CAR REVVED UP FOR CUP
UNBEATEN Caravaggio spearheads the 15 contenders left in Saturday’s Group One Darley July Cup at Newmarket at the latest confirmation stage.
The fling three-year-old is one of six representing Aidan O’Brien. Caravaggio was last seen scorching to success in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and runner-up Harry Angel could be back for another crack. Last year’s winner Limato is in the mix and he will be hoping to take his revenge on James Fanshawe-trained The Tin Man, who he finished third to in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes last month. Adding weight to the O’Brien team are Washington DC, Intelligence Cross and Peace Envoy, while Kevin Ryan has Brando, David O’Meara saddles Intisaab and Richard Fahey is doublehanded with Growl and Mr Lupton.
Absentee
The biggest absentee at the five-day entry stage was Magical Memory, who instead heads for the Group Three Hackwood Stakes at Newbury later this month.
Sky Bet have already gone non-runner, no bet on Saturday’s race and make Caravaggio their 11-10 market leader, followed by Limato 9-2 and The Tin Man 5-1.
The main attraction at the Curragh on Saturday is the Darley Irish Oaks where Epsom heroine Enable, trained by John Gosden, remains on course to bid for a Classic double.
“Enable is in good form,” said Gosden. “We have freshened her up after the Oaks at Epsom and she is building up nicely for the Curragh. ® I’ve been happy enough with her and the plan always was to go to the Curragh after she won at Epsom.
“She hasn’t been over-raced. She was impressive at Chester and Epsom and she won a two-year-old race well towards the backend.
“We are hopeful that she is very much going in the right direction.”
Gosden could yet be double-handed, with Ribblesdale Stakes winner Coronet set to be left in at the forfeit stage.
“I’m leaving Coronet in at this stage. She won a Ribblesdale in good order.
“She got free late and finished very strongly and I’ll obviously discuss matters with the owners.”
Frankie Dettori is set to be on board Enable once more, with the popular Italian due to return from an injury that ruled him out of Royal Ascot at Newmarket this week.
“I’ll be back on Thursday and fingers crossed it should be all systems go for the Curragh on Saturday,” said Dettori .
“Enable is a lovely mare, she won a Classic by five lengths and the obvious choice of race was the Irish Oaks.”
York’s John Smith’s Cup is the centrepiece of a seven-race programme that includes two Listed races. Scarlet Dragon heads the weights for the £200,000 handicap.
Master Carpenter, the winner of this race in 2015 for Rod Millman, returns to the fray, while Sir Michael Stoute is responsible for a couple of potential starters in Ballet Concerto and Mustashry.
One-time Derby hope UAE Prince and Central Square are possible starters for Roger Varian.