Undrafted, Noozhoh Canarias bring international flavor to July Cup

Undrafted, Noozhoh Canarias bring international flavor to

July Cup

"The straightaway is a bit of a concern," said Ward, who will be saddling his

first runner at Newmarket. "But I think he will have more speed than his

competition, even though he is a come-from-behind sprinter.

"Newmarket's course is undulating," the horseman added. "I think the natural

speed this horse has will put him much closer than he would be here in the

States with our sprinters, who are much quicker."

The international flavor of the July Cup is boosted by Spanish star Noozhoh Canarias.

Trainer Enrique Leon has every faith in the three-year-old son of Caradak, who set a

blistering pace in the Group 1 Two Thousand Guineas at Newmarket in May before

eventually finishing sixth.

"Noozhoh Canarias is in beautiful condition and I couldn't be happier

with him," Leon said. "He had a gallop on Tuesday which sharpened him up and woke him up a

bit and now he's really ready to go.

"He won't necessarily make the running, he just needs to use his pace as he

has a very long stride. If anyone wants to go faster than him then we will be

happy to sit in behind. I think the Guineas form (when he finished sixth) is

very strong, as he had many Group 1 horses behind him, and if he reproduces that

run I will be happy and he should go close."

Irish trainer Edward Lynam is looking forward to again running both of his star

sprinters, Slade Power and Sole Power, in Saturday's six-furlong July Cup, a leg of both the

British Champions Series and the Global Sprint Challenge.

The pair are fresh from landing the two Group 1 sprints at Royal Ascot -- the Diamond Jubilee and King's Stand

-- and are part of a top class 16-runner field for this affair over Newmarket's

July Course.

"They have both had an A1 preparation for this race although I have done

nothing major with them since Royal Ascot," Lynam said. "Slade Power has done nothing but improve throughout his career and we are

hopeful that he still has a bit more improvement left in him.

"It would be hard to make a case that Sole Power's best trip is anything

other than five furlongs but I still believe that he is a pretty potent force

over six furlongs and he was only a neck and a head behind Slade Power last

year."

Aside from Lynam's powerful pair, fellow Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien saddles Due

Diligence, Cougar Mountain and Fountain of Youth.

The home contingent meanwhile is led by Aljamaaheer and the three-year-olds,

Astaire and Hot Streak, who are both trained in Yorkshire by Kevin Ryan.

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