Strategic Prince upsets July

Strategic Prince overturned the juvenile form of Royal Ascot's Norfolk Stakes on Thursday as he stormed clear to take the Group 2 July Stakes at Newmarket.

Strategic Prince had finished fifth, seven lengths behind the

victorious Dutch Art, in the Norfolk. Sent off at 16-1 in the six-furlong July Stakes, he went from last to first for a 1 3/4-length victory over the 50-1 Armigerent. The Norfolk runner-up and odds-on July favorite, Hoh Mike, failed to find another gear and finished seventh of nine, nine lengths behind the winner.

By Dansili out of a dam who is a half-sister to English Oaks winner Ramruma, Strategic Prince had won a five-furlong Salisbury maiden in his debut before the Norfolk. He appreciated this step up to six furlongs and ultimately appears capable of staying at least a mile. Trained by Paul Cole and ridden by Eddie Ahern, he was timed in 1:12.15, or 0.03 of a second slower than that of the filly Sander Camillo in Wednesday's Cherry Hinton Stakes.

* One hour later, Soapy Danger sprung a mild 5-1 surprise in a field of four in the Group 2 Princess of Wales's Stakes at 1 1/2 miles. He led virtually throughout to defeat the odds-on Mountain High by three-quarters of a length. Headed briefly by the ultimate third-place finisher, Enforcer, Soapy Danger covered the distance under Kevin Darley in 2:32.82.

The only 3-year-old in the field, Soapy Danger, a British-bred son of Danzig trained by Mark Johnston, had won Royal Ascot's Group 3 Queen's Vase at two miles on June 23. His connections have a tilt at the classic St. Leger Stakes in mind.