The small number of people allowed into Royal Ascot and Newmarket’s July Meeting were lucky enough to witness some top-class racing, Stradivarius winning a third Gold Cup and Oxted winning the July Cup my two highlights.
Newmarket July Festival
As for the two-year-olds, two of the six Royal Ascot winners, Tactical and Dandalla, tried to add to their Ascot successes at Newmarket in the July Stakes and Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes respectively.
Tactical faced eight rivals in the Group 2 July Stakes including Yazaman who was a length and a quarter behind Tactical in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes. Coventry Stakes runner up Qaader was sent off the 15-8 favourite for Mark Johnston and Jim Crowley with Tactical at 5-2. Aidan O’Brien’s once raced impressive winner, Swiss Ace was at 9-2.
Quader set a good pace in front and tried to make all of the runnings but was headed by Yazaman over a furlong from the finish and he could keep on only at the one pace after that. Yazaman was challenged for the lead inside the final furlong by Tactical who took the lead with 100 yards to go and stayed on well to beat Yazaman by the same margin as at Ascot, a length and a quarter. Escape Route, a 33-1 shot from the Richard Fahey yard, stayed on well to third ahead of Qaader with Swiss Ace also one-paced in fifth.
Tactical will up stepped up to Group 1 company next time, in the Prix Morny at Deauville on August 23. Yazaman is a smart colt and will be found a suitable race by William Haggas with the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York an ideal race for him, a race Haggas has won three times. Escape Route and Qaader would also be suited by the 6f of the Gimcrack.
This story is from the August 2020 edition of Racing Ahead.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 2020 edition of Racing Ahead.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
LION ROARS TO TOP SPOT
John Anthony is right up with the pace as the speed horses kick on again
JUST STAY IT AGAIN SAM!
Paul Jacobs relishes a grand October climax with final Flat season flourish
TROY JOY OPENS THE FLOODGATES
lan Heitman recounts a month of stunning track highlights
FINEST LAP OF HONOUR
Graham Buddry tells the dramatic tale of Australia's brilliant Southern star
DOWN LAMBOURN WAY
Richard Eagle brings news from the Valley, Epsom and beyond
BOY WILL STEP UP IN THE WET
Ben Morgan sticks to his guns with 10 top tips to follow in the coming weeks
CUTTING BACK TO THE OLD DEBATE
Rolf Johnson weighs up one of racing's perennial chestnuts
FROM BOOK TO BOOKIES
The former Sky frontman turns detective in hunt for Arc clues
FUM-ING BUT NO DISGARCE
Jeremy Grayson picks it up in the sticks after a late summer jumps break
MEMORIES OF SIR MICHAEL'S EARLY DAYS RUN SO DEEP
Dave Youngman looks back at Michael Stoute's road to success