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The Group Two Princess of Wales's Goldsmiths Stakes is the highlight of Goldsmiths Ladies Day on the opening day of the three-day Piper-Heidsieck July Festival at Newmarket's July Course commencing next Thursday.
The mile and a half contest has 14 horses going forward today, including Godolphin's Modun, who was supplemented for the race at a cost of £10,000. The five-year-old son of King's Best was victorious in the Group Three September Stakes over the same distance on the Polytrack at Kempton Park last season for his former trainer Sir Michael Stoute and was last seen out when fourth in a Group Three contest over a mile and three quarters on turf at Meydan, Dubai, on March 1.
Modun's trainer Saeed bin Suroor commented: "Modun looks in good order at the moment. He did his main piece of work a week and a half a go and is ready to run.
"He won a Group Three over a mile and a half at Kempton last year and I expect the return to that distance will suit.
"The ground is very important to him and he wouldn't want soft going. He was declared to run at Newbury earlier this season but the ground went against him.
"Hopefully, the ground at Newmarket will be fine for him."
Also featuring among the 14 horses going forward for the Princess Of Wales's Goldsmiths Stakes are two from the local John Gosden stable, last year's King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes victor Nathaniel and Masked Marvel, who enjoyed his finest hour when taking the 2011 St Leger.
Sir Michael Stoute has a fabulous record in the race, having sent out the winner on eight occasions, most recently with Crystal Capella in 2011. His possible representative this year is Fiorente, runner-up to Nathaniel in the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot last season.
Fellow Newmarket handler Ed Dunlop could run Red Cadeaux. Last year's Melbourne Cup second has been a model of consistency in 2012, landing the Group Two Yorkshire Cup and taking the runner-up spot in the Coronation Cup at Epsom and third in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Aidan O'Brien has left in last year's Investec Derby runner-up and Irish Derby winner Treasure Beach,while there is a possible French representative in the Mikel Delzangles-trained Vadamar, who was third in a Group One contest over 12 furlongs at San Siro, Italy, last time out.
Completing the confirmations are Dandino, Harris Tweed, Jakkalberry, Joshua Tree, Quest For Peace, Sea Of Heartbreakand Goldoni.
There is also a Group Two contest for two-year-olds on Goldsmiths Ladies Day, the £60,000 TNT July Stakes (1.50pm) over six furlongs. Richard Hannon has won the TNT July Stakes four times in the past, most recently with Libranno in 2010, and has three entries this year including Sir Prancealot, who finished fourth on the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, having endured trouble in running.
Goldsmiths Ladies Day gets underway at 1.20pm with the £55,000 Group Three Bahrain Trophy, run over a mile and five furlongs for three-year-olds, which was landed by subsequent St Leger winner Masked Marvel in 2011. The same owner/trainer combination of Bjorn Nielsen/John Gosden that was successful with Masked Marvel could be represented this year by Michelangelo, who was successful at Newmarket on June 30 in the £150,000 Tattersalls Millions 3-Y-O Cup.
The Piper-Heidsieck July Festival continues on Friday, July 13, Abu Dhabi Day, and concludes on Saturday, July 14, Darley July Cup Day.
