Darley July Cup

racing_news/

Crystal Capella Sparkles for Princess Prize
07/07/11

1 Crystal Capella 4/1
2 Redwood 2/1F
3 Buthelezi 12/1
NR: City Leader (IRE), Ted Spread
8 ran Distances: 8l, 6l, 5l
TIME 2m 31.57s (slow by 4.37s)

Classy mare Crystal Capella showed the boys the way home with a brilliant display in the Princess of Wales's sportingbet.com Stakes at Newmarket.

Redwood, the 2-1 favourite, had most of his rivals cooked heading towards the final furlong, but Ryan Moore soon eased alongside aboard the 4-1 winner.

The former, trained by Barry Hills, tried to keep tabs on his rival, but Sir Michael Stoute's Crystal Capella had far too many guns and pulled right away to score by eight lengths.

Buthelezi cut out much of the running in the mile-and-a-half Group Two but as he faded, Redwood moved up stylishly on his first start since finishing second to Rewilding in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in March.

Crystal Capella came into the race as a three-time Group-race winner and although she had something to prove, having failed to fire on her first start of the year at Haydock, she is clearly right back to her best.

Redwood again ran an honourable race, with Buthelezi a further six lengths away in third.

Stoute said of the six-year-old: "She's good, but after she beat Dar Re Mi at York in 2009 (Middleton Stakes) she popped a splint which kept on getting bigger. She did the same thing last year, so it's pretty sporting the owners kept her in training. When she's spot-on, she's a very good filly.

"It was a terrific performance. The owners have been very patient as it has been well chronicled that she's had lots of problems and has not been the soundest filly.

"She showed in the Pride Stakes last year that she's as good as ever and today was very thrilling. She's in the Yorkshire Oaks, but she's well entered up and that race is some way away."

Position	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	Starting Price Beaten Distance
1	Crystal Capella Sir Michael Stoute	R L Moore 8st 13lbs	4 - 1 Winner
2	Redwood B W Hills	M Hills 9st 2lbs	2 - 1 8 lengths
3	Buthelezi J H M Gosden	N Mackay 8st 3lbs	12 - 1 6 lengths
4	Afsare L M Cumani	K Fallon 9st 2lbs	6 - 1 5 lengths
5	Campanologist S bin Suroor	M Barzalona 9st 2lbs	10 - 1 9 lengths
6	Dordogne M Johnston	S De Sousa 8st 3lbs	10 - 1 8 lengths
7	Laaheb R Varian	R Hills 9st 2lbs	5 - 1 18 lengths
8	Myplacelater D R C Elsworth	P Hanagan 8st 13lbs	25 - 1 1 1/4 length
NonRunner	City Leader B J Meehan	Non Runner 9st 2lbs	-
NonRunner	Ted Spread M H Tompkins	N Callan 9st 2lbs	-