Wragg Pleased With Ivy Creek Ahead Of Princess Of Wales's Wbx.Com Stakes

>> Bell Keeps Options Open With Spice Route

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The Geoff Wragg stable has been in fine form in recent weeks and Ivy Creek is on target to continue the yard's purple patch in the #90,000 Group Two Princess Of Wales's WBX.COM Stakes at Newmarket's Ritz Club July Festival on the second day, Thursday, July 12.

The Gulch four-year-old is on a hat-trick after defeating The Geezer in a Pontefract Listed contest on June 24, and scoring from Shahin in the same grade at Goodwood earlier that month. Both successes came over the Princess Of Wales's WBX.COM Stakes distance of a mile and a half.

Wragg revealed this morning: 'Ivy Creek will go for the race if all is well. I was very pleased with his run at Pontefract - he ran a good race. He doesn't mind the soft so that won't be a problem.'

Ivy Creek, a half-brother to leading stayer Distinction, won his first two starts as a three-year-old in 2006 before finishing runner-up to Art Deco in the Group Three Dee Stakes at Chester. The colt's season was curtailed following a close sixth to Snoqualmie Boy in the Listed Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Wragg explained: 'He had a bit of back trouble but we've got that right now and I'm very pleased with him this season. Whether he's up to Group Two or not is another matter - we'll find out.

'I think he's the kind of horse who could improve a bit and now that he has overcome his back problem he could be quite useful. He would stay further but I'm going to stick at a mile and a half at the moment.'

Entries for the Princess Of Wales's WBX.COM Stakes also include the 2006 Group One Ladbrokes St Leger hero Sixties Icon, as well as fellow Group One winners Youmzain and Sudan.

Other possible runners include Vodafone Derby fourth Lucarno and the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Group Three winner Ask, while Mark Johnston's seven-strong entry includes King Edward VII Stakes winner and Irish Derby fourth Boscobel as well as last year's winner Soapy Danger.

Newmarket trainer Michael Bell could saddle the progressive three-year-old Spice Route, who was last seen finishing four and a half lengths fifth to subsequent Group One Budweiser Irish Derby fourth Bosocobel in the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 22.

The King's Best three-year-old, who made a good impression when winning handicaps at Haydock and York in the spring, will also be given an alternative entry at the Ritz Club July Festival.

Bell revealed this morning: 'Spice Route is very well and will be left in the Princess Of Wales's WBX.COM Stakes but he's also going to be put in the Listed Bahrain Trophy, so we will have a look at both options and see which horses turn up for the Group Two race before making a final decision about which route we'll go.'

The #30,000 Listed Bahrain Trophy is run over a mile and five furlongs and is the opening race on day two of the fantastic three-day Ritz Club July Festival (Wednesday, July 11 - Friday, July 13).

Bell continued: 'I would say Spice Route certainly copes with a bit of ease in the ground. Whether he'd want proper soft ground is another matter and I don't know that until he runs on it.

'I was happy enough with his run at Royal Ascot. Basically the winner had all his own way up front and was given a very good tactical ride. I think this horse has got more to offer, hopefully.'

Iain Turner, Horse Racing and Sponsorship Manager for WBX.COM, said: 'WBX.COM is delighted to be sponsoring the Princess Of Wales's WBX.COM Stakes for the second year. We are the fourth biggest sponsors in horseracing and this prestigious race is the pinnacle of our involvement.

'It is an honour for WBX.COM to be associated with such a high-class contest on Ladies Day at what is an historic Ritz Club July Festival with the unveiling of the stunning new July Course redevelopment.

'The Princess Of Wales's WBX.COM Stakes promises to be a fantastic spectacle and I'm pleased that progressive horses like Ivy Creek and Spice Route look set to test their credentials against proven top-class performers.

'We saw a thrilling race last season when Soapy Danger made a successful transition to Group Two level and this year's contest promises to be equally exciting with several established stars such as Sixties Icon among the entries.'

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Newmarket Clerk Of The Course Michael Prosser is hopeful that ground conditions will be drier than at present when the Ritz Club July Festival commences on Wednesday, July 11.

Prosser revealed today: 'The ground is Soft at the moment. It rained last night but it has been a dry morning, so it will be interesting to see how much the course has dried out.

'The long range forecast is unsettled but the showers are more hit and miss next week. There is further rain forecast this evening. Although there are isolated showers around on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, it is likely that we could miss the majority of them. We could get further rain Sunday night into Monday but that is not guaranteed to be coming over us and next week is hit and miss.

'There is a certain amount of optimism, especially as temperatures are higher next week - we're talking 20-22 degrees Celcius. This place dries very quickly and it's virgin ground that hasn't been raced on since last August. If the wind blows, the temperatures rise and we get a bit of sunshine then it's not going to take a great deal for it dry out and there's every possibility we could be starting the meeting on good ground.'