Events / Malcolm Pannett / 08 July 2009 / 4

The July Cup is the feature of the July Meeting and is run, not surprisingly, on the July Course at Newmarket where Panama hats and Pimms, under the thatched-roof stands, are the order of the day. Malcolm Pannett looks at the race's origins

The July Cup is one of the top sprint races of the year. A Group 1 contest over six furlongs it has been won by some of the greats starting with Springfield (1876 and 1877) who won the first two runnings.

The son of St Albans won three of his five races as a two year old, finishing second in the other two. From then on he was undefeated in the 14 races he subsequently contested including the 1877 Champion Stakes where he easily beat that year's Derby-winner Silvio.

Since then there have been a further six dual winners; Charibet (1880 and 1881); Spanish Prince (1912 and 1913); Diadem (1919 and 1920) the 1000 Guineas winner of 1917 who has a Group 2 race named after her run at Ascot in September; Diomedes (1925 and 1926) whose second win was a dead-heat with Phalaros; Bellacose (1945 and 1936); Abernant (1949 and 1950) who also won two King's Stand Stakes and two Nunthorpes and has claims to be the best Sprinter of the twentieth century; Right Boy (1958 and 1959) who along with Pappa Fourway (1955) was trained by Bill Dutton.

The record number of victories is held by Sundridge (1902 to 1904) the only triple winner. A slow starter, after sustaining a fractured hip as a two year old, Sundridge's first victory in the July Cup came as age four. The son of Amphion though was equally at home carrying huge weights in handicaps and won 17 races in all.

Other distinguished winners in the race's first century include Ormonde (1887), whose July Cup success proved to be the swansong for the fourth Triple Crown winner who had also won twice at Royal Ascot in his classic year; and Tetrama (1921) the previous season's 2000 Guineas winner who as the name suggests was the son of The Tetrach who was widely regarded as one of the best two-year-olds of all time.

More recently notable winners include; Green Desert (1986); Soviet Star (1988), Cadeaux Genereux (1989); Royal Academy (1990) who won under John Reid but is best known for his Breeders' Cup Mile triumph when ridden by Lester Piggott who won his last July Cup on Mr Brooks (1992); Continent (2002) who beat stable companion Bahamian Pirate to give owners Lucayan Stud a one-two; Oasis Dream (2003) who got the better of Australian-challenger Choisir; and Sakhee's Secret (2007) who gave octogenarian owner-breeder Bridget Swire a memorable victory.

The year 2000 saw the first ever Japanese-trained winner in Britain when Agnes World, owned by Takeo Watanabe and Teruya Yoshida, trained by Hideyuki Mori and ridden by Yutaka Take, won the July Cup in a thrilling finish of heads with Lincoln Dancer and Pipalong.

There was no race in 1917, 1940 or between 1942 and 1944.

In 2008 the July Cup was incorporated in the Global Sprint Challenge and is run as the fourth race in the eight-race series - the last of the three staged in the UK after the King's Stand Stakes and Golden Jubilee Stakes both at Royal Ascot.

25 years ago - With last year's winner Habibti a disappointment it was Chief Singer who added to his reputation squeezing through a gap between Committed and Princess Tracy and then holding the challenge of Never So Bold - who would return to win the next year. Chief Singer, who had been second to El Gran Senor in the 2000 Guineas, had a stellar season allaying the ghost of the previous year. That campaign had started so well with a victorious debut in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot however his run in the July Stakes, where he was sent off a warm order, was too bad to be true. Ron Sheather's charge trailed in last but one and then missed the reminder of the season being unable to even muster a canter at home. Prior to the July Cup Chief Singer had won the St James's Palace Stakes and the son of Ballad Rock went on to complete a hat-trick with a game success in the Sussex Stakes where old adversary Rousillon was disqualified from second place after barging Chief Singer in the closing stages.

10 years ago - A visor first time worked the oracle for Stravinsky. Aidan O'Brien's charge had been a little frustrating and hadn't won since landing a maiden on debut. But this was the son of Nureyev's day as he won imperiously by four lengths from Bold Edge and Betolini. Stravinsky followed up in the Nunthorpe before finishing sixth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Gulfstream Park.

Five years ago - Welcome compensation for Frizzante (pictured left above) who had been unlucky at Royal Ascot. The progressive mare by Efisio had been stopped in her run at a crucial moment in the King's Stand Stakes and, although it is open to conjecture whether she would have beaten the winner The Tatling, she would almost certainly have finished second rather than third. At Newmarket it all fell perfectly for her and the 14-1 shot collared Balmont close home and got the better of Ashdown Forest who also finished well.

Last Year - An extremely confident ride by Davy Bonilla saw the French-trained Marchand D'Or get up on the line. Occupying last position with a furlong and a half to go the 5-2 favourite produced an impressive turn of acceleration to pip US Ranger in the last stride, War Artist was a further half a length back in third. The son of Marchand De Sable followed up in the Prix Maurice De Gheest at Deauville before landing the controversial Prix De L'Abbaye. The delay of four hours, after a false start due to a stalls malfunction, put the kibosh on the anticipated clash with Overdose, who had run the whole course in the void race.

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1. Simon | 08 July 2009

   Ashdown Express finished 2nd in 2004, not Ashdown Forest.

2. Malcolm Pannett | 06 August 2009

   Hi Simon, you are absolutely right, many apologies. Also apologies for delay in getting back to you as I have been on holiday

3. Malcolm Pannett | 06 August 2009

   Hi Simon, you are absolutely right, many apologies. Also apologies for delay in getting back to you as I have been on holiday

4. Malcolm Pannett | 06 August 2009

   Hi Simon, you are absolutely right, many apologies. Also apologies for delay in getting back to you as I have been on holiday

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