Sands Of Mali to Target July Cup

Richard Fahey thinks enough of Sands Of Mali to have given him the stall formerly occupied by a four-time group 1 winner Ribchester and he retains the faith after a frustrating top-level near miss at Royal Ascot.

The trainer is eyeing a crack at the top sprinters in the Darley July Cup (G1) with the 3-year-old, who was beaten just half a length in the Commonwealth Cup (G1) last Friday.

Sands Of Mali, who had scored a second group 2 success in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock last month, was drawn away from the main protagonists at Ascot, and although he comfortably saw off his rivals on the stands' side he could not not quite catch the winner Eqtidaar.

The colt was closing at the line and Fahey said: "It can be frustrating to watch when one is finishing so well but he's run a mighty race. I'd like to have been drawn a little bit closer to them, he was drawn on a wing.

"When they're finishing so quick you always look for something and maybe it didn't suit, but he's come back in great form. He's got a great constitution and he's going to progress well.

"It was a good run. He'll have learned a bit from it, hopefully, and we're going the right way. We do like him a lot. I liked the way he went through the race and once he got his head dropped and relaxed he came home. He wasn't stopping so we might step him up in trip in time."

Sands Of Mali is a best-priced 14-1 for the July Cup and Fahey said: "The plan would be to look at the July Cup and the Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1). There are plenty of options for him. He's a talented horse."

There is no immediate target for stablemate Sabre after his strong-finishing half-length second to Soldier's Call in the Windsor Castle Stakes, but Fahey said: "He's still learning his trade and he flew home again.

"Somebody told me he made up five lengths in the final furlong. He's an exciting horse."

Despite that pair's fine efforts, Fahey ended Royal Ascot without a winner for the first time since 2015 and admitted: "It was very frustrating.

"We were fourth and sixth in the Coventry (G2) and sixth and eighth in the Wokingham. They ran respectably—we were pleased with the way they ran—but I'm afraid it's about winning."