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The first running of the new £100,000 JLT Cup (2.25pm) at Newbury this Saturday, July 21, is shaping up to be an excellent race after attracting 29 entries.
The extended two-mile handicap has been introduced in response to industry demand for an enhanced programme for stayers, supported by the Newbury board of directors, and is also welcomed by bookmakers. The £100,000 prize fund includes a £30,000 contribution from the British Horseracing Authority's Development Fund.
The weights for the JLT Cup were unveiled today. Ireland's Champion Jump trainer Willie Mullins has an enviable record with his Flat runners and may be represented by Stratum (8st 12lb), who was last seen out when third in the Ascot Handicap over two and a half miles at Royal Ascot.
North Yorkshire trainer Mark Johnston has five entries to choose from, headed by three-year-olds Making Miracles (8st 1lb) and Austrian School (7st 11lb), who were first and second in a handicap at Haydock Park on July 7.
Heading the weights are last year's Ebor Handicap victor, the Scottish-trained Nakeeta (Iain Jardine, 9st 10lb) and consistent four-year-old Time To Study (Mark Johnston, 9st 10lb).
Scottish handler Jim Goldie enjoyed a big handicap success last weekend with Euchen Glen taking the John Smith's Cup at York. Back in 10th that day was his stablemate Sir Chauvelin, who stayed on well in the closing stages after not enjoying the clearest of runs to go down by just over eight lengths. The six-year-old has been allotted 9st 2lb for the JLT Cup.
The six-year-old son of Authorized is a very versatile performer, having previously finished third in the Northumberland Plate over two miles on Tapeta at Newcastle and second at Royal Ascot in the 12-furlong Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap. He is also a three-time winner over hurdles.
Goldie, who trains close to Glasgow, revealed today: "The plan is to come down to Newbury for the JLT Cup with Sir Chauvelin.
"He ran OK at York, although I would have preferred it if he had come second!
"We are keen to come to Newbury as this is the last real opportunity for him to have a run before the Ebor at York next month. This new race has a good strategic place in the calendar.
"Hopefully, he can turn up at his best and run well. I just hope we are not going to the well once too often with him.
"There are few unexposed three-year-olds in the race which I would be wary of. I prefer taking on exposed horses."
Local handler Heather Main is set to run stable star Island Brave (8st 11lb) in the JLT Cup. The four-year-old has been successful on five of his 10 starts since joining the handler, who trains near Wantage, towards the backend of last year, gaining his biggest victory in a valuable handicap on Tapeta at Newcastle on March 30.
Island Brave returned to Newcastle for the prestigious two-mile Northumberland Plate on June 30, when he stayed on well to take fifth behind Withhold.
Main said today: "Island Brave came out of Northumberland Plate absolutely fine. He met quite a lot of interference in the race and we felt he ran really well.
"He is ready to go again and the JLT Cup looks like where he will go. He is entered at Newbury on both Friday and Saturday, but the Friday race is a mile and a half and, over that distance, he needs more juice in the ground."
Island Brave has been victorious six times on the All-Weather, but has yet to win in three starts on turf.
Main continued: "I think he can translate his All-Weather form to turf. He has not raced that many times on turf.
"When he ran at York in May [finished fifth], it was over a mile and a half and the ground was good to firm. He would have been closer if there had been give in the ground. I think he needs a longer trip on good to firm ground."
Another local trainer, Jonathan Portman could be represented by Mancini (8st 11lb). The progressive four-year-old has won three of his four starts so far in 2018 and posted a career-best on his latest start when taking a two-mile handicap by five lengths at Goodwood on June 10.
Portman, based in Upper Lambourn, said today: "We knew Mancini had improved coming into this season, but I was quite surprised by the way he won last time as he had gone up quite a bit in the weights already.
"We gave him a break after Goodwood with a view to coming back for this new race. We let him down as we wanted him to get the benefit of a break, but it has been a bit of a rush to get him back and he is not 100 per cent sure to run on Saturday. He is 50/50 at this stage."
Other leading contenders for the JLT Cup include G2 Queen's Vase fourth Almoghared (John Gosden, 8st 6lb), the highest weighted of the five three-year-olds among the entries, lightly-raced six-year-old Dannyday (Sir Michael Stoute, 8st 11lb) and Northumberland Plate third Sir Chauvelin (Jim Goldie, 9st 2lb).
£100,000 JLT Cup - 2.25pm, Newbury, Saturday, July 21 , 2m 110y
Nakeeta 7-9-10 Iain Jardine
Time To Study (FR) 4-9-10 Mark Johnston
Hochfeld (IRE) 4-9-07 Mark Johnston
Amazing Red (IRE) 5-9-06 Ed Dunlop/Frankie Dettori
Fun Mac (GER) 7-9-06 Hughie Morrison
Stars Over The Sea (USA) 7-9-05 Ian Williams
Arch Villain (IRE) 9-9-04 Amanda Perrett/Pat Dobbs
Sir Chauvelin 6-9-02 Jim Goldie/George Downing
Quloob 4-9-02 Owen Burrows/Jim Crowley
Saunter (FR) 5-9-02 Ian Williams/Andrea Atzeni
Newlands (AUS) 7-9-01 Charlie Fellowes/Stevie Donohoe
Stratum 5-8-12 Willie Mullins, Ireland/Robert Winston
Mancini 4-8-11 Jonathan Portman
Dannyday 6-8-11 Sir Michael Stoute
Island Brave (IRE) 4-8-11 Heather Main/Luke Morris
Buzz (FR) 4-8-11 Hughie Morrison
Cleonte (IRE) 5-8-10 Andrew Balding
Kloud Gate (FR) 6-8-09 Gary Moore
Percy's Word 4-8-09 Simon Crisford
Coeur de Lion 5-8-09 Alan King/Martin Harley
Golden Wolf (IRE) 4-8-08 Richard Hughes/Shane Kelly
Almoghared (IRE) 3-8-06 John Gosden
Denmead 5-8-04 John Butler
Stamford Raffles 5-8-01 Jane Chapple-Hyam
Making Miracles 3-8-01 Mark Johnston
Vis A Vis 4-8-00 Neil Mulholland
Austrian School (IRE) 3-7-11 Mark Johnston
Jackfinbar (FR) 3-7-08 Harry Dunlop
Lucky Deal 3-7-05 Mark Johnston
The richest race on Newbury's seven-race card on Saturday, July 21, is the £250,000 Weatherbys Super Sprint (3.35pm, 56 acceptors) for two-year-olds.
Signora Cabello (8st 12lb, John Quinn) is the standout contender on form following her short-head success over Gossamer Wings in the G2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 20.
Further highlights on Saturday include the six-furlong £60,000 G3 bet365 Hackwood Stakes (3.00pm, 16 entries), which could feature G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes fifth Projection (Roger Charlton) and dual G3 winner Invincible Army (James Tate), plus the opening £37,000 Listed bet365 Stakes (1.50pm, 17 entries) over a mile and a quarter.
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