3-year-old Muhaarar defeats elders in July Cup

Muhaarar won his second consecutive Group 1 in Saturday’s $768,000 July Cup at Newmarket, becoming the first 3-year-old in four years to win the race, one of England’s most prestigious sprints.

Muhaarar, ridden by Paul Hanagan, needed all six furlongs of the July Cup, run over a straightaway course, to reach the front. The colt was never far from the leaders and caught Tropics, the 25-1 pacesetter, in the final stride. Eastern Impact, a 50-1 outsider, finished third in the field of 13.

Muhaarar was the 2-1 joint favorite with bookmakers along with Brazen Beau, who finished seventh.

Trained by Charles Hills, Muhaarar won the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at six furlongs for 3-year-olds at Royal Ascot on June 19. Brazen Beau was second in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 20, but failed to run to that level on Saturday.

Muhaarar, an Oasis Dream colt owned by Sheikh Hamdan al-Maktoum of Dubai, has won four group stakes in England in the last year. He is the first 3-year-old to win the July Cup since Dream Ahead in 2011.

After the July Cup, Hills mentioned the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville, France, on Aug. 9 and the Group 1 Haydock Park Sprint in England on Sept. 5 as potential starts for Muhaarar.