Flag Takes Flight in July Cup Cont
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SUNDAY, 15 JULY 2018 U S Navy Flag is in the mould of the stable’s previous 3-year- FLAG TAKES FLIGHT old winners of this contest, Stravinsky and Mozart (Ire) who were also coming back from a mile when victorious in 1999 and IN JULY CUP 2001. Like the latter, he was caught late on in the Irish Guineas when asked to make all over The Curragh’s demanding mile May 25 but connections had opted to go again for conclusive proof in the St James’s Palace on June 19. They got that as he faded out of the race, having set a formidable tempo, and in many ways this was just a belated return to his optimum a year on from his first demonstration of his inherent ability when second in the G2 July S. at this meeting. Also fifth when stumbling on the bend in a dramatic renewal of the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp on May 13, the bay is now firmly set to navigate the world’s top sprints. Aidan O’Brien, who was also close-up fifth with the patiently- ridden Sioux Nation (Scat Daddy), was full of praise for the winner’s temperament as well as class. “It was unbelievable for U S Navy Flag is targeting Australia’s The Everest after him to do that, as to nearly make all at The Curragh you have to winning the July Cup | racingfotos.com nearly be a nine- or ten-furlong horse, but he has a very strong mind and it was obviously courage that got him to where he was in the Irish Guineas,” he said. “He was a little bit on the bridle at Aidan O’Brien’s relatively quiet week at Newmarket suddenly Ascot, so we had to give him a chance here and he got into a burst into life where it really mattered on Saturday as U S Navy lovely rhythm here.” Cont. p2 Flag (War Front) made all to capture the festival’s feature G1 Darley July Cup. Positively ridden as usual by Ryan Moore, the 8-1 shot who had completed the rare Middle Park-Dewhurst double on the Rowley Mile here in the autumn but who was HE’S A VERY GOOD HORSE TO COME saying goodbye to a mile after his ninth in the G1 St James’s BACK FROM A TOUGH CAMPAIGN LIKE Palace S. at the Royal meeting, was given most to think about by Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) inside the final furlong. Drawing on THAT. THE PLAN WAS TO REST HIM the inherent valour he possesses and stamina that had seen him AFTER THIS AND TRAIN HIM FOR finish second in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, he pulled away to THE EVEREST win by 1 3/4 lengths as stablemate Fleet Review (War Front) grabbed third, a further 3/4 of a length away. The 5-2 favourite Aidan O’Brien on U S Navy Flag Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) looked a dubious stayer in seventh. “What threw us was he was able to win a Dewhurst making the running and nearly got the trip in an Irish Guineas, so we had to go a mile [in the St James’s Palace] at Ascot,” Aidan O’Brien explained. “Ryan looked after him there, but he’d had IN TDN AMERICA TODAY tough races and we were afraid that they had left a mark. He’s a ELATE FAR TOO STRONG IN DELAWARE H. very good horse to come back from a tough campaign like that Neither an eight-month absence nor a 10-furlong trip could as a 3-year-old. The plan was to rest him after this and train him derail ‘TDN Rising Star’ Elate (Medaglia d’Oro) in Saturday’s GII for The Everest. In all fairness to him, he deserves a rest.” Delaware H. Click or tap here to go straight to TDN America. TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 2 OF 18 • THETDN.COM SUNDAY • 15 JULY 2018 Flag Takes Flight In July Cup cont. from p1 Blue Point was unable to become the first to complete the He is out of a Galileo mare and with any horse that has that King’s Stand S.