One of the season's elite older horses is in action at Newmarket on Thursday as Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) headlines the opening card of the three-day July Festival. Runner-up in the June 4 G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom last time, Shadwell's progressive 4-year-old stays in his home town for the 12-furlong G2 Princess of Wales's Tattersalls S. at the meeting at which he first served notice of his talent when taking last year's G3 Bahrain Trophy. Successful in the G3 John Porter S. and G3 Aston Park S. over this trip at Newbury Apr. 18 and May 15, the apple of William Haggas's eye lost nothing in defeat when a neck second to Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) in the Coronation Cup and bids to stay in the picture for the July 24 G1 King George and Queen Elizabeth Qipco S. “I was thinking of waiting for Ascot, but I've changed my mind,” his trainer said. “He's in good form and I think ground should be fine. We've had some decent showers and everybody has been saying we need the rain, so I should think it will be lovely ground.”
Up against Al Aasy is The Niarchos Family's 'TDN Rising Star' Highest Ground (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who has yet to deliver on early promise and who after finishing runner-up in the G2 Dante S. at York last July has been unplaced in three of his four starts. “Al Aasy is clearly the one we all have to fear and he is likely to take a lot of beating too, but hopefully Highest Ground can return to form after a below-par run in the Hardwicke,” jockey Ryan Moore said. “He obviously had a tough task there though and the soft ground was not ideal for him by any means. His earlier defeat of a good subsequent winner in Outbox at Leicester was a fair effort, however he has to raise his game if the form horses run their races, that much is obvious.”
In the six-furlong G2 Tattersalls July S. for 2-year-olds, some of the prominent Royal Ascot runners go head-to-head with the June 15 G2 Coventry S. second and fifth Eldrickjones (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) and Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) joined by the June 17 G2 Norfolk S. third Project Dante (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) and the June 16 Listed Windsor Castle S. runner-up Dig Two (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}). Nick Bradley said of Eldrickjones, “It looks no stronger than the Coventry and some might say it's a little bit weaker. He goes there with a massive chance, I think.”
Trainer Bryan Smart said of Project Dante, “The horse proved his worth and we like him a lot. He did a nice piece of work on Friday and had a nice little blow on Tuesday morning–Graham Lee rode him and was thrilled with him. He said he feels as good as if not better than he did before Royal Ascot. I think he'll get the trip, because he settles and you can put him in most places.”
Hugo Palmer saddles both Dig Two and Ebro River, with the latter already successful in black-type company having won Sandown's Listed National S. May 27, and he said, “They both ran very well at Ascot. It's always tricky having two colts in the same race, but I feel they both deserve to take their chance. They've both really thrived since Ascot–I've been delighted with them. Ebro River is a winner of a listed race on soft ground, so any significant rain wouldn't hinder his chances, but I think he proved at Ascot he's also fine on top-of-the-ground. Dig Two definitely wants quick ground, so if the word soft started to appear in the going description we would probably take him out.”
In the G3 Bahrain Trophy, Nat Rothschild's June 16 G2 Queen's Vase third Stowell (GB) (Zoffany {Ire}) encounters Godolphin's Apr. 23 G3 Sandown Classic Trial third and May 21 Listed Cocked Hat S. runner-up Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), while the Listed Sir Henry Cecil S. looks a fascinating race with some smart colts from the major stables. Among them is Juddmonte's 'TDN Rising Star' Derab (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who was not disgraced when eighth in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club over 10 1/2 furlongs at Chantilly June 6, and the same owner-breeders' Maximal (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) who was fourth in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot June 15. Juddmonte's Barry Mahon commented, “We're keeping an eye on the weather with Maximal, because he wants fast ground so with the risk of thunderstorms, we'll be monitoring it with him. Both horses are in good form. It's not ideal to have the two of them running, but there's no alternative. Maximal ran a great race at Ascot and the other horse, to be fair, had a rough trip over to France. He had rough trip in the race and we threw him in at the deep end a little bit. It will be nice to give him a confidence-booster close to home and get him back on an upward curve.”
Godolphin's G3 Autumn S. winner One Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is tried in cheekpieces following his disappointing seventh in the G3 Hampton Court S. at Royal Ascot June 17 and Charlie Appleby is hoping for a return to his former glories. “One Ruler has been slightly frustrating so far this year, but dropping back to a mile should suit,” he said. “He will be a major player if he can rediscover his two-year-old form.” Shadwell's well-regarded and unbeaten Baaeed (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is another fascinating contender, having won by 7 1/2 lengths over this course and distance June 19.
Friday's G1 Tattersalls Falmouth S. has attracted a field of 13, with the June 18 G1 Coronation S. one-two-three Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never), Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) tackling their elders including the May 2 G2 Dahlia S. one-two Lady Bowthorpe (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Queen Power (Ire) (Shamardal) and the June 16 G2 Duke of Cambridge S. winner Indie Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Also in the mix is David Ward's Primo Bacio (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}), who was forced to miss the Coronation due to the testing ground but who had previously been the impressive winner of York's Listed Michael Seely Memorial S. May 14.
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