Reports from the Saturday events at the July meeting in Newmarket

Shaquille Triumphs at Newmarket in July Cup Stakes

In a surprising turn of events, Shaquille, trained by Julie Camacho, emerged victorious in the Pertemps Network July Cup Stakes at Newmarket. Despite competing against older horses and initially considered an underdog, the three-year-old sprinter has proven himself as a force to be reckoned with.

The race took place on the weekend of the opening Classics of the season, making Shaquille’s win even more remarkable. After claiming victory in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, he continued his winning streak by outperforming experienced rivals on Newmarket’s July course.

Just like his previous races, Shaquille faced some challenges right from the start. As soon as the gates opened, he bunny-hopped and lost valuable ground. However, unlike his race at Ascot where jockey Oisin Murphy had time to make up for it, there was no room for complacency on Newmarket’s expansive track.

Determined to assert himself early on, Shaquille quickly pulled ahead alongside front-runner Art Power. With two furlongs remaining, jockey Rossa Ryan unleashed him fully and they surged forward together towards victory.

The final furlong saw intense competition from Henry Candy’s Run To Freedom and Ralph Beckett’s Kinross. Nevertheless, Shaquille maintained his relentless pace , crossing the finish line with a length-and-a-half lead over the runner-up.

Shaquille’s triumph at Newmarket only adds to his already impressive track record. Having secured a Group One victory at Ascot and doubling the tally for his Yorkshire-based team of Camacho and her husband Steve Brown, it is clear that Shaquille is on an extraordinary journey towards greatness.

The Future Ahead

The outstanding performance has sparked speculations about Shaquille’s next challenge. The Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock seems to be a likely target for him, with both Betfair and Paddy Power already making him their 7-4 favorite. As discussions unfold between Steve Brown, Martin Hughes (joint-owner), and the trainers, there are also considerations around entering Shaquille in the Prix Maurice de Gheest in Deauville.

This monumental achievement highlights Julie Camacho’s rising prominence as she becomes the first female trainer to exceed £1 million in prize-money within a single season. Reflecting on their success, Camacho humbly acknowledges the years of hard work behind it:

“It is brilliant. It is not as if it is an overnight success. We have been at it a long time. It is just nice that people in the north can have a bit of success because there are some really good trainers in the north. If we can get the ammunition, we can do well with them.”

A Perplexing Talent

Despite Shaquille’s undeniable talent, he continues to display perplexing behavior during races. His tendency to bunny-hop at start has become somewhat of an enigma for his trainers: “Why does he keep doing everything wrong? I just wish he’d do things right,” Camacho remarks with amusement.

Nevertheless, Shaquille’s exceptional athleticism and ability to regain momentum after a faltering start have proven him to be truly one-of-a-kind. While the cause of his quirky behavior remains unclear, Brown jokingly suggests it may be due to a particular rug Shaquille wears during races. As they work towards resolving these peculiarities, both Camacho and Brown remain optimistic about fulfilling their champion sprinter’s potential. “We hope it doesn’t prevent him from being successful going forward,” says Brown.