Muhaarar wins Darley July Cup

Dubai - Birchwood sets new 1,400m two-year-olds track record in Superlative Stakes

Muhaarar, ridden by Paul Hanagan, dropped his head on the line in the right time to land the 1,200m Darley July Cup (British Champions Series and Global Sprint Challenge) Group-1, and introduced himself as a new sprint star after back-to-back Group One wins.
It was also the second July Cup for the former British champion jockey Paul Hanagan who partnered the champion sprinter to glory in the silks of the leading international horse breeder and owner Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, and trainer Charlie Hills.
The Oasis Dream three-year-old colt has impressively won the inaugural running of the 1,200m Commonwealth Cup Group-1 at Ascot three weeks ago before he went on to beat the elders.
However, Patrick Cosgrave looked like a winner onboard Tropics who set the early pace, but Muhaarar got up very strongly in the final 50 yards to spoil the party in the last stride and prevail by just a nose.
"He didn't really come down the hill but he's a fighter and battled all the way to the line," said trainer Charlie Hills, who added his horse had not appreciated the track. "He's just a very, very good horse."
Hills had also expressed concern before the race that Muhaarar's royal meeting romp may have taken a heavier toll on his charge than it appeared and undoubtedly this was not the freewheeling Muhaarar who so effortlessly slayed a classy field in the Commonwealth Cup.
Elsewhere, Birchwood set a new 1,400m two-year-olds track record of 1.23.33m in a quick ground under James Doyle to earn trainer Richard Fahey a well-deserved victory in a big race of the season in the sky blue silks of Godolphin in the Bet365 Superlative Stakes Gr-2, the second event on the card.
Doyle put his mount with the leading group as the eight-runner field left the machines before he shook the reins and Birchwood kicked away from the pack to win by one length in front of the 11-4 favourite Air Vice Marshal (Aiden O'Brien/ Joseph O'Brien).
Doyle said: "I let him go at the two and he just wandered a bit late on. He travelled into it really well and put the race to bed nicely, he just had a look late on. He has a lot of speed, six or seven (furlongs) is fine, but seven is probably as far as he wants to go at the minute."
He added: "I'm having a fruitful time of it lately, I'm getting on some quality horses and they're all coming at once."
Fahey said: "James said he was in front too soon, but he quickened up at the two and quickly put the race to bed. He just got a bit lonely out in front as it's a big, open space.
"We'll speak to John (Ferguson) and see where he goes, but he has entries in the Gimcrack and the National Stakes.
"His mind wasn't on the job in Ireland, but today he was a gentleman and we're back where we thought we were with him."
Meanwhile, top Irish jockey Pat Smullen did the steering to bring Western Reserve home for Lady Cecil in the Bet 365 Mile Handicap, the opener of the final day of the July Festival. The three-year-old gelded son of Indian Charlie was always travelling well from the centre of the track and rose to the challenge to hold on courageously when attacked by Great Park and Mutasayyid and prevailed by a neck on the line.
Mutasayyid (Richard Hanon/ Paul Hanagan) finished third in the colours of Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, while Godolphin duo Good Contact (Saeed bin Suroor/ James Doyle) and Bow And Arrow (Charlie Appleby/ Richard Hughes) have finished disappointingly sixth and 11th respectively. Shaikh Hamdan's second runner Snoano (John Gosden/ Dane O'Neill) was last of all.
hisham@khaleejtimes.com