Friday 10th July
Glory for Fleeting Spirit in the Darley July Cup. Picture: Chris Bourchier
SOMETIMES, racing presents a spectacle that has the spine tingling - just like today’s Darley July Cup, which produced a pulsating and dramatic climax.
Fleeting Spirit proved that she is a filly of heart as well as mercurial speed as she beat the boys to take arguably the most coveted sprint prize in Europe.
For trainer Jeremy Noseda it was a triumph as Fleeting Spirit, second behind Scenic Blast in the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot last month, grabbed centre stage this afternoon.
She tracked the early speed, sitting handily in striking distance under jockey Tom Queally. Travelling supremely well, Noseda’s charge found herself in front over a furlong out - a touch too soon in the mind of the trainer.
But that was just the start of the drama. Entering the final furlong, she swerved markedly to the right causing substantial interference. But Queally simply focussed on the job in hand, refocusing his mount as she gathered momentum once again to zip clear for a length and a quarter victory.
Of course, a stewards’ enquiry was called. Tension followed for connections before it was confirmed that Fleeting Spirit was indeed the 12/1 winner, triggering delight for the Noseda team.
The trainer said: ““It’s a great prize to win and touch wood, things will go smoothly between now and her next planned engagement in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York, but we will enjoy this moment first.
“She is back to her very best and that’s the best she has ever run in her life. She is a very tough and talented filly.”
“Tom rode a great race, although I must admit, I thought he went too soon on her. But it has all worked out in the end.
“It’s fabulous for all the team and I want to give special thanks to Shaun Murphy who has been riding her in her work. He rode her in a gallop 10 days ago and said that she had come on hugely since Royal Ascot.”
The other Group race, the Meydan Superlative Stakes, saw jockey Michael Hills conjure a fabulous late challenge out of Silver Grecian.
The unbeaten grey darted between rivals late on, showing a clean pair of heels to his rivals as he got up by a length from Roi De Vitesse to give trainer John Ryan a first Group-race win.
The former jump jockey turned handler said: “This is a nice horse and it’s not bad him getting a three-timer in a Group 2! The plan was to let the others do the work and come through and it looked easy in the end. I’d love to say he would go for the 2000 Guineas next year.”
Noseda was almost able to celebrate a big-race double as his talented Captain Brilliance came very close to victory in the Ladbrokes Bunbury Cup. But he was dashed by a neck as Plum Pudding made every yard for trainer Richard Hannon.
Brief Encounter wore down Crackdown in a typically competitive Premier Travel Handicap, while Lamh Albasser ensured backers of Frankie Dettori didn’t go unrewarded as the Italian rider booted home the 3/1 favourite in the Weatherbys nursery. Bella Swan shaped like a smart type in securing the NGK Spark Plugs Maiden Fillies’ before Cool Strike bagged the concluding Egerton House handicap.
Newmarket Racecourses’ managing director Stephen Wallis summed up: “We have seen fantastic racing across the three days of the Champagne Lanson July Festival in a lovely, relaxed summer atmosphere.”
By Tony Rushmer