Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes
Group 2, Newmarket 14:25
£100,000 guaranteed,
2yo only,
6f, Class 1   
Thursday 11th July 2024

Boylesports

1 Whistlejacket 11/10F
2 Billboard Star 13/2
3 Aomori City 7/1
6 ran Distances: 1¾l, ¾l, ½l
Time: 1m 12.17s (slow by 1.97s)

After finishing as a runner-up on his debut, Whistlejacket secured an impressive victory in a Listed event at the Curragh.

Despite a less-than-ideal performance in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, Whistlejacket made amends by triumphing in the July Stakes.

Stepping up from five to six furlongs, the No Nay Never colt justified his favoritism, winning decisively under jockey Ryan Moore. He led from an early stage on the July Course and crossed the finish line with a length and three-quarters advantage, despite drifting left. 

Billboard Star finished second, while the previously unbeaten Ain’t Nobody disappointed by finishing last among the six runners.

Quinnbet make the winner a 25-1 shot from 50-1 for next year’s 2000 Guineas.

BetZone

Coolmore’s Paul Smith indicated the colt will now step up to Group One level for his next assignment.

He said: “He did it well and we’re very happy with him. He probably learnt a lot at Ascot and he was a little bit green that day, but I think he has appreciated the step up to six and a little cut in the ground and it worked well.

“He’s always found work very easy at home and ticked many of the boxes, so we were very hopeful. He ran a good race at Ascot and came fourth. He learnt a lot and that showed on the track today.

“I think we will look at something like the Prix Morny or the Phoenix Stakes, those two races come to mind.”

Moore felt the return to a longer trip had played to Whistlejacket’s strengths.

He said: “Obviously Ascot was good to firm and today is good to soft, but it’s not too bad at all. Perhaps the extra furlong is more probably significant (than ground).

“He didn’t run a bad race at Ascot, he wasn’t beaten far and as you saw today, it’s his fourth race and he’s still racing green. I think he’s a smart colt and he will have to step up again but he has class.

“He’s just a little bit of a raw horse still, a big, big boy. He does his work quite easily at home. He’s a fast horse and I think we will probably stay at six furlongs for the time being.”

BetGoodwin

Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes (Group 2)
£100,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good to Soft

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (1)    Whistlejacket 2 9-2 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 11/10F
2 (2) 1¾ Billboard Star 2 9-2 Eve Johnson Houghton Charles Bishop 13/2
3 (5) ¾ Aomori City 2 9-2 Charlie Appleby William Buick 7/1
4 (4) ½ Rajeko 2 9-2 Michael Bell Oisin Murphy 16/1
5 (3) ½ Electrolyte 2 9-2 Archie Watson James Doyle 11/1
6 (6) 5½ Ain't Nobody 2 9-2 Kevin Ryan Tom Eaves 4/1

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