War Arstist v JJ the Jet plane

War Artist will belatedly start his season in either the July Cup or the Hackwood Stakes after rain postponed his reappearance on Saturday.

James Eustace's stable star was due to run in the Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle but a surprising amount of rain hit Gosforth Park on Friday, turning the ground soft.

He will now be either plunged in at the deep end at Newmarket on July 10 or run at Newbury eight days later in the Group Three Hackwood Stakes.

"He's in the July Cup, and we are giving that consideration, but Plan B is the Hackwood," said Eustace.

"The owner has been very good, in that he has been very patient, so he will have a big say.

"But the July Cup, in the same way the Golden Jubilee did, looks very tough.

"Our middle-term aim is to go to Baden-Baden at the end of August for the Golden Pietsche.

"The owner is German and, for obvious reasons, he'd like to go there.

"If we went to Newbury that would fit in very well with Baden-Baden but, on the other hand, we may just decide to go for the July Cup as it is just down the road - especially if the ground was right.

"However, I'd be very, very frightened of the horse that won the King's Stand, Scenic Blast, as the turn of foot he showed was quite astonishing.

"We are thinking of the overseas races too, the Hong Kong Sprint in December might be the best bet."

FROM MDK....If one takes former South African sprinter Seventh Rock as a line horse through Scenic Blast, you will see that JJ, on paper, is several lengths inferior to the Australian star and King’s Stand Stakes winner. JJ was no good thing by any stretch of the imagination.


Why would JJ be a good thing now...is it Shea that is tipping again...

Andre not sure its a "good thing" at 16/1?
JJ improved many lengths since seventh rock days imo, and I dont think seventh rock improved?

I will be having a wee stab for the July Cup.

War Artist sunk another very famous SA sprinter in Mythical Flight before the left for pastures greener

Correct. War Artist beat Mythical Flight by just under a length, at level weights, on 15 July 2007. However, the run just before that on 27 May 2007, Mythical Flight beat War Artist about a head or so while giving War Artist 8 kg's. Both runs were over 1200 metres and most would agree that Mythical Flight was better over 1200 metres. They both finished behind Kildonan and it was the first time Mythical Flight was beaten, I believe. He's only won once since then in about 7 starts, 4 local and 3 abroad.