Old team strike in Cup with Mayson

Mayson and Hanagan are clear in the July Cup

Richard Fahey and Paul Hanagan teamed up again for their first Group 1 success in Britain as Mayson (20-1) romped away with the Darley July Cup at Newmarket.

The four-year-old had been a bit below par on his last two starts after a tremendous beginning to the season but he could be called the winner some way out here as he galloped clear of his rivals.

He had an advantage of three lengths approaching the distance and with nothing making any impact coming out of the pack, Hanagan simply rode his mount out to the line to score impressively by five lengths.

The Cheka fared best of the rest in second with Society Rock taking third.

It was a special result for both trainer and jockey, with Hanagan leaving his post as Fahey's stable jockey at the start of the season to become retained rider to leading owner Hamdan Al Maktoum.

Special

Hanagan said: "It's very good. This is my first Group One winner in England, I've had one in France, but this is very special."

Fahey said: "It's fantastic for me and Paul. They don't realise he's still my number one and we borrow him from time to time!

"We thought he was very good, but it went wrong at York when he got his leg stuck in the stalls and the ground at Newcastle was unraceable the other day and he just got bogged down.

"The ground was a lot worse than it is today. At Newcastle, you put you foot on the track and water was coming through, but this track has taken the rain fantastic.

"We thought he'd win the Ayr Gold Cup last year and why he didn't win, I don't know.

"Things just didn't go right, but he's paying his way now and it's grand.

"I'm delighted for the owners. David (Armstrong) is very hearty at the sales, but to actually breed one is fantastic. He wants to stick to the breeding and leave the buying to someone else!

"For the last 100 yards, I felt comfortable. Paul said when he asked him to go he just took off.

"He's in the Nunthorpe, but he got very upset at York in the stalls, so we'll see.

"We'll enjoy today."

Eve Johnson Houghton, trainer of the second, said: "I'm absolutely delighted with him.

"Jimmy (Fortune) said that he loved the ground, but I said I thought that was pushing it, he handled it.

"He just let him bowl along and fair play to the winner, we've beaten him (before) and he's beaten us.

"I suspect we will look at Champions Day now."

James Fanshawe was similarly satisfied with Society Rock, adding: "I'm pleased with the run and we'll look at the sprint on Champions Day now."

Australian raider Ortensia finished fourth and trainer Paul Messara is keen to try his luck again at York next month.

He said: "She hated the track, didn't handle it at all and she'd never run on ground anything like that before.

"On that basis it was a huge run and we'll see how we go in the Nunthorpe."