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Darley July Cup 2011  

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Star Witness & Delegator Go Into Darley July Cup in Top Form
06/07/11

Star Witness worked on the July Course early on the morning of Tuesday, 5th July, and pleased both trainer Danny O’Brien and jockey Steven Arnold ahead of the Group One Darley July Cup over the same course at Newmarket on Saturday (9th July).

The Australian raider, one of 19 going forward for the £400,000 six-furlong sprint after the previous day’s confirmation stage, has already run well in Britain, finishing second in the five-furlong King Stands’ Stakes and third in the six-furlong Golden Jubilee Stakes - both Group Ones at Royal Ascot.

O’Brien said after the five-furlong gallop: “That was very pleasing. Steven was really happy with the way Star Witness felt on the course.

“Obviously, it is a different course from what we would have at home. Most of our racecourses are fairly flat.

“The horse did not appear to have any problem taking the dips and rises. He was very strong through the line on his gallop. All in all, very pleasing.

“Steven commented that Star Witness felt very at home on that course - I am sure there are horses that don’t handle it. It is obviously different when you get under raceday pressure but it was all positive out there this morning.

“An Australian-trained horse has never won the July Cup - a bridge too far for the Australians in the past but naturally it is a challenge and we would like to be the first to win it.

“He is as good as he was on Golden Jubilee Day - he went into the King’s Stand Stakes needing the run - it was part of his preparation for the Jubilee but we were still hoping to win that race.

“He came out of the King’s Stand Stakes in great order and obviously ran very well on the Saturday without conditions being in his favour.

“He has had three weeks since and really enjoyed the environment here at Newmarket - he certainly has not gone backwards.

“The Darley July Cup is his last run. He is going to Widden Stud. He goes into quarantine straight from the races here on Saturday. He gets on the flight with all the shuttle horses and will start at Widden in September.

“The Darley July Cup will be very competitive - the horse who won the King’s Stand Stakes (Prohibit) was a strong winner, while Society Rock, successful in the Jubilee, ran second the year before. I think the top half a dozen sprinters here are very hard horses to beat. Delegator did not turn up at Ascot and he heads up the market for Saturday’s race.

“There is never a Group One race in a country like England that is going to be easy to win.

“If we can win on Saturday, we will have done a very good job. His places at Royal Ascot have not done his stallion prospects any harm - obviously wins are what matters in that department - we have been close but to get the real enhancement we would have to win.

“Probably of the three races, the July Cup is the most prestigious. If we could walk away with a July Cup win on this horse’s resume then would be a fantastic thing for him to take into his stud career.

“In racing, you have to look forward. Everyone in racing, be they an owner, trainer, jockey or punter has their hard-luck stories. There were two deserving winners at Ascot and we just hope we get our turn on Saturday.

“The dry ground we hope to have on Saturday will be in his favour - it would be fantastic to end his trip here with a win.

“I came here five years ago with a mare called Glamour Puss who ran in the King’s Stand Stakes and I probably learned a few things then. This year I knew I had to bring the horse over with plenty of racing left in him. We raced Star Witness only twice at home after Melbourne Cup week and brought him over just needing a run first time out. Because of that, he has held his form and we should have another really good crack on Saturday.

“Any time you travel, you never win if it is at the backend of anything. I took 10 days off after the Golden Jubilee but my assistant Paul has been at Newmarket the whole time. I got back here on Saturday morning.

“Star Witness is a very good five and six-furlong horse. He was a very precocious two-year-old who won a Group One on his third start. He won another Group One in the spring - he is a nice explosive sprinter. Six furlongs is probably as far as he wants to go. He should do well at stud.

“We probably would like to hold him up for a bit longer on Saturday. We got a bit exposed in the Jubilee - we probably went a fraction early as the horses down the stands’ side rail looked to be well in front. We were out on our feet in the last 100 metres. We need to be running to the post rather than staggering to it.

“I will leave it to Steven but I am sure he will be a little bit more patient on Saturday and hold it together for as long as he can. There a was a strong headwind and soft ground for the Jubilee and they ran 1m 17s for 1,200 metres which is unheard of back home. This horse has won Group Ones running 1m 8s so you know when they have run a much slower time that it has been a significant test.

“On the July Course on top of the ground, they are going to run 1m 10s or 1m 11s so it is going to be a different race - at least six seconds faster. Star Witness will be able to run to the line a lot stronger than he did in the Jubilee. Horses really relax for Steven in races.

“Star Witness is a good-natured horse but he is a real competitor. On a raceday, he just wants to get out there and get on with it.”

Steven Arnold added: “Star Witness seems to be holding his form well which is obviously important and, if he ran like he did at Ascot, he will be competitive on Saturday.

