Newmarket review on day one of the July Festival

Royal Ascot runner-up Deauville Legend showed plenty of guts to come out on top in the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket.

James Ferguson’s three-year-old was only a head away from victory in the King George V Stakes at the Royal meeting, but made no mistake in his first foray into Group company in what was a thrilling finish to the one-mile-five-furlong contest.

Deauville Legend was settled tracking the easy lead given to Al Qareem in the early stages, but caught the eye travelling stylishly when the race entered the final three furlongs.

Winning rider Daniel Muscutt asked the gelding to stride to the front as the field hit the one-furlong pole and the duo held on gamely from the rallying Al Qareem and fast-finishing Walk Of Stars.

The victory brought to an end a 70-day losing run for Ferguson, who was saddling his 12th winner of the season.

“Obviously he ran well at Ascot, he’s come on from that and he’s stayed every yard of the trip,” said Ferguson.

“I’m delighted for the owner, he’s been a big supporter of mine pretty much since I started.

“We’ll have a chat about the plan, but there’s Goodwood (Gordon Stakes) to look at and maybe York as well (Great Voltigeur).

“While I would say he was a little unlucky at Ascot he was also beaten by a very good horse in a photo – but I’m not bothered about that now!

“Katie Webber rides him every day, I’m delighted for her and the whole team.”

He added: “He stayed every yard of the trip but the way he travelled you’d have no trouble coming back to a mile and a half.

“You could travel with him now, he’s maturing with every race.”

Karl Burke felt Al Qareem was a little unlucky after Clifford Lee almost got run away with at Ascot.

“At Ascot Cliff was unlucky. We were drawn wide and there were other front runners. We drilled it into him not to get stuck five wide on the first bend. He set him alight a little bit and couldn’t really get him back, but it wasn’t Cliff’s fault entirely,” said the Middleham handler.

“This horse just keeps rolling and we thought we’d get an easy lead today, we said just let him get into a rhythm but you could see after a furlong he almost set himself alight!

“I just wish I’d had a radio in Cliff’s ear to tell him they were coming because all he does is keep galloping. The winner did lean on him and had that happened further out we might have had a case because he was coming right back at him.

“We might look at the Gordon at Goodwood, but we’ve no fixed plans.”

Persian Force stamps class on July Stakes

Persian Force enhanced the Hannon family’s fine record in the Close Brothers July Stakes with a taking victory on the opening day of Newmarket’s July Festival.

Richard Hannon senior won the Group Two contest six times during his training career, while his son was winning the race for the second year in a row and takes his overall total in the six-furlong event to four.

Runner-up in the Coventry Stakes, Persian Force was always well positioned in the early stages tracking leading duo Show Respect and King’s Crown.

As the field passed the two-furlong pole, Rossa Ryan quickly made the move to grab the stands-side rail. Once there, the son of Mehmas was always in command and kept on powerfully to stride out for a cosy success.

It was the perfect way for the Amo Racing-owned Persian Force to get back to winning ways and followed in his sire’s footsteps by building on a second at Royal Ascot to land the July Stakes.

In the aftermath Coral cut the youngster to 8-1 (from 12-1) for the Nunthorpe Stakes at York, while he is now 33-1 (from 50-1) for next season’s 2000 Guineas with the same firm.

“He put the race to bed when he needed to and he’s emulated his sire by coming second in the Coventry and winning this race,” said Hannon.

“I think this horse will get seven furlongs. We don’t have to go there immediately, but at the end of the season we will.

“I know I keep saying it, but his temperament really is bombproof and he does everything all the good two-year-olds do.

“Before the Middle Park or Dewhurst we’ll have a look at the National Stakes in Ireland and the Prix Morny.

“I don’t know if he’s a Guineas horse or not because he’s so fast. From the very first day, though, he’s excited me. I’d say he’s a Group One winner waiting to happen.”

He went on: “I know we ran him in the Brocklesby which isn’t normally a race for top-class two-year-olds, but he was ready and my view was my may as well just crack on.

“I’m chuffed for Amo because they had so many seconds at Ascot. We went there to see if Amo had good horses and that question was answered.”

Yibir books Saratoga ticket with Newmarket victory

Yibir turned the tables on Jockey Club Stakes conqueror Living Legend as Charlie Appleby’s globetrotter got back to winning ways in the Princess of Wales’s Close Brothers Stakes at Newmarket.

The Breeders’ Cup Turf champion was a four-time winner last season, including on this very card when landing the Group Three Bahrain Trophy.

However, four-year-old arrived on the July Course for this Group Two contest over a mile and a half with a point to prove having drawn a blank so far this term.

But with the perfect pace set by James Doyle aboard stablemate Global Force, Yibir had optimum conditions and a target to aim at. The Dubawi gelding was able to get into a welcome rhythm and although pushed along two furlongs from home, William Buick wound his mount up to hit top gear at the right time and made his attack to strike inside the final furlong.

Rowley Mile winner Living Legend bounced back to form with a brave effort to keep on for second once headed by the victor, while similar applies to the pace-setting Global Storm, who held on to the final spot on the podium.

It was Appleby’s second win in the race in the last six years and the winner was trimmed into 9-2 from 6-1 by Betfair to defend his Breeders’ Cup Turf Crown at Keeneland later in the season.

Appleby said: “Shane Fetherstonhaugh who rides has been on about him for the last 10 days saying he is as good as we have had him. He looked a picture in the paddock today and has been moving so well at home.

“William just said that when he has a pace to run at he is a different animal.

“People on the outside may have been scratching their heads wondering what has been going on, but he needs a gallop. He’s a big unit and if you take a pull on him he just gets a bit disorganised and then it takes him a little while to get warmed up.

“Hopefully now we’ll head to Saratoga for the Sword Dancer. All roads are leading to the Breeders’ Cup, but it’s at Keeneland this year and it can come up soft there. One thing he does like is to hear his feet rattle so if it came up a bit slow we might have to think about it, but it’s great he’s got his head back in front.”

Funny Story makes a promising start

Ralph Beckett was given a nice surprise when Funny Story made a taking debut in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

A daughter of Havana Grey, who is making a real name for himself at stud, the filly is from a family Beckett knows inside out.

She looked to face a tough task against Richard Spencer’s Ivory Madonna, who was sent off the 11-8 favourite based on her excellent third in the Albany at Ascot, but when Hector Crouch asked his mount to pick up Funny Story shot a length and three-quarters clear.

“She’s from a family I know well, I trained the dam (Funny Enough) as a two-year-old but this is the first horse I’ve trained for the Harpers (owners) since I left Whitsbury 12 years ago,” said Beckett of his 12-1 scorer, who was introduced at 40-1 for the 1000 Guineas by Betfair and Paddy Power.

“She’s pretty good, obviously, as she did that despite being green, which was the first thing the jockey said. He said she won despite not knowing much.

“I thought she’d run well today but I didn’t expect her to win – I didn’t think she’d know enough.

“We’ll stick to six furlongs for now. She’ll get seven, but she’s from a speedy family. I’ve nothing in mind, she’s not all two-year-old, she’s quite leggy and she’ll come on a bundle.”

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.