Next Steps For The Weekend's Big Irish Runners

Another major weekend of racing action is in the books, with Newmarket's July Festival having produced some superb action, including a huge July Cup shock as No Half Measures prevailed for trainer Richard Hughes.

The Irish raiders were out of luck at Newmarket on Saturday, but Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore made inroads early on at the July Festival, while there were some near misses too for the raiding party in Britain and France.

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Scandinavia

Aidan O'Brien's Justify colt had improved from winning a Navan maiden to finish a close-up fifth in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot in June, but Scandinavia turned in a sublime effort in the opening race at Newmarket's July Festival as he powered clear to win the Bahrain Trophy Stakes under Ryan Moore.

Sent off the 11/8 favourite, he led early before being taken on but was in front again three furlongs from home in the 1m5f contest before motoring clear to win by more than eight lengths.

The Great Voltigeur at York in August could be next, before a possible St Leger tilt at Doncaster in September. Masked Marvel (2011) was the last to win this Newmarket contest and then the St Leger.

O'Brien won this race with Housesofparliament in 2016, who went on to finish third in the St Leger later that year.

January

It wasn't all plain sailing at Newmarket for the power duo of O'Brien and Moore. January was second in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes on Friday behind Godolphin-owned filly Cinderella's Dream.

January had stepped forward from her reappearance in the Irish Guineas when third in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and likely did so again here on her first try against the older fillies.

The Group 1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville could be her next target, a race these same connections landed with Mother Earth in 2021 after finishing runner-up in this race at Newmarket.

Italy

The Coolmore team had to settle for second-best again in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes as Charlie Appleby and William Buick tasted more success with Saba Desert.

Italy, impressive in his debut win at Leopardstown with the way he finished after looking in trouble, was a bit keen in the early part of this race and didn't perhaps come home with the same gusto in what proved a messy contest, as first Venetian Lace and then the winner hung left across the track.

O'Brien admitted pre-race he hadn't really galloped Italy in earnest since the Leopardstown race so there could be plenty of improvement still to come. The National Stakes at the Curragh could still be very much in the offing.

SABA DESERT wins a MESSY Bet365 Superlative Stakes ‼️@godolphin | @WilliamBuickX pic.twitter.com/qWmZ4YWR6i

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) July 12, 2025

Trinity College

Silver medals were handed out in France too for the O'Brien/Moore axis, as Trinity College was foiled by Leffard in the Grand Prix de Paris on Sunday.

The Ballydoyle inmate was sent off odds-on having won the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot last month and Moore broke well and set the fractions in front at Longchamp, but Cristian Demuro timed his run well and got the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Leffard to stick his nose in front on the winning post.

Trinity College is a tough performer and has entries in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, the Great Voltigeur at York and the Irish Champion Stakes later in the season, while the Breeders' Cup could beckon come November.

Cinammon Roll

Gordon Elliott enjoyed a good weekend, with a near miss for Samui in the John Smith's Silver Cup at York on Saturday allied to a pair of winners from just two runners at Perth on Sunday.

One of those winners in Scotland was Cinammon Roll, the No Risk At All gelding taking his record under Rules to three wins in four attempts.

He landed a Downpatrick maiden over 2m6f in June and followed up under champion jockey Sean Bowen in a 2m4f novice contest in Scotland in decisive fashion.

The five-year-old looks promising. He handled the undulating track at Downpatrick well, which could bode well if he gets an entry at the Galway Races or, further down the line, for a trip to Cheltenham in the autumn perhaps, as the next rungs on the ladder are explored.