UK: Bated Breath And Krypton Factor For July Cup

Friday, 29 June 2012: The £400,000 Group One Darley July Cup, which takes place at Newmarket on Saturday, July 14, has 28 horses going forward following the June 26 scratchings deadline, details of which are revealed today.

Europe's premier sprint, which takes place over six furlongs, was won last year in tremendous fashion by Dream Ahead, who quickened brilliantly under Hayley Turner to give the rider her first Group One success.

Bated Breath, who finished half a length second to Dream Ahead in the 2011 Darley July Cup, made an impressive seasonal reappearance when shaving nearly a second off the course record for five furlongs at Haydock in the Group Two Temple Stakes in May, before being narrowly denied by Hong Kong raider Little Bridge in the Group One King's Stand Stakes over the same distance at Royal Ascot on June 19.

Trainer Roger Charlton, based at Beckhampton in Wiltshire, said: "We are looking at the Darley July Cup with Bated Breath. He has come out of his race at Royal Ascot in good form.

"He is a very consistent horse and ran right up to his best in the King's Stand Stakes on ground that wasn't ideal. He has run over five furlongs this year, but I think the step back up to six furlongs will suit him.

"We are also looking at the Darley July Cup with Genki, who ran well in the race last year."

Krypton Factor improved significantly at the Dubai World Cup Carnival this season, winning three of his five starts including the six-furlong Group One Dubai Golden Shaheen on Tapeta on Dubai World Cup night in March.

Fawzi Nass' stable star failed to shine back on turf, finishing fifth in Singapore's Group One Krisflyer International Sprint in May, but ran better when sixth behind Black Caviar in the Group One Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 23.

Oliver St Lawrence, racing manager to Fawzi Nass, said: "Krypton Factor is an intended runner in the Darley July Cup. He is fine after his race at Royal Ascot, but he would have preferred firmer ground.

"He ran a creditable race - he was beaten just over two lengths - and was in the middle of the course where we think the ground was a bit softer. On grass, he wants the ground firmer than it was at Ascot.

"The uphill finish at Newmarket will suit him too, but the ground is the main thing with him."

Aidan O'Brien has trained three winners of the Darley July Cup and his six horses going forward include Group One-winning milers Excelebration and Power, while James Fanshawe has left in Diamond Jubilee Stakes fifth Society Rock, who stayed on well in the Royal Ascot sprint after badly missing the break.

Godolphin has two horses going forward courtesy of Saeed bin Suroor's Diamond Jubilee Stakes fourth Soul and exciting Australian import Sepoy, who joined Mahmood Al Zarooni after winning 10 of his 12 starts "Down Under".

Robert Collet's King's Stand Stakes disappointment Wizz Kid is one of three French-trained entries and could be joined by compatriots Moonlight Cloud, who was second in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, and Christophe Ferland's top-class juvenile Dabirsim, who could revert to six furlongs after being beaten twice over a mile this season. The Australian mare Ortensia, winner of the Group One Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan in March but a disappointing ninth in the King's Stand Stakes last week, has also been left in.

Darley July Cup Day, Saturday, July 14, is the third and final day of the Piper-Heidsieck July Festival at Newmarket.

Day One, Thursday, July 12, is Goldsmiths Ladies Day and features the £100,000 Group Two Princess Of Wales's Goldsmiths Stakes while Friday, July 13, is Abu Dhabi Day and features the £160,000 Group One Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes.