Dream Ahead wins the July Cup - and Noble Citizen strikes too!

09 July 2011


DREAM AHEAD bounced back to his brilliant best to take the Group 1 July Cup under Hayley Turner at Newmarket this afternoon. Khalifa Dasmal’s son of Diktat was a dual Group winner last season and relished the drop back to sprinting, having finished fifth in the St James’s Palace on his first start of the year. With Dream Ahead’s regular rider William Buick in action at York, Hayley Turner stepped in and rode a perfect race on the 7/1 chance. Turner settled her mount in behind the leader before making her move two furlongs from home. He produced his tremendous turn of foot to collar Bated Breath inside the final furlong, winning by half a length. Simcock said: “This is important for the horse. He was joint-top rated two-year-old last season and I was very protective of his rating so this is more of a relief than anything.” “He won the Prix Morny in a good in a fast time last year and I think the ground was faster than good that day. The plan next is the Prix Maurice de Gheest.” Turner added: “It's massive. I'm just thrilled. It's really fantastic. “I haven't sat on the horse before so I can't take much credit. Obviously David has done a fantastic job and thanks to the owners for having me on board. “Steve (Drowne's) horse (Bated Breath) started to hang right and caused a bit of interference, but it's always the case when you're on a horse that travels so well that he gets you out of trouble.” Earlier in the afternoon 33/1 chance Noble Citizen always resumed the winning trend when taking a 5f handicap at Ascot under Martin Lane.