By Tom Frary
Seemingly banging his head against the wall over a mile and a quarter, Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) is back at the Derby trip and back into his comfort zone in Thursday's four-runner G2 Princess of Wales's S. on day one of Newmarket's July Festival. Not seen at 12 furlongs since following his Blue Riband triumph with another in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. two years ago, Godolphin's heavyweight has given no indication in two reverses in the G1 Champion S. and G1 Prince of Wales's S. that his prowess has diminished and this poorly-contested event smacks of “confidence boost” ahead of a return to Ascot's midsummer showcase.
Such is the paucity of the opposition here, If the real Adayar doesn't turn up for whatever reason this is a “nothing” race undeserving of its history but William Buick is happy his mount still possesses that “endless power” he talked about in July 2020. “There's plenty left there,” he said. “He was a bit slow away [at Ascot] and there were a few things in the race that possibly didn't quite suit, but he was still third and he's back running over his ideal trip.”
Purosangue Ready For July Test
Having appeared a little too late to make Royal Ascot, TDN Rising Star Purosangue (GB) (Aclaim {Ire}) has his deep-end moment in the G2 Kingdom of Bahrain July S. which forms part of a two-pronged headline act on Thursday's Newmarket card. The form of his impressive Haydock debut win last month has taken knocks, so Opulence Thoroughbreds and Teme Valley's £125,000 Goffs UK Breeze-Up graduate has something to prove pitched in against Middleham Park Racing's G2 Norfolk S. runner-up Malc (GB) (Calyx {GB}). He sets the standard, while Ballydoyle are here with the Curragh maiden winner Mountain Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Charlie Hills tries again with Chief Mankato (GB) (Sioux Nation) after his potentially nasty stalls incident before the G2 Coventry S.
Welcome Back Nostrum
Also on the card is arguably the day's most fascinating encounter in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil S. win which Juddmonte's G3 Tattersalls S.-winning TDN Rising Star Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}) stages his return having last been seen finishing third in the G1 Dewhurst S. on the Rowley Mile. European racing manager Barry Mahon said it all as he provided the pre-race lowdown. “He's still full of promise and his work at home has been good so hopefully, touch wood, we have a clear run for the rest of the season,” he commented.
Also in the line-up in a race of listed status in name only are fellow TDN Rising Stars Mostabshir (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), while Roger Varian's unbeaten Embesto (GB) (Roaring Lion) is also in the mix for what can be seen as a Sussex trial. Bearing in mind what Mostabshir's half-siblings Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) did at four and five, Shadwell's homebred is still in the embryo stage of his class ascent. “We just need to get on with him,” Angus Gold explained. “We just need to just find his level.”
Interestingly, Imperial Emperor was in action in the same course-and-distance novice last month used by connections of Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) as a steppingstone to this and Charlie Appleby is ready to see what he has in the relative of Dubawi's Ghaiyyath (Ire). “We are testing him in a race that looks to have plenty of strength in depth,” he said. “We are confident going into the race, but will be a lot wiser afterwards as to where the rest of the season lies in terms of grade and trip.”
Leger Contenders Gear Up In The Bahrain Trophy
Kicking off the July Festival is the 13-furlong G3 Bahrain Trophy, with Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Tower Of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) looking poised to enter the St Leger picture now that he has got his act together. Too keen at two and on his return in the G3 Derby Trial at Leopardstown, the full-brother to the hero of the 2017 Doncaster Classic Capri (Ire) learnt plenty in the Listed King George V Cup and Down Royal's Ulster Derby last month and is probably only now ready for the kind of challenge that awaits here with the G2 Queen's Vase runner-up Saint George (GB) (Roaring Lion) lying in wait.
Weather Watch For Via Sistina As Falmouth Run Hangs In The Balance
George Boughey has announced that he will walk the July Course before letting Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) take her chance in Friday's G1 Tattersalls Falmouth S. One of nine declared on Wednesday for the mile feature, the G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine needs the storms that have yet to arrive in Suffolk. “We will work as if she is running, but she needs the rain for her to run,” her trainer said. “The Falmouth has always been a plan for her, as she does look very good on a straight track but softer ground is key to her. There are lots of times she could run where she will get soft ground and we are not going to do anything that is not in the best interests of the horse. We will walk the track and if it is the same as Ireland last time I imagine she will take her chance, but if it is any faster she won't.”
Others in the mix for the Falmouth are last year's winner Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and fellow Ralph Beckett-trained Remarquee (GB) (Kingman {GB}), with Rob Hornby deserting the former for the G1 Coronation S. runner-up; last year's G1 Prix de Diane heroine Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who has been supplemented; and another from the Gosdens' set-up in Juddmonte's Sandringham H. winner Coppice (GB) (Kingman {GB}) with Tom Marquand a surprise booking.
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