Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid’s Muhaarar snatched the Darley July Cup from Tropics in the final stride to land a pulsating renewal of the six-furlong Group One at Newmarket on Saturday.
Fresh from his victory in the inaugural Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, Muhaarar was the first three-year-old to win this famous sprint since Dream Ahead in 2011.
It looked as though Tropics (25-1) was going to go one better than 12 months ago for trainer Dean Ivory when he led inside the final furlong, but Paul Hanagan conjured a late run out of Charlie Hills’ young star to win by a nose.
Eastern Impact was a length and a half away in third.
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Hanagan said: “This is what’s it all about. The whole team works hard, I’m delighted.
“He didn’t really handle the track and the dip and I could only really move on him when he hit the rising ground.
“I always just thought he was going to get there.”
Hills said: “It was the track I was worried about more than anything. He didn’t come down the hill too good, but he’s a real fighter and he galloped right to the line.
“We’ll put him back on a nice level track now. He’s in the Maurice de Gheest and the Haydock Sprint and there’s Ascot at the end of the year.
“I think seven furlongs is no problem, either. He’s just a very good horse.”
Ivory was proud of Tropics’ performance. He said: “He travelled so strongly, but it wasn’t the ideal ground for him.
“After Royal Ascot he was jarred up, so I wasn’t expecting too much, but when I saddled him up I knew he was in great form.
“I thought then he would take all the beating and he was just unlucky. We’ll keep going with him and hopefully get that Group One on the board.”
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