Is Striker going to come back for July Day?

Hi Tich, the rules in Singapore differ from ours and they were not willing to let him ride. Thanks.

Illustrador was a staying type - but was able to win a Feature over 1200m. That's a horse of rare class, and Vertical Takeoff is surely not in the same league. Devon Air was also top top class, but of course it's not impossible for staying types to win the July. Big Charles and Space Walk could probably be put in that category as well. However, the July tends to favour horses with top class form over less than 2200m rather than further, and in 2010 (when the Gold Cup was run a month before the July) the Gold Cup form fell completely flat in the July.

On the other hand Darren, Irish Flame is very much a staying type, and while he didn't actually win the July he went close enough to show that horses who win their biggest races over plus minus 2400m can still be very competitive. There again, he was a 3yo and not a well tried 5yo like Vertical Takeoff, so I'm not too sure if the analogy works.

Striker flies back on 11th July. Available for rides here from 14th July.

He will be welcomed home with open arms (tu)

Dougie will be flying back for the July, Hong Kong races on 1/7 and he can fly back to SA at midnight so if Striker was offered a decent ride i'm sure he would make the trip too!