“He handled the dips well in hand but it is different under race pressure so you never quite know. There is a steep uphill rise but for the first couple of furlongs you go downhill.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it is not quite as testing as Ascot over six furlongs. The speed in the race will dictate where we are - we will probably be just behind the pace.

“I rode here two years ago in the Darley July Cup on Scenic Blast - there are few undulations but I will just ride the horse where he is comfortable.

“If he performs up to his best, he will be in there at the finish. Scenic Blast came off winning the King’s Stand Stakes so he was in good form as well but he did not put up his run that day for whatever reason but he was gone well before the rise so it was not the track.

“Star Witness seems to be in great form - I was really happy with him this morning - but until the race pressure comes on you are never 100 per cent sure.

“I have stayed in Europe since Royal Ascot and had a bit of break - I went to Spain and looked around Barcelona as well as having a few days in Paris.”

Delegator, the ante-post favourite
© racing-images.co.uk

Delegator
Godolphin is also hoping that the ground is on the fast side for the Darley July Cup on Saturday. The Maktoum family’s racing operation is responsible for Delegator, the current ante-post favourite.

His trainer Saeed bin Suroor said today: “Delegator won nicely at York and he came back really well, in good condition, sound and healthy from that race.

“He worked five days ago over six furlongs on the Limekilns Short Gallop at Newmarket and he was impressive when going away from his lead horse on grass - that gave me a good feeling.

“Today he had his last piece of work before the Darley July Cup, a three-furlong blow-out on our Snailwell Gallops on grass.

“I am happy with Delegator and so far he is doing really well - he missed Royal Ascot because the ground was too soft for him. I think we will get better ground at Newmarket on Saturday - good to firm would be ideal for him.

“Six furlongs is probably going to be the best trip for him. He was second in the 2,000 Guineas two years ago but his work in the morning shows that he is more of a sprinter than a miler.

“He came from behind to win at York over six furlongs last time and he remains at that distance on Saturday. We will keep our options open for the future.

“Delegator runs well when fresh and he is one of our top horses. He was going to be my best chance at Royal Ascot and now he will be running on more suitable ground hopefully. It would be good to see him win.

“He did not show his best form last year, either when working or on the track, because of problems but this year he is 100 per cent sound and healthy - a different horse. Physically he has improved a lot and mentally he is much better.

“It will not be easy to win a Group One - you need everything to go right in a six-furlong race - but he is doing really well.

“Delegator is ready. Ideally, I would like him to sit just off the pace and then come through because he has a good turn of foot. Frankie (Dettori) knows the horse very well.”

Simon Crisford, the Godolphin racing manager, gave more background information about the horse: “Delegator had a wart just behind his pastern last year and it kept growing back.

“It was one of those annoying things which meant he could not have a proper campaign. He then had a quarter-crack when he ran in the Breeders’ Cup last year. So everything conspired against him in 2010.

“For the past two years, we have been trying to run him over six furlongs but it has never worked out until this year.

“He still has plenty to prove and there are a lot of horses in the Darley July Cup rated higher than he is.

“I think he goes into the race with a rating of 112 and that is not good enough to win a July Cup so he needs to demonstrate that he is better than the official handicappers think.

“Now it is up to the horse to show he can perform beyond 112 and we very much hope he can do that. He certainly gives us that feeling anyway.

“You cannot judge him on home work - he is not one of those horses really. I am looking forward to seeing him on fast ground against these horses on Saturday and then I think we will all be a bit wiser.

“We took him out of the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot because of the soft ground and we are hoping for proper summer ground on Saturday. We would have loved to have run at Ascot but it would have backfired.

“We definitely want dry conditions and the horse is in very good form going into the race. The faster the track the better it is for him - what he doesn’t want is soft ground which affects his action.

“The Darley July Cup is one of the key championship sprint races in the world - a banner race which we like to be part of. Godolphin has never won the Darley July Cup and it would be a big thing to gain success.

“You need a bit of luck in a race like this - a sprint with a large field and I think there are a lot of horses with a chance because they are battle-hardened sprinters.

“If anything, our horse is just a little bit short on experience, having had just one start this year. And he was very lightly raced last year. That is a slight negative but, having said that, he will be super fresh on the day and he travels well in his races. The pace will be very genuine and he has a good turn of foot.

“Saeed (bin Suroor) wants to produce him very fresh and well on the day. There is a lot we still have to learn about this horse. He won the Duke Of York Stakes but is still not proven as a top international sprinter but he gives us the feeling that he is capable of establishing himself among the higher ranks of sprinters.

“Let us hope that Delegator can get a clear run this season - we hope to go to Haydock (for the Group One Betfred Sprint Cup over six furlongs on September 3) after the Darley July Cup and then there are plenty more opportunities.”

 

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