Kingsgate on target for July 11 test
Thursday 3rd July, 2008
Trainer John Best this morning reported dual Group One winner Kingsgate Native on target for the £400,000 Darley July Cup on Friday, July 11, the final day of the 2008 Ritz Cup July Festival at Newmarket.
The Mujadil colt won last season’s Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York as a two-year-old and went on to land the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last month under Seb Sanders, who the trainer added is "99 per cent likely" to be aboard in the Group One at Newmarket.
"Kingsgate Native has come out of Ascot fine - no problems at all. I’ve been absolutely happy with him the whole way through. The plan is still to go to the Darley July Cup. I’ve not had a day off with him and he seems absolutely 100 per cent," reported Best.
"He came out of the race well. I always give him a little bit of time off immediately after a race. He had his little break, is back now and is in good form.
"I just hope everything falls into place at Newmarket. There’s obviously some very special horses in there and maybe the draw bias won’t be the same in the Darley July Cup as it was at Ascot. I’m 99 per cent sure it will be Seb (Sanders) on top."