Trainer Chris Waller will achieve a "life highlight" if star sprinter Brazen Beau can become the first Australian-trained horse to win the Darley July Cup at Newmarket.
It is 12 years since Paul Perry’s antipodean challenger Choisir threatened to dominate the British summer after an unprecedented sprint double at Royal Ascot, but even he came up short at Newmarket, finding the brilliant Oasis Dream too strong.
Australian favourite Takeover Target did not have much luck on the July Course and while Starspangledbanner may have been bred and done most of his racing Down Under, by the time he struck gold in the 2010 July Cup, he was already under the tutelage of Aidan O’Brien.
Brazen Beau would appear to have excellent claims of righting the wrong, having proved himself at the top level on numerous occasions in his homeland before coming up narrowly short against the American Undrafted after ploughing a lone furrow in the Diamond Jubilee at Ascot.
Waller is looking forward to seeing his charge carry the Godolphin blue for the first time in the hands of James Doyle. "I've been privileged to train a few nice horses over the years, but he is right up there with the best of them. Winning the July Cup would not just be a career highlight, but a life highlight," said the trainer.
“He is up there with the best sprinters in Australia and as you have seen on the world stage, they perform well every year.”
Waller feels his stable star may be in even better shape now than he was heading to the Royal Ascot meeting.“I would not be swapping him for any other horse.
“His biggest asset is that he is relaxed. From getting off the plane to settling in to handling the big occasions – he takes everything in his stride.”
The chief British hope is the Charlie Hills-trained Muhaarar following his jaw-dropping display in the inaugural Commonwealth Cup. Dropping back in distance following a luckless run in the French 2,000 Guineas, the three-year-old looked every inch a top-class sprinter as he routed what looked like a strong field of three-year-olds and he now tests his powers against the older generation.
Angus Gold, racing manager for owner Sheikh Hamdan, said: “It’s going to be a very interesting race. Muhaarar was clearly very impressive at Ascot.
“We hope our horse is still improving and we’ll just have to see what happens on the day.”
