Royal Ascot winner Khaadem to be supplemented for Saturday's July Cup

The Ballydoyle steam train could be derailed this weekend as Aidan O'Brien has said last year's champion juvenile Little Big Bear is only 50-50 to run in the Pertemps Network July Cup (4.35) on Saturday after a bruised foot forced him to miss six days of cantering.

O'Brien became the most successful trainer in the history of the Eclipse last Saturday when Paddington provided him with his seventh victory in the race, six days after winning his 15th Irish Derby with Auguste Rodin.

A sixth July Cup success on Saturday would put O'Brien out on his own too, but Sandy Lane winner Little Big Bear, who began Monday as 11-4 second favourite behind his Commonwealth Cup conqueror Shaquille, is a doubtful runner.

O'Brien told the Racing Post: "Little Big Bear is not a definite runner yet and we will probably make a decision in the middle of the week about him. He has had a setback since his last run. He got a bruise on his foot and he didn't get to canter for six days so that's far from ideal.

"We're not going to know until he runs how much it has affected him, but first we have to decide whether we will let him run or not."

When asked what chance there was of Little Big Bear showing up, O'Brien replied: "I'd say it's probably 50-50 whether he will run or not. He will be okay to run, but has he lost too much fitness? And, then we won't know until he runs how much it has affected him. Six days without cantering is a lot."

O'Brien, who is now 10-11 favourite to win the British trainers' title with William Hill, has only one other remaining entry in the July Cup and that is Meditate. However, she is not a certain starter and could even be retired after beating only one home in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville on Sunday.

O'Brien said: "It was a mess of a race for Meditate on Sunday. We decided to drop her in but then there was no pace. We thought the Balding horse [Chaldean] would go on but he didn't and it didn't turn out to be the right thing to do for our filly.

"With her, because of the disappointing run, we have to decide whether to go back and give her one more chance in the July Cup, or whether she will retire to stud early. That's where we are with her at the moment. We will make a decision on that in the middle of the week.

"She's entered in the Falmouth as well but we're thinking of the July Cup for her as a mile is as far as she wants to go and she's always shown lots of speed. She likes to be ridden forward, too. But whether we give her the chance, or leave her at home, I'm not sure yet. She might be retired, but we'll decide closer to the weekend.

"We have the other filly in the Falmouth, Never Ending Story, and we're thinking at the moment that she could drop in trip for that."

Following the news of Little Big Bear's setback, Paddy Power pushed the Commonwealth Cup runner-up all the way out to 6-1.

Khaadem supplemented for Newmarket Group 1

Meanwhile, Royal Ascot winner Khaadem was on Monday supplemented for Saturday's big race, with connections hoping conditions stay on the quicker side.

A shock 80-1 winner of last month's Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, the Charlie Hills-trained seven-year-old has been added to the Group 1 contest at a cost of £36,000.

Fellow Royal Ascot Group 1 scorer Shaquille featured among Khaadem's potential rivals after 14 contenders were confirmed for the £600,000 contest at Monday's five-day stage.

Khaadem is a general 9-1 chance for the July Cup by in a market headed by Shaquille at no bigger than 2-1. Azure Blue (3-1) and Kinross (6-1) are next best, with Little Big Bear available between 4-1 and 6-1.

Explaining the decision to supplement Khaadem in his William Hill blog, Hills said: "I spoke with Michael Prosser [Newmarket clerk] earlier and he says there looks to be a band of rain coming through on Monday evening but bar that and a couple of light showers, the weather looks pretty good so hopefully it stays on the quicker side and we can take our chance.

"I can't imagine it being soft and, unless the rain really got into the ground, he'll run. He'll be fine on good ground, but he does like it quick so let's hope the showers stay away.

"I've always maintained he's a Group class sprinter and his career shows that. He's won some really good races like the Stewards' Cup, King George and Palace House and obviously last time in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee at Ascot. He's a very good horse and we're looking forward to Saturday."

Khaadem: a big-priced winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee StakesCredit: Mark Cranham

Owned by Jim and Fitri Hay, Khaadem was ridden by Jamie Spencer at Ascot, but a change in the saddle will be required in the July Cup after the jockey received a six-day careless riding suspension for his ride on Pretty Polly Stakes winner Via Sistina at the Curragh on July 1.

Spencer produced a fine ride from off the pace in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee as Khaadem beat Sacred by a neck, with favourite Highfield Princess in third.

A rematch between the first two home in the Commonwealth Cup looks to be on the cards in the July Cup with Shaquille set to face Little Big Bear again after his remarkable success when overcoming a poor start to win by a length and a quarter.

Kinross, who finished seventh behind Khaadem in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee, is set to be ridden by William Buick, with Frankie Dettori also serving a ban.

Duke of York winner Azure Blue is another leading player to go forward for the July Cup alongside the likes of Art Power, Lezoo and Run To Freedom.

In Saturday's Group 2 bet365 Superlative Stakes (3.25), Richard Hannon has entered Haatem and Son as the stable targets a seventh win in the race. Aidan O'Brien could rely on City Of Troy and Mountain Bear.

Ante-post favourite Audience was scratched from the bet365 Bunbury Cup (4.00) with Croupier taking over at the head of the market for a race which has attracted 42 confirmations.

There has been a major shake-up in the betting for Saturday's John Smith's Cup (3.10) at York after leading contenders Torito, Peace Man and Perfuse were not confirmed. Sonny Liston, Spirit Dancer and Amleto are prominent in the revised betting after 33 confirmations were made.

Pertemps Network July Cup (4.35 Newmarket, Saturday, July 15)

Paddy Power: 7-4 Shaquille, 11-4 Azure Blue, 9-2 Kinross, 6 Little Big Bear, 8 Khaadem, 14 Lezoo, 16 Meditate 20 bar

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