Fleeting Spirit careers to July Cup success

Report: Newmarket, Friday

Darley July Cup (Group 1) 6f, 3yo+

FLEETING SPIRIT survived a stewards' inquiry to land the  Darley July Cup in dramatic fashion after causing interference to runner-up Main Aim.

The Jeremy Noseda-trained filly, who gave jockey Tom Queally a second Group 1 sprint success following Art Connoisseur's win in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, burst clear up the centre of the track but appeared to drift to her left, which forced Queally to move his whip to his left hand.

In turn, Fleeting Spirit (12-1) reacted by veering sharply to her right, causing Ryan Moore to snatch up Main Aim, who ran on powerfully in second. J J The Jet Plane, sent-off favourite for the Golden Jubilee, claimed third at 13-2.

Queally said: "When we jumped nobody was inclined to go on so as a result we've probably gone a shade slow in the early part of the race.

"I gave her a crack on her right and she went left and then I pulled it through immediately and then the opposite happened, but I was well on top near the end. She has a really impressive turn of foot."

Noseda added: "This wasn't really the original plan after Ascot but we gave her ten days off and I thought I want to be around if for some reason Scenic Blast doesn't turn up.

"Then I gave her a piece of work last Wednesday and credit to the lad who rides her out as he said she'd come on an absolute bundle since Ascot.

"This is a Group 1 she deserves as I feel when my horses got sick just before Ascot last year that she was robbed of winning the King's Stand.

"She never really bounced back for the rest of the year but today was a great result and a great performance."

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Main Aim's owner, Khalid Abdullah, said: "He ran a super race dropping back to six furlongs but he's certainly got hampered. This looks like his trip."

Mike de Kock, trainer of J J The Jet Plane, added: "That is probably as good as he is. It was a cracking run and he's upped his form again.

"Maybe after three or four runs he'll be at his peak and I am keen on running him over a mile at some point.

"There are a couple of options as well as the Prix Maurice de Gheest in France."

Held up last by Jimmy Fortune, Paco Boy made eyecatching late headway coming home for fourth, while 11-8 favourite Scenic Blast, who had Fleeting Spirit behind him when winning the King's Stand Stakes last month, never really fired and finished down the field.

Fortune said of Paco Boy: "He wasn't happy going down the hill but in the closing stages he flew and in another half furlong he'd have beaten them."