a quarter, he did even better over an extra two furlongs at Royal Ascot. If Bertinelli runs in a classic it will be the St Leger.

City Of Troy's dam Together Forever won the Fillies' Mile and was fourth in the Irish Oaks; her sister Forever Together won the Oaks as a maiden. His sire Justify didn't run at two, then went unbeaten in six starts at three, notably landing the US Triple Crown.

The Triple Crown. There is something quixotic about O'Brien's desire to win the British version, a feat with a purely sporting, historic purpose, last achieved by Nijinsky, trained by Aidan's great Ballydoyle predecessor Vincent O'Brien in 1970. Camelot came close and probably ought to have done so, denied by Encke in the St Leger. Auguste Rodin might have been targeted at Doncaster had he not fluffed his lines in the Guineas. Already favourite for the Guineas and Derby, could the Triple Crown be City Of Troy's destiny?

Earlier at the July Festival, Mountain Bear had represented O'Brien in the July Stakes. He was the pick of the field on looks, but things didn't go his way, hampered at the start and failing to settle. Mountain Bear will be worth another chance at pattern level.

The July Stakes runner-up Lake Forest was another to find trouble out of the stalls, doing his best work at the finish. His physique suggests a sprinter, but there are stouter elements in his pedigree and something like the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood might be a good option for him next.

The third two-year-old pattern event at the meeting, the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes, was a shocker, with hot favourite Star Of Mystery throwing away a golden opportunity, failing to settle and hanging both ways in the closing stages.

The two-year-old maidens at the meeting were a bit underwhelming as well. The valuable six-furlong event for fillies on the first day went to Sacred Angel. She was the pick on looks, a typical well-grown sort from the Johnston yard, and she made the most of her previous experience.

Sacred Angel might not beat Dubai Treasure another time. Dubai Treasure was incredibly green in the preliminaries, noisy as well and spooked going to post, so it was very encouraging that she showed as much as she did.

The seven-furlong fillies maiden was a similar story with the once-raced Race The Wind knowing more than the debutant Zenjabeela, who hung left when making her challenge. With the likely hot favourite Content withdrawn due to the ground, this wasn't a strong race.

The seven-furlong event for colts and geldings was a better affair, and, on looks and pedigree the first two, Arabic Legend and Emperor's Star, should have long-term potential. Both are bred to stay at least a mile and a quarter in due course and Emperor's Star ran as if he'd benefit from a mile already.

However, the field for the novice at Sandown won by Starlore the previous weekend was, on looks, a better one. Although they finished in something of a heap, this ought to be a race that throws up winners. Wild Waves, who's bred for middle distances, and Blue Collar, a well-made sort who looked in need of the run, both had running left at the line and have longer-term potential.

Blue Collar's stable-companion Maximum Dividend and the favourite Arabian Crown filled the places and showed more immediate promise, both with a good chance of winning next time out. They also have potential in the longer term, bred to stay a mile and further in time.

As for Starlore, he belied his pre-race demeanour. Noisy and very green in the paddock, he travelled smoothly through the race and looked set to win convincingly when going on the final quarter-mile before inexperience showed late on. He has a fine pedigree and seems a candidate for a step up to pattern company sooner rather than later.

Starlore's trainer Sir Michael Stoute doesn't send out many first-time-out two-year-old winners. The only one last year was Nostrum, who set himself up for a good second half of the campaign with an impressive win in the listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes on his belated return.

Nostrum, one of the best-looking two year olds of last year, was in good order for his comeback and, heavily punted late on, found a good turn of foot to score convincingly from Embesto. Nostrum did enough to think he'll be a player at the highest level later in the summer, probably at a mile, though with the option of going up in trip if thought necessary.

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Disappointment of the race was Imperial Emperor, as weak in the market as Nostrum was strong. He'd looked an exciting prospect in winning his first two starts, but couldn't progress further up in grade. Perhaps he's ready for a step up in trip.

There had been another disappointment for Imperial Emperor's stable earlier in the afternoon, with the eclipse of the 2021 Derby winner Adayar in the Princess of Wales's Stakes. Despite looking in fine condition beforehand, 3/1-on shot Adayar had no response when tackled by Israr, who'd been beaten in Listed company on his previous outing.

The 2021 Princess Of Wales's Stakes had brought the curtain down on the career of the 2019 Derby winner Masar and it's possible the same fate awaits Adayar. He'd certainly be hard to fancy on this showing if he turns up at Ascot for the King George at the end of the month.

Godolphin enjoyed better fortune in the Bahrain Trophy, in which Appleby's Castle Way snuck home from Tower Of London and Saint George. As a St Leger trial, this was no guide at all, the lack of pace meaning it developed into a three-furlong sprint, not something that is likely at Doncaster.

All three colts have plenty of scope to them and should continue to progress. Interestingly, both Tower of London, a brother to the St Leger winner Capri, and Saint George have entries in two-mile pattern events against their elders. They are more obviously likely to be suited by an increased emphasis on stamina than Castle Way and it's probably right that Tower Of London is the shortest priced of the trio in the St Leger market.

Saint George's close third placing franked the form of his Queen's Vase second to Gregory, the current St Leger favourite. Gregory is set to have his Doncaster prep in the Goodwood Cup, a bold route his stable took successfully with Stradivarius. With his stable-companion Courage Mon Ami presumably going elsewhere, Gregory has a good chance of having a Group 1 in the bag before the St Leger.

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