James Doyle sealed his new association with Australian sprinter Brazen Beau when he partnered the Darley-owned colt in a racecourse gallop at Newmarket on Tuesday.
Brazen Beau will bid to become the first horse trained outside of Europe to win the July Cup since Japanese raider Agnes World prevailed 15 years ago next Saturday.
Doyle worked the Diamond Jubilee runner-up over the 1,200-metre course that will stage next week’s Group 1 sprint. They cantered for the first 400 metres before the retained Godolphin rider opened up the throttle for the final stages.
“He gave me the feel of exactly what he is: a top class sprinter and a seriously fast horse – he felt great,” Doyle said.
“We went six furlongs and he changed his legs in all the right places. He didn’t do anything strenuous, I just let him quicken up over the last couple of furlongs.
“I can’t wait for the Darley July Cup and I wouldn’t swap him for anything else in the race.”
Partly because of his draw, Brazen Beau raced alone on the stands’ side at Royal Ascot under Craig Williams two weeks ago. The two were separated by much of the track when Frankie Dettori and Undrafted nailed them on the line on the far side.
Darley bought Brazen Beau in December, but leased the colt to the On Track Racing partnership in an agreement that officially ended today.
As Brazen Beau has been lodged at Saeed bin Suroor’s Stanley House facility since he arrived in Britain last month, Doyle was handed the ride.
Trainer Chris Waller, who is based in Sydney, will preside over another racecourse gallop following his arrival in Britain next week.
Brazen Beau could face in the race the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid pair of Muhaarar, who won the inaugural Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and Mustajeeb, who was fifth in the Diamond Jubilee.
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