Richard Fahey’s ‘Reliable’ Perfect Power ready for July Cup bid at Newmarket

Richard Fahey credited Perfect Power with an extra Group One victory in the immediate aftermath of his excellent Commonwealth Cup success, but the three-year-old now has the chance to prove his handler was simply looking into his crystal ball as he takes on the elders for the first time in the six-furlong Darley July Cup at Newmarket today.

Having landed the Norfolk Stakes, