Miss Andretti Tops 54 High-Class Horses Left In Darley July Cup

Australian sprinting sensation Miss Andretti heads a superb 54-strong entry who stand their ground at the first forfeit stage for the #375,000 Group One Darley July Cup, run over six furlongs on Newmarket´s July Course on Friday, July 13, the highlight of the 2007 Ritz Club July Festival.

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The six-year-old mare, trained by Lee Freedman, produced a tremendous display to take yesterday´s Group Two King´s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, knocking over two seconds off the course record for five furlongs as she blitzed to a length and three quarter triumph over Irish hope Dandy Man, with compatriot Magnus close up in third place.

Rookie handler Tim Pitt gained his second top level success when Les Arcs held off the fast-finishing Iffraaj in the 2006 Darley July Cup, following up his triumph in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. The seven-year-old ran unplaced on his return this year in the Group Two Duke Of York Stakes at York on May 16.

The Kevin Ryan-trained Amadeus Wolf was ultra-consistent in 2006, including when an excellent fourth to Les Arcs in the Darley July Cup, and looked as a good as ever on his return this year when landing the Duke Of York Stakes, defeating Red Clubs by a length and a quarter.

Aidan O´Brien supplies four of the seven remaining Irish-trained entries, including Excellent Art and Astronomer Royal, first and third in the Group One St James´s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot yesterday, and George Washington, the brilliant 2006 Stan James 2000 Guineas victor who returned from an unsuccessful spell at stud to finish a close fourth to Ramonti in the Group One Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot the same day.

Sakhee´s Secret is undoubtedly one of the most exciting young sprinters in training, having landed all three outings in 2007. Hughie Morrison´s three-year-old produced an exhilarating performance on his most recent outing when storming to a four-length victory over Prime Defender in the Listed Cathedral Stakes at Salisbury on June 17.

The Richard Hannon-trained Asset finished ninth behind George Washington in the 2006 Stan James 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, but looked a natural sprinter on his four-year-old debut when comfortably defeating stable companion Assertive by two and a half lengths in the Listed Abernant Stakes at Newmarket on April 19.

Borderlescott is a very consistent performer and provided trainer Robin Bastiman with his biggest success in the 2006 Stewards´ Cup at Goodwood, Mark Wallace´s Benbaun is yet to win at the highest level but is a classy sprinter, while Bygone Days, who captured the 2006 Group Three Igloos Bentinck Stakes at Newmarket, is the sole Godolphin hope.

US Ranger, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, was undefeated before this year´s Stan James 2,000 Guineas, when he finished seventh behind Cockney Rebel, and he runs at Royal Ascot today. He is one of four French-trained entries.

The German-trained entry is Electric Beat, a Group Three scorer over six furlongs at Hamburg in 2006, who ran second on his seasonal return at Hanover on June 10 for handler Andreas Lowe.

Drayton, unplaced behind Cockney Rebel in the Stan James 2000 Guineas on his latest start in May, could represent South African handler Mike de Kock, while the Gai Waterhouse-trained Bentley Biscuit, in arrears in yesterday´s King´s Stand Stakes, completes the Australian trio.

Other fascinating entries include David Nicholls´ useful pair Tax Free and Moss Vale, 2006 Coventry Stakes scorer Hellvelyn, James Fanshawe´s improving mare Firenze, the Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained duo Al Qasi, very progressive last season, and Dutch Art, third in the Stan James 2000 Guineas, and Mutawaajid, a dual Group Two winner in Australia now based with Mick Channon.

Michael Prosser, Newmarket´s Director of Racing, commented: 'The Australian sprinters really proved themselves again at Royal Ascot yesterday and we are looking forward to Miss Andretti, Magnus and hopefully Bentley Biscuit taking part in Europe´s richest and most prestigious sprint, the Darley July Cup.

'Though Choisir went close in 2003, an Australian-trained horse has yet to win our race and, as usual, there will be plenty of challengers from Europe determined to foil the long-distance raiders.'