Wednesday 5th May 2010
Marchand D'Or is Darley July Cup possible
HIS year’s £400,000 Group One Darley July Cup looks set to be another outstanding renewal with the world’s leading sprinters featuring among an entry of 76 for the six-furlong contest, seven more than in 2009.
Among the entries for the Group One contest are horses trained in Australia, the USA, France Hong Kong and Germany as well as Britain and Ireland.
Highlight of the three-day Newmarket July Festival on Friday, 9th July, the Darley July Cup is one of the three British legs of the Global Sprint Challenge alongside the King’s Stand Stakes and the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Having plundered the StanJames.com 2000 Guineas on Saturday with Makfi, French trainer Mikel Delzangles is eyeing up another major Newmarket prize with Marchand D’Or, who posted a scintillating victory in the 2008 Darley July Cup for former handler Freddie Head.
The seven-year-old followed up his success on the July Course with an unprecedented third success in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville and a storming win the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp but switched to Delzangles’ Chantilly stable in March after a lacklustre 2009 campaign.
Delzangles revealed: “Marchand D’Or is fine at the moment and we are planning to give him a comeback run in the Prix Saint-Georges at Longchamp (16th May). If he comes out of that race in good order, then the Darley July Cup would be on his agenda.
“We have the option of the two races at Royal Ascot and he could go there beforehand or alternatively there is the Group Two at Prix du Gros-Chene at Chantilly for him on 6th June.
“I couldn’t honestly say that he can return to his best. I think he was a bit sick last season but he seems fine now and we will have a better idea whether his talent remains after his return at Longchamp.”
A quartet of Australian entries features the David Hayes-trained pair of Nicconi, who landed the Group One Lightning Stakes at Flemington in January, and Group Two scorer Eagle Falls. Gold Trail, from the yard of Gary Portelli, and the Paul Messara-trained Alverta also boast Group One-winning form down under.
Two of the most exciting southern hemisphere performers of recent years may also line up for new connections. Dual Group One winner Starspangledbanner was purchased by Michael Tabor in January and is set to race for Aidan O’Brien this summer, while Denman, successful in the Group One New Golden Rose Stakes in August, has been transferred from Peter Snowden to Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor by Sheikh Mohammed.
A pair of Hong Kong-trained entries consists of the Derek Cruz-trained Joy And Fun, successful in the Group Three Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan in March, and Happy Zero, who triumphed in the Group One Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin in March for handler John Moore.
Dubai Golden Shaheen victor Kinsale King, one of three entries hailing from the United States, has been entered by Carl O’Callaghan alongside stable companion Leaving New York. Todd Pletcher enjoyed his first success in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday and the New York trainer may be represented by the progressive West Ocean, who has posted impressive wins on his two most recent starts.
The 'Budapest Bullet' Overdose, unbeaten in 13 starts, is set to make his British debut at Royal Ascot ahead of a possible tilt at Newmarket, while French handler Alain de Royer-Dupre may be represented by Prix de la Foret scorer Varenar and War Artist, who took third in the 2008 Darley July Cup when in the care of James Eustace.
The home challenge is set to be headed by Fleeting Spirit, who survived a stewards’ enquiry to triumph over Main Aim in last year’s race. The Jeremy Noseda-trained filly went on to finish second behind Regal Parade in the Haydock Sprint Cup and filled the same spot in the Prix de l’Abbaye.
