Gleneagles's Mill Stream Wins the July Cup

Peter Harris's Mill Stream (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}–Swirral Edge {GB}, by Hellvelyn {GB}) had been coming of age so far this season and his big moment duly came in Saturday's G1 My Pension Expert July Cup at Newmarket. Successful in the G2 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes and third in Royal Ascot's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on his last two starts, the 11-1 shot was held up early by William Buick with the pace strong up front. Staying on powerfully down the wing to wear down the QEII Jubilee runner-up Swingalong (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) inside the final 50 yards, the Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained 4-year-old was driven out to assert for a neck success, with Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) 1 3/4 lengths away in third. The 11-8 favourite Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal) was fifth after finding this test too sharp.

“We were doing cartwheels when it rained, as it just took the sting out of the ground midweek,” Chapple-Hyam said. “I think that is all he needs. You knew there was going to be a lot of speed and when they were doing 10 and change at halfway and he was sat in behind, I just knew he'd pick up and I'm thrilled.”

She added, “Peter [Harris] has a good team in the yard, he supports them and he supports me, so to go and win a group 1 for him, that's what he wants and what the yard needs, so it's good.”

Mill Stream's first visit to this track came as a 2-year-old when second to Godolphin's smart Noble Style (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in a novice. His second resulted in a nose defeat by Quinault (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}) trying to give that prolific winner a stone in a heritage handicap at this meeting last year. Going on from there to take Deauville's Listed Prix Moonlight Cloud and G3 Prix de Meautry in August, he was given wind surgery after failing to fire in the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup and G1 British Champions Sprint Stakes and returned with a second in the Rowley Mile venue's G3 Abernant Stakes prior to heading to York and Royal Ascot.

William Buick, who was riding his 100th Group 1 winner, was happy to wait while River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Inisherin raced in the heat of the front line and that proved the right tactic with the pace a demanding one. As the forwardly-ridden 3-year-olds wilted, it was Swingalong who stayed strong in the teeth of the gallop with the more conservatively-placed Vandeek briefly threatening but Mill Stream had built serious momentum coming down and up out of the dip with his reserve of energy.

“Jane and the team were adamant that he was in better shape for this race than for Ascot–I know the 3-year-olds looked a strong bunch of horses today, but he's a hard-knocking sprinter and when I needed him he was there and showed his true grit,” Buick said. “It went perfectly, as he's a horse who prefers not to have any pressure put on him and to build up in his own time and we were able to do that with the race unfolding in front of us. It's probably an open year for the sprinters where the small margins make a difference and the one thing that you get with Mill Stream is he's straightforward and tries very hard.”

Chapple-Hyam is intent on heading back to Deauville now. “He likes three weeks between races if you look back, so we'll go to Deauville next for the Prix Maurice de Gheest,” she said. “He'll love the six and a half furlongs there–as a young horse, he got six there very well so six-and-a-half, bring it on!”

Swingalong was narrowly denied for the second time in succession in a major sprint and trainer Karl Burke was hoping it will be a case of third time lucky at Haydock in September. “I am gutted that we got beat, but she is such a game filly and wears her heart on her sleeve and everyone knows how she is going to run,” he said. “I think there are two things–there was the extra rain which suited the winner and the fact that Art Power took us on, but they are things you can't control and she has run a fantastic race. She will go to Haydock now for the Betfair Sprint Cup and we'll pray it doesn't rain, as that could be a brilliant race for her.”

Of Vandeek, Simon Crisford said, “He has run a really good race. He was just lacking match practice and in effect that was like his first run of the season, which has caught him out. Missing Ascot was a huge problem for us as he has come here today in a championship race without any warm-up. He has acquitted himself with great credit and we'll get busy for the rest of the season now. We will talk to Sheikh Khaled and think about the Prix Maurice de Gheest in a couple of weeks.”

Pedigree Notes

   Mill Stream is the second foal out of Swirral Edge (GB) (Hellvelyn {GB}), with her first being the G2 Richmond Stakes winner and G1 Prix Morny third Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}). She is a half-sister to the Listed Westrow Stakes winner and G3 Prix du Petit Couvert-placed Fashion Queen (GB) (Aqlaam {GB}), while the family includes the G2 Flying Childers Stakes winner and stakes producer Wunders Dream (Ire) (Averti {Ire}), the G3 Ridgewood Pearl Stakes winner Grecian Dancer (GB) (Dansili {GB}) who produced the Group 1-placed Muffri'ha (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), and the top Hong Kong performers Mensa (GB) (Rudimentary) and Firebolt (Ire) (Flying Spur {Aus}). Swirral Edge's unraced 2-year-old colt Tasalla (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) was a 390,000gns purchase by Federico Barberini at Tattersalls October Book 1.

Pure speed

Mill Stream wins the Group 1 @MyPensionExpert July Cup for @JaneChappleHyam and @WilliamBuickX @NewmarketRace pic.twitter.com/RFZT9RcBC4

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 13, 2024

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
MY PENSION EXPERT JULY CUP STAKES-G1, £600,000, Newmarket, 7-13, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:10.90, gd.
1–MILL STREAM (IRE), 134, c, 4, by Gleneagles (Ire)
1st Dam: Swirral Edge (GB), by Hellvelyn (GB)
2nd Dam: Pizzarra (GB), by Shamardal
3rd Dam: Pizzicato (GB), by Statoblest (Ire)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (350,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-P W Harris; B-Redpender Stud Ltd (IRE); T-Jane Chapple-Hyam; J-William Buick. £340,260. Lifetime Record: GSW-Fr, 14-5-3-2, $847,886. *1/2 to Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), GSW-Eng, SW & G1SP-Fr, SP-US, $286,744. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Swingalong (Ire), 131, f, 4, Showcasing (GB)–Pilates (Ire), by Shamardal. (120,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum; B-Mountarmstrong Stud. (IRE); T-Karl Burke. £129,000.
3–Vandeek (GB), 128, c, 3, Havana Grey (GB)–Mosa Mine (GB), by Exceed And Excel (Aus). (52,000gns Wlg '21 TADEWE; 42,000gns Ylg '22 TADEY; 625,000gns 2yo '23 TATBRE). O-KHK Racing; B-Maywood Stud (GB); T-Simon & Ed Crisford. £64,560.
Margins: NK, 1 3/4, NK. Odds: 11.00, 22.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Art Power (Ire), Inisherin (GB), Jasour (GB), Vadream (GB), Kinross (GB), River Tiber (Ire), Khaadem (Ire), Mitbaahy (Ire). Scratched: Regional (GB).