Frizzante wins July Cup by neck

Frizzante came with a late rush to win in a top-class field of sprinters in the Group 1, $463,000 July Cup on Newmarket's July Course on Thursday.

The 5-year-old mare finished with a blistering run under jockey John Murtagh to defeat the 100-1 Ashdown Express by a neck, the pair two lengths clear of Balmont, with Hong Kong invader Cape of Good Hope fourth. The winning time for the straight six furlongs on good-to-soft ground was 1:11.51.

The 14-1 Frizzante defeated Group 1 winners Porlezza (eighth), Airwave (ninth), Patavellian (10th), Fayr Jag (13th), and Continent (15th). Sheikh Mohammed's $14 million Australian import, Exceed and Excel, weakened to 19th after leading to the quarter pole.

Winning trainer James Fanshawe said Frizzante, would be aimed at the six-furlong Group 1 Haydock Park Sprint Cup Sept. 4.