Cape Byron poised for July Cup tilt

Horse Racing

Trainer Roger Varian is tempted to pitch Cape Byron into the July Cup after his victory in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The five-year-old was a comfortable winner as he surged ahead inside the final furlong to give Varian and jockey Andrea Atzeni a double following Defoe’s earlier win in the Hardwicke Stakes.

It was a second successive win for Cape Byron on the back of a victory on the same track in the seven-furlong Victoria Cup on May 11.

Varian was delighted that the drop back to six furlongs worked out well and the July Cup on July 13 on his home course at Newmarket looks a possibility.

He said: ‘After he won the Victoria Cup, when he travelled so well and just held on like he was a six-and-a-half-furlong horse, we knew this was his race and it worked out lovely.

‘I gave him an entry in the July Cup.

I’ll have to speak with the owner, but it is tempting.

He was very impressive.

It was the performance of a Group horse.

‘It’s been a great end to the week.’

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