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There will be no rematch between Commonwealth Cup rivals Campanelle and Dragon Symbol in next month’s Group 1 Darley July Cup as the US filly is due to be shipped home from Newmarket on Wednesday together with the rest of Wesley Ward’s Royal Ascot party.
Ward does not usually have to rely on the stewards to get on the board at the five-day royal meeting but did so last week after Campanelle had finished a head adrift of Dragon Symbol in the Group 1 under Frankie Dettori
After a long deliberation, officials decided to reverse the placings in controversial circumstances at Ascot following which the original plan for the revised winner was to give Dettori another chance to finally break his duck in the July Cup, in which he has finished runner-up for the last two years.
Campanelle had been a 6-1 chance for the Newmarket showpiece behind Diamond Jubilee winner Dream Of Dreams, who is 5-1 joint favourite with King’s Stand winner Oxted and Ascot absentee Starman.
Dettori is now likely to switch to fellow US challenger Extravagant Kid, whom he also partnered at Royal Ascot, as the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes third is set to stay in Newmarket for the July festival.
Speaking from the US, Ward commented: “Campanelle had a hard race in the Commonwealth Cup and she's flying home on Wednesday with the others.
"There are trainers that can run them right back after such races but I'm not one of them. We'll get her back to her stall at Keeneland and see how she is but I hope to come back to Europe with her for the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville in August."
From an eight-strong raiding party, Ward saved the best until last with Campanelle. Before that he had gone closest when Twilight Gleaming finished runner-up in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes.
Reflecting on the week, he added: "It was a tough week. We had a second there on the second day when Twilight Gleaming was runner-up in the Queen Mary but the Norfolk Stakes put a frown on our face. We were scratching our heads a little until Frankie the great pulled us out of the hole again with Campanelle just as he did last year."
Ward revealed he could be back with another former Royal Ascot performer in the shape of Golden Pal, whom he has entered in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York.
The son of Uncle Mo was runner-up to The Lir Jet in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes a year ago before landing the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland last November.
Ward added: "I'm really excited to be bringing Golden Pal back to Europe. He's a really special horse."
