Shaquille has put a winning run together despite finding ways to get himself into trouble, so if he gets everything right in the Pertemps Network July Cup at Newmarket, he is surely the one to beat.
His breakthrough Group One success in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot came in dramatic circumstances.
He reared when the stalls opened, losing a minimum of five lengths and trainer Julie Camacho admitted to thinking his chance was over immediately.
To his absolute credit, he was back in contention by halfway and back on the tail of hot favourite Little Big Bear – but surely when push came to shove it was going to be a case of he had wasted too much energy.
Not a bit of it, as Shaquille still had plenty to offer and when asked to win his race, he streaked clear of last year’s leading juvenile in exciting style.
In receipt of weight from his elders, he can add his name to the likes of Sakhee’s Secret, Dream Ahead, Muhaarar, Harry Angel, US Navy Flag and Ten Sovereigns who have all won this at three since 2007 alone.
Ryan Moore’s booking for the Clive Cox-trained Havana Blue is a pointer to his chances in the bet365 Mile Handicap.
He has won stylishly the last twice, once on the Rowley Mile and then on the July course, but it does not appear as though the handicapper is reacting quick enough.
The Superlative Stakes looks at the mercy of Aidan O’Brien’s City Of Troy.
Both Moore and O’Brien could not talk him up highly enough following his winning debut at the Curragh a fortnight ago.
Moore struggled to pull him up and this Justify colt should remain unbeaten for the time being.
The cards may eventually fall the way of Simon and Ed Crisford’s Awaal in the bet365 Bunbury Cup.
Second in the Lincoln and third in the Royal Hunt Cup, he can take the role of supersub after ante-post favourite and stablemate Croupier was ruled out in the week.
For those of a certain vintage it is Magnet Cup day at York, where the Crisfords could also be on the mark with Sea The Casper in the £200,000 John Smith’s Cup.
Connections probably felt he needed to win to pick up a penalty to get in with a rating of 97, hence he reappeared last month at Lingfield.
He absolutely sluiced up there, bringing about a 9lb rise in the ratings, but as this race is an early closer, he only carries a 5lb penalty.
As it turns out he would have got in off 97 after all, and he would have been some certainty off that mark, but he still looks the one to beat.
Ed Bethell’s Regional is a sprinter on the up and he can continue his forward momentum in the John Smith’s City Wall’s Stakes.
It is often said how little there is between the top handicappers and Group race sprinters and Bethell’s charge has proved that already this season.
A winner at York’s May meeting off a mark of 100, he won a Listed race last time out at Haydock in clear-cut fashion and despite a penalty, he looks the one to beat.
Mighty Ulysses might have slipped under the radar somewhat in the Fred Cowley MBE Summer Mile at Ascot.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden, he was not disgraced in last year’s St James’s Palace Stakes and comfortably saw off the very smart Alflaila afterwards.
Next time at York the roles were reversed and Mighty Ulysses clearly was not right as he has not been seen since.
Alflaila won his next three after that Newmarket reverse, so that form is clearly red-hot.
IRISH NEWS YANKEE
NAP Shaquille
(4.35: Newmarket)
DOUBLE Havana Blue
(2.50: Newmarket)
TREBLE City Of Troy
(3.25: Newmarket)
YANKEE Awaal
(4.00: Newmarket)
