Redkirk Warrior again failed to flatter in Saturday's Group 1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket, but the news was not all bad for Australia.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained US Navy Flag appreciated the step back in distance from the mile of the St James's Palace Stakes at Ascot to the 6-furlongs at Newmarket, leading all the way under Ryan Moore to defeat Brando, who went one better than his third last year, by one and three-quarter lengths with the 50/1 outsider Fleet Review, a stablemate of the winner, three-quarter of a length back in third. (photo Ballydoyle)
It was the third Group 1 win for the son of War Front and remarkably all have come at Newmarket.
Last year he won the Middle Park Stakes and Dewhurst Stakes on the way to being crowned the Champion 2yo colt.
Redkirk Warrior made a mid-race dash and looked likely to figure in the finish but be began to shorten stride soon after and clocked in 10th.
Shortly after the finish, Ballydoyle Racing tweeted:
"Champion 2YO & July Cup winner US Navy Flag will take the @coolmorestud slot for $13 million The Everest at Randwick on October 13."
Aidan O'Brien confirmed that in a post-race interview.
"He won a Middle Park very impressively last year, then we ran him in the Dewhurst and he was able to do that making the running, so we gave him the mile option this year," O'Brien told Sporting Life.
"He had tough races in the Classics and had a very tough race in the Curragh. We thought it might leave his mark.
"He went to Ascot and Ryan said to come back in distance with him. We've seen what's happened. He's a very good horse, to be able to do it that as a three-year-old.
"The plan with him was to come here and if it went well we would give him a rest and train him for the Everest in Australia.
"In all fairness to the horse, he deserves a break. He's had a tough time."
It was the fourth win in the race for O'Brien following Stravinsky 1999, Mozart 2001 and Starspangledbanner 2010, but it was first for Ryan Moore.
"He loves Newmarket and ran a mighty race in the Irish Guineas. He's just a very fast horse and loves a fight - he found plenty when the second came to him.
"I was never worried about the trip, he just needs to have fast ground."
US Navy Flag is a brother to Group 1 Prix Rothschild Stakes, Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes and Group 1 Falmouth Stakes winner Roly Poly and a half-brother to the Group III winner Cover Song (Fastnet Rock).
The trio are out of the 4-time Group 1 winning Galileo mare Misty For Me who is a sister to Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Ballydoyle and the stakes-winner Twirl.
