|
|
Kinsale King looks to turn the tables in July Cup Southern California-based speedster KINSALE KING (Yankee Victor), third to STARSPANGLEDBANNER (Choisir) in the Golden Jubilee S. (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot, will bid for revenge in Friday's July Cup (Eng-G1) at Newmarket. Kinsale King, who had defeated a strong international field in the March 27 Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) on Tapeta, switched to turf, and a six-furlong straightaway, for the first time in the June 20 Golden Jubilee. Despite his inexperience with that style of racing, he finished a battling third to the highly-regarded Australian import. Both jockey Kieren Fallon and trainer Carl O'Callaghan are eager for the rematch with Starspangledbanner. "Don't forget that when he ran such a blinder to be third in the Golden Jubilee, Kinsale King had only been in Britain for a week and had never raced on grass before," Fallon reiterated. "Now he has that race under his belt and has been here for almost a month I think things will be very different." "He come out of the race in good form and we opted to stay here and give it another shot," O'Callaghan told PA Sport. "Because he ran so well it sort of forced our hand. It was his first time on the grass and his first time in a straight line and he'd traveled halfway across the world. "He's perked up a lot. He hadn't run in 10 weeks going into Ascot, but he's had three weeks between these races, his weight has stayed pretty even and he's been eating well. "He had a good blow-out the other day on the Al Bahathri gallop. He's in great form, he's jumping out of his skin. All the horses behind Starspangledbanner are probably going to move up, and I think it will be more of a horse race this time around. We'll be the underdog, but we don't mind that." Kinsale King has drawn post 13, while the Aidan O'Brien-trained Starspangledbanner will break from post 11 with Johnny Murtagh. Starspangledbanner, who was acquired by Coolmore interests in late January, is expected to retire to stud in Australia following the July Cup. His connections might reconsider those plans. "I think Aidan and Johnny are of the genuinely-held belief that Starspangledbanner has the ability to achieve great things," Coolmore's Australian Business and Racing Manager Tom Magnier told PA Sport. "Obviously, he will need to be at his very best again on Friday, but Aidan is still learning about the horse and feels that he may well have improved again since Ascot, which is a very exciting proposition indeed. "It takes a unique sort of horse to be able to perform at the highest level in two hemispheres, with many having tried and ultimately failed. Starspangledbanner was identified as a top-class colt with the scope to improve further on what he had achieved in Australia, hence our desire to acquire the horse. As things have materialized to date, he has certainly rewarded our faith in him." Starspangledbanner, a dual Group 1 winner in Australia, was shipped to Ballydoyle earlier in the season and amazed O'Brien with the blistering speed he showed on the gallops. Fifth in the Duke of York S. (Eng-G2) under top weight in his European bow, he took a giant leap forward with his front-running success at Royal Ascot. Defending July Cup champion FLEETING SPIRIT (Ire) (Invincible Spirit) was a fine fourth in the Golden Jubilee. Making her first start of the year, the Jeremy Noseda mare was disadvantaged by racing on the far side of the course, away from the speed that dominated on the near side. In the circumstances, Fleeting Spirit did well to finish best on her side of the action, beaten only 2 1/2 lengths by Starspangledbanner on the stands' side. Frankie Dettori picks up the mount on Fleeting Spirit, who is drawn much better Friday, right between Starspangledbanner and Kinsale King in 12. She figures to get her stalking trip right behind the speed merchants. Most of the July Cup field is exiting the Golden Jubilee, including SOCIETY ROCK (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]), a shocking 50-1 runner-up to Starspangledbanner last time; seventh BALTHAZAAR'S GIFT (Xaar); eighth VARENAR (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]), whose calling card is an upset over Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) in last year's Prix de la Foret (Fr-G1); the Golden Jubilee ninth and 10th, PRIME DEFENDER (Bertolini) and SERIOUS ATTITUDE (Mtoto), respectively; 11th MARCHAND D'OR (Marchand de Sable), a former French champion who returns to the scene of his victory in the 2008 July Cup; 14th ALVERTA (Flying Spur), an Australian who did not ship well but is eligible to improve in her second British start; and the talented sophomore SHOWCASING (Oasis Dream [GB]), a wildly uncharacteristic last of 24 in the Golden Jubilee who adds blinkers on Friday. "We were mystified by his performance at Royal Ascot and we have to try something," Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Khalid Abdullah, said. "The blinkers may help him to concentrate." The three remaining July Cup entrants are all top-class performers coming off the June 15 King's Stand S. (Eng-G1), a five-furlong scramble at Royal Ascot. EQUIANO (Acclamation) showed bags of pace en route to a 1 1/2-length triumph for Barry Hills, reclaiming the King's Stand title he had first earned in 2008. He promises to be on the engine again Friday, where he will break right next to Starspangledbanner in post 10. Australian raider NICCONI (Bianconi) rallied for fourth in the King's Stand, and the David Hayes charge might enjoy the extra furlong to work with in the July Cup. Australian jockey Damien Oliver, who did not make the trek to Royal Ascot, will renew his acquaintance with the hero of the Lightning S. (Aus-G1). KINGSGATE NATIVE (Mujadil) had defeated Equiano two starts back in the Temple S. (Eng-G2) at Haydock, but could do no better than a lackluster sixth in the King's Stand. The Sir Michael Stoute trainee was compromised by a recent illness on that occasion, and he has the class to rebound here. Kingsgate Native captured the 2007 Nunthorpe S. (Eng-G1) over older sprinters as a two-year-old, and added the Golden Jubilee to his record in 2008. He must overcome being drawn in post 2, well away from the speed, but the astute Ryan Moore could compensate for that. "I don't think the draw helped at Ascot, and we are not particularly well drawn here, either -- we are well away from the pace," Cheveley Park's Managing Director Chris Richardson told PA Sport. "There were some excuses last time. He'd had a sinus infection and needed a course of antibiotics, and hopefully that is the reason Ryan Moore said he ran so flat."
 Send this article to a friend
|
|
