US Navy Flag wins Darley July Cup at Newmarket

Under jockey Ryan Moore, the winner quickly led the field in the Group 1 race – which is part of the British Champions Series – and despite a late effort by the Tom Eaves-ridden Brando, secured victory by nearly two lengths.

In doing so, US Navy Flag created a piece of racing history by completing a Newmarket Group 1 triple crown in the form of the Middle Park, Dewhurst and now Darley July Cup. Outsider Fleet Review came in third, while race favourite Blue Point was in fourth place.

There was a delay to the six-furlong race as Brando had to be replated after losing a shoe on the way to the start, but when the race did get underway US Navy Flag and Moore showed no sign of nerves from the delay and signalled their intentions right from the stalls by charging down the middle of the course and seizing the early initiative.

Brando to its credit came with a strong challenge but was a length and three-quarters behind US Navy Flag at the line, with the winner’s stablemate Fleet Review a further three-quarters of a length back in third.

Moore, who was winning his first July Cup, said: “The second came to me and probably got to a neck but he dug in – he’s a very straightforward horse.”

O’Brien added: “He doesn’t need tactics. He’s aggressive and wants to go forward, and if anything wants to take him on they’ll have to be going hard.”

There is a strong likelihood that it will be the Australian sprinters who will find that out in The Everest, the rich-money six furlong sprint at Randwick in Sydney, Australia on 13 October.

O’Brien added, “Australian racing is very strong and competitive, so it’s great that we can race through the first half of the year in this country and then go down in the winter for the second half of their season.

“He’ll probably have a little rest now, he’s had a tough time, then we’ll train him for The Everest.”

Elsewhere on the card at Newmarket, The Roger Fell-trained Burnt Sugar won the Bunbury Cup Handicap.

From a starting field of 18 runners, jockey Paul Hanagan guided his mount to a half-length success over Shady McCoy in second with Spanish City and Cardsharp in a dead-heat for third.

Trainer Charlie Appleby enjoyed a trio of winners with the first coming in dominant fashion with Quorto in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes.
With William Buick at the helm, Quorto came in three and three-quarter lengths clear of Cape Of Good Hope in second and Neverland Rock in third.

A double was completed in equally as commanding fashion in the Mile Handicap thanks to James Doyle on First Contact. The pair came in two and a half lengths clear of Curiosity in second, with Argentello a further three lengths adrift in third.

Doyle then completed a double of his own and secured a treble for Appleby in the following race, the British EBF Fillies’ Handicap, as Poetic Charm claimed a comfortable success. The winning margin of three-quarters of a length from Elysium Dream in second was well-deserved, with Amandine a close third a head’s distance back.