This first day of the July Festival here was one that the punters will want to forget, when the smart money found its way to the Pimm’s bar or the ice-cream van and steered well clear of the bookies. All seven favourites on the card, including three at odds-on, were beaten as winners returned at 25-1, 20-1 and 11-1 twice, and the most bitter disappointment was the sight of Masar, last year’s Derby winner, trailing home last of six behind Communique in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes.
The signs seemed promising as Masar went to post as the 5-6 favourite, looking fit and well for only his second start in 13 months having suffered a season-ending injury shortly after his Derby success. But there was little response when James Doyle asked him to make ground two furlongs out, just as Communique and Silvestre de Sousa struck for home, and a furlong later, he was clearly beaten, dropping away tamely and relegated to last just a few strides from the line.
It was hard to find any positives in the performance of a horse who was the first Derby winner in Godolphin blue 13 months ago. Communique was a comfortable winner but Mark Johnston, his trainer, is realistic about his ability, suggesting afterwards that if Communique is to win a Group One race this season, it is more likely to be in Germany than Britain. And Communique finished five-and-a-half lengths in front of Masar.
“I hate to use an excuse when a race doesn’t pan out for you,” Charlie Appleby, Masar’s trainer, said, “but they didn’t go much of a gallop and he was just unfortunately over-racing on the outside and it paid in the end.
“As usual, we hope he comes out all right, then we will make a decision on what we do with him. On his bit of work last Wednesday, I had no excuses coming into today. He had ticked every box. The great thing about this game is that it levels you.”
Visinari, another runner from the Johnston stable, attracted relentless support before the July Stakes, thanks in part to a winning time in a maiden over course and distance in early June which would have been more than enough to take most renewals of Thursday’s Group Two contest.
From early quotes of odds-against, Johnston’s colt was backed down to start at 4-6 and while money stayed in the satchels, he did enough to suggest that, like several of the beaten horses in the July Stakes in recent season, he will prove to be the best of them in time.
Visinari certainly travelled like a top-class juvenile to the furlong pole, where Frankie Dettori sent him to the front. He led until the final strides, when he was passed by both Royal Lytham and Platinum Star, and Johnston blamed himself – or rather, his son and assistant, Charlie – for sending Visinari to the wrong race.
“I’m kicking myself,” Johnston said. “I’d said all along after his first race that he should step up to seven [furlongs]. Charlie kept reminding me how fast his maiden had been and I was persuaded.
“It’s as simple as that, it was too sharp for him. It got him off his legs and disorganised and although he got to the front, it wasn’t a smooth passage and he will definitely step up to seven next time.”
Johnston’s chance to remind Charlie that his dad was right all along is likely to come in the Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood later his month, when Platinum Star is again expected to be among his opponents.
Newmarket 1.50 Dark Vision (nb) 2.25 Daahyeh 3.00 Manjaam 3.35 One Master (nap) 4.10 Al Suhail 4.45 Maksab 5.20 Orvar
York 2.05 Spartan Fighter 2.40 Durston 3.15 Perfection 3.45 Najashee 4.20 Mrs Bouquet 4.55 Holmeswood 5.30 Irreverent
Ascot 2.15 Eton College 2.50 Grenadier Guard 3.25 American Graffiti 4.00 Birch Grove 4.35 Pesto 5.10 Sunsprite 5.45 Breanski
Chester 5.50 Ballymount 6.20 Feelinlikeasomeone 6.55 Vivid Diamond
7.25 Dark Of Night 8.00 Logi 8.30 Bowson Fred 9.00 So Near So Farhh
Chepstow 6.00 Sigrid Nansen 6.30 Rose Crown 7.05 Song Of The Isles 7.35 Outtake 8.10 Good Luck Fox 8.40 Captain Dan 9.10 Jungle Juice
Ffos Las 6.10 Bletchley Castle 6.40 Trigger Nichol 7.15 Khismet 7.45 Brave Helios 8.20 The Cashel Man 8.50 Milanvera