-July Cup double since Never So Bold (Ire) in 1985 Galileo in them, they flatten down on the ground when you go and trainer Charlie Appleby is looking at returning to five after them--their stride doesn’t shorten and they keep going. He furlongs now. “William said he over-raced and was keen enough has loads of speed and is able to drag horses. Physically he’s not for the first two [furlongs],” he commented. “We were obviously very high, but he has length and has a well-balanced blend of disappointed, but we’ll drop him to five and go for the War Front and Galileo in his pedigree. He had a gruelling season Nunthorpe and [the Sept. 16 G1] Flying Five at The Curragh and at two and even ran on the dirt then, but came back smiling then head back to Ascot for the [Oct. 20 G1] British Champions after dancing every dance. For a horse to take that much Sprint. As William [Buick] just said, for whatever reason this hardship and come back is rare, but he obviously has an horse turns up at [Royal] Ascot--that’s his gig and he seems to unbelievable constitution.” like it there.” Brando was placing in this for the second consecutive year and seemed to be disadvantaged by having to race towards the stand’s rail with all the action away from him. Tracking the again-disappointing Australian challenger Redkirk Warrior (GB) (Notnowcato {GB}) only took him so far and jockey Tom Eaves was rueing his fortune. “He’s run a blinder and we’re very happy with him, but as it turns out we were probably drawn on the wrong side,” he said. “I thought I had the winner going to the furlong pole, but all credit to him as he pulled out more.” Pedigree Notes... U S Navy Flag’s dam Misty For Me (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was a leading performer for this stable, taking the G1 Moyglare Stud S. U S Navy Flag and groom David Hickey after and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac at two and the G1 Irish 1000 the July Cup | racingfotos.com Guineas and G1 Pretty Polly S. the following season. Her first With regards to his tilt at the Oct. 13 A$13-million Randwick foal Cover Song, a daughter of Fastnet Rock (Aus), took the GIII bonanza, he added, “The weight-for-age is probably a bit wrong Autumn Miss S. before her attentions were turned towards War in both hemispheres and this horse will probably be a bit wrong Front. Her first produce by that sire was in her mould. Roly Poly when he goes down there, so that’s something to look at in the proved as tough, genuine and consistent a performer as she had future. Australia is a young, progressive racing country and the been and her unflinching travails last season earned her racing is getting very strong and competitive down there, so victories in the G1 Sun Chariot S. and G1 Falmouth S. before U S we’re really looking forward to it.” Navy Flag came along to trump her. The unraced second dam Sioux Nation, who had the winner behind in last year’s Butterfly Cove produced another Marcel Boussac heroine in G1 Phoenix S., is staying closer to home after his encouraging Misty For Me’s sister Ballydoyle (Ire), who was also third in the effort. “He’s very fast and is probably a five-furlong horse, but as G1 1000 Guineas, and another full-sibling of merit in the SW and he’s a big horse who has taken time to get fit the plan was to let MGSP Twirl (Ire). Butterfly Cove is a full-sister to the G3 1000 him run here and then go back [to five] for the [G1] Nunthorpe Guineas Trial S. winner Kamarinskaya and a half to the [at York on Aug. 24]. We don’t think we’ll see the best of him G1 Phoenix S. and G1 Prix Morny-winning champion juvenile until he goes back.” Fasliyev from the family of the MGISW sires Desert Wine and TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 3 OF 18 • THETDN.COM SUNDAY • 15 JULY 2018 Menifee. Misty For Me’s upcoming War Fronts are all as-yet unnamed, with 2-year-old and foal fillies joined by a yearling colt. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Saturday, Newmarket, Britain DARLEY JULY CUP S.-G1, £500,000, Newmarket, 7-14, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:11.32, g/f. 1--U S NAVY FLAG, 126, c, 3, by War Front Vice President, International Operations 1st Dam: Misty For Me (Ire) (Hwt. 2yo Filly-Fr & Ire, Gary King Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 9.5-11f, MG1SW-Ire, G1SW-Fr Twitter: @garykingTDN & GISP-US, $1,124,364), by Galileo (Ire) [email protected] 2nd Dam: Butterfly Cove, by Storm Cat + 1.732.320.0975 3rd Dam: Mr. P’s Princess, by Mr. Prospector International Editor O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Misty For Kelsey Riley Me Syndicate (KY); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £283,550. Twitter: @kelseynrileyTDN Lifetime Record: Hwt. 2yo Colt-Eur, GSW & G1SP-Ire, 16-5-2-2, [email protected] $1,128,302. *Full to Roly Poly, MG1SW-Eng, G1SW-Fr, GSW & G1SP-Ire, $939,537; and 1/2 to Cover Song (Fastnet Rock European Editor {Aus}), GSW-US, $122,227.