Friday 13th July 2007
Sakhee’s Secret excels in outstanding July Cup renewal
Sakhee's Secret wins the Darley July Cup. Picture by Steve Cargill
SAKHEE’S Secret gave a stunning exhibition of sprinting as he sped to a half-length victory in the Darley July Cup today.
The Hugh Morrison-trained three-year-old had never contested a Group race before but he took Europe’s most prestigious sprint in sizzling fashion.
Jockey Steve Drowne deserves plenty of credit for settling the son of Sakhee, who was a tad keen early, before engineering the opening that would prove crucial to the outcome.
Sakhee’s Secret was held up in mid-division for much of the race but delivered an electric response when asked for his effort. He burst through to lead entering the final furlong and just had enough left up his sleeve to repel the fast-finishing Dutch Art.
Drowne said: “He is up there with the best if not the best I have ridden - and he will only get better. The others in the race were all veterans, this was his first skirmish.”
Morrison, who also won the contest two years ago with Pastoral Pursuits, said: “He is an exceptional horse. The speed he shows you would not be frightened coming back to five - but I would not be frightened about going seven furlongs, either. I need to watch the race again properly. The horse is in everything, the Nunthorpe and he will be put in the Sprint Cup at Haydock.”
The card’s other Group race, the Weatherbys Superlative Stakes, went to trainer Mick Channon, who also landed the seven-furlong Group 2 12 months ago with Halicarnassus. This time around Channon hit the target with Hatta Fort, conqueror of Declaration Of War by a neck.
Channon said: “We have always thought a lot of Hatta Fort. He has a Group 2 penalty now but I would like to think we can carry on with him in good races over seven furlongs.”
Trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam, second in both of this afternoon’s Group races, gained some consolation with the impressive victory of Laureldean Gale in the Xplor Maiden Fillies’ race. She earned a quote of 14-1 for next year’s Stan James 1000 Guineas after triumphing by a length-and-a-half on her debut.
The Ladbrokes Bunbury Cup fell to the Barry Hills-trained Giganticus, while Tybalt (Ritz Club handicap), Dan Tucket (Unicorn Asset Management July Course Series Nursery) and John Terry (Egerton House Stables handicap) were the other winners on a wonderful day’s racing at Newmarket, which stages its next fixture on the evening of July 20 when Madness will play a post-racing concert.
By Tony Rushmer
