Can Inisherin Pass the July Test?

After Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal) had crossed the line in Royal Ascot's G1 Commonwealth Cup, all logic pointed to Newmarket and Saturday's G1 My Pension Expert July Cup. Imperious there, as he had been in Haydock's G2 Sandy Lane Stakes the previous month, Kevin Ryan's latest sprinting luminary is unbeaten over this six-furlong trip and open to abundant improvement from a family which breeds class acts at a ridiculous rate.

Whatever his obvious merits, the fact is that with the ground drying out by the hour Inisherin will have never been as fast in his life as he will be over the first four furlongs of this contest. Not bred to be a pure sprinter, he has been over this trip only twice in his career with the conditions that met him on both occasions very much playing to his strengths. At a rain-softened Haydock in May, he was allowed to saunter through the Sandy Lane without breaking 11 seconds per furlong and on Ascot's climbing straight course was able to repeat that trick.

The Sandy Lane was won in 1:12.77 and the Commonwealth Cup in 1:12.51, but the July Cup is a considerably faster examination with the race generally completed two seconds quicker by the winner. His chief rival Vandeek has already covered the six furlongs of the G1 Middle Park Stakes on the Rowley Mile track here in 1:10.76 in September, while Jasour took only 1:11.11 to win the G2 July Stakes at this meeting 12 months ago.

Of the Commonwealth Cup winners to try and double up here since its inception in 2015, only Muhaarar (GB) and Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) have managed the feat with Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), Caravaggio, Eqtidaar (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Advertise (GB) (Showcasing {GB}),  Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) and Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) all failing.

That is not to say that Inisherin cannot up his sprinting a notch, with his brilliant closing sectionals on Newcastle's stiff finish in March offering an insight into his raw power, and this steep uphill climb to the line will also be in his favour. Ryan stated after the Commonwealth that he believes the homebred will ger faster as the season wears on, so this promises to be a fascinating study of his adaptability.

Jockey Tom Eaves has full faith in his mount. “Inisherin is a very good horse. He's the best I've sat on, so I'm looking forward to Saturday,” he said. “He's got a very good mind and a lot of pure ability. I was placed twice in the July Cup on Brando at biggish prices, so you'd hope that Inisherin would have an even better chance as favourite, but it's a very strong Group 1.”

'We Couldn't Be Happier with Him': Vandeek Team Ready for Rematch…

One of the key members of that “very strong” cast is the aforementioned Vandeek, who was meeting with defeat for the first time on his seasonal bow in the Sandy Lane and who was forced to miss Royal Ascot. Juveniles who pull off the G1 Prix Morny-Middle Park double are rare commodities and Ed Crisford is keen to see what he can produce in 2024. “It was unfortunate we couldn't run at Ascot because of the abnormal bloods, but he's been in great form since and has bounced back to health. It's been a testing first half of the year, but he's just got to get racing now. He's had that run at Haydock on that bad ground, this is his second run and we couldn't be happier with him going into Saturday.”

The Undercurrent…

   Since Stravinsky's impressive display in 1999, Aidan O'Brien has added another four renewals to his tally in a race he is always keen to target. Last year's G2 Coventry Stakes-winning TDN Rising Star River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is the lone Ballydoyle representative this time and comes in on the back of a disappointing effort when eighth in Royal Ascot's G3 Jersey Stakes. Previously, he had finished third in the Morny when reportedly undercooked, third in the Middle Park and third in the Irish 2,000 Guineas a la the stable's 2001 July Cup hero Mozart (Ire). He has never looked a pure sprinter, so it will be intriguing to see how he fares now that he has been firmly pointed in that direction.

Of the remainder, Ed Bethell's stable star Regional (GB) (Territories {Ire}) showed he can really shift when capturing the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup in 1:10.60 in September and warrants respect as one of the race's genuine pure sprinters coming off a solid second in Royal Ascot's five-furlong G1 King Charles III Stakes. Marc Chan's Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is back a year after finishing third when conditions were more in his favour, so it is probably a stretch to believe he has got faster in that time. Fitri Hay's dual G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes hero Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) enjoyed one of his career-defining moments here when winning the G3 Palace House Stakes on good ground two years ago and it is very possible that he could at last escape being pigeon-holed as just a Royal Ascot horse.

Moment of Truth in the Superlative…

If one thing is certain, it is that Charlie Appleby will approach the G2 Superlative Stakes with genuine intent each year and this time it is up to the unbeaten TDN Rising Star Ancient Truth (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to fly the flag. Following a debut win over six furlongs on the Rowley Mile track in May with a course-and-distance novice success last month, the homebred looks to do better than his ill-fated full-brother Great Truth (GB) who was fourth in this 12 months ago.

Successful on four occasions in this, including with three subsequent Group 1 or Grade I winners, Appleby has his latest protagonist honed and ready. “He's two from two and has got that experience on this track now and I feel he has come forward again from his last run if anything,” he said. “The timing is hopefully suitable and I feel he has hopefully come forward mentally and physically.”

Wathnan Racing's G2 Coventry Stakes third Columnist (GB) (Ardad {Ire}) represents the form of that Royal Ascot juvenile feature which took a knock on Thursday in contrast to the Royal meeting's Listed Chesham Stakes. Already boasting two subsequent winners, the seven-furlong contest played host to Teme Valley and Ciaron Maher's runner-up Pentle Bay (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) and he gives further indication as to what we are dealing with in terms of Ballydoyle's supremo Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

Trainer George Boughey is hoping that Pentle Bay's inherent stamina will help here. “I think a stiff seven will suit him and he looks like he has a more stout pedigree than a few of them at the top end of the market.”

Delius Poised for Grand Prix…

ParisLongchamp's G1 Grand Prix de Paris is one of the key races in France that has mainly evaded Jean-Claude Rouget and Coolmore's unbeaten TDN Rising Star Delius (GB) (Frankel {GB}) looks to end a 14-year drought for the Pau-based maestro. He beat Saganti (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) comfortably enough in Chantilly's G3 Prix du Lys last month, but he will have to be every bit as good as he promises to be to deal with the G1 Prix de Diane third Tamfana (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), the Wertheimers' G1 Prix du Jockey Club third Sosie (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Ballydoyle's G2 Queen's Vase scorer Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The card's G2 Prix de Malleret also over a mile and a half sees the Diane runner-up Survie (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) tackle The Aga Khan's G3 Prix de la Grotte winner Candala (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) who can be forgiven her eighth in that Chantilly Classic.