TEN SOVEREIGNS SHINES IN JULY CUP

Ten Sovereigns put up a commanding performance to dominate in the Gr.1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket, winning by two and three-quarter lengths and justifying significant support in the betting market. Aidan O’Brien’s charge provided a Group race double on the day at Newmarket for his sire No Nay Never, who was also responsible for the Gr.2 Superlative Stakes winner Mystery Power earlier on the card.

For O’Brien, it was a fifth victory in the 6f race, following on from Stravinsky 20 years ago, Mozart (2001), Starspangledbanner (2010) and last year’s winner U S Navy Flag. The winner had been a one-paced fourth behind Advertise (Showcasing) in the Gr.1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, having failed to stay when fifth in the Gr.1 2000 Guineas, but was back in form that he showed during his unbeaten juvenile season, culminating in success in the Gr.1 Middle Park Stakes.

Ten Sovereigns was quickly out of the stalls by Ryan Moore and went into the lead, heading the group on the far side with Cape Byron (Shamardal) also prominent, as Glorious Journey (Dubawi) led the group on the stands side rail. Inside the final two furlongs, as Advertise loomed up behind and Ten Sovereigns’s stablemate Fairyland (Kodiac) picked up well, Moore asked Ten Sovereigns for another effort and he surged easily clear to cross the line nearly three lengths ahead of Advertise, who was three quarters of a length in front of Fairyland, with another filly, Pretty Pollyanna (Oasis Dream), finishing fourth.

O’Brien commented: “We knew he was very good but we tried to stretch him out for a Guineas. He had a tough time in the Guineas, he’s a sprinter that was asked to run a mile, so it’s taken time to recover. We were happy with him at Ascot but he looked like a horse that hadn’t clicked in mentally yet. The times of his last few pieces of work have been unbelievable. In his last piece of work he broke 11 seconds every furlong for four furlongs and for a horse to do that is something special. He’s nice and relaxed now, he goes a very high pace very easily and then he quickens when you ask him. I don’t think dropping back to 5f would be any problem but it’s all about him now, he’s only a three-year-old, so we’ll see how he comes out of it.

Ten Sovereigns was bred by Camas Park, Lynch Bages and Summerhill, out of the Listed-placed Exceed And Excel mare Seeking Solace. She is a half-sister to the Gr.2-placed Flash Fire (Shamardal) and hails from the further family of the Gr.3 winner Heart Lake (Nureyev), out of the Gr.1 Fantasy Stakes heroine My Darling One (Exclusive Native), also placed in the Gr.1 Kentucky Oaks.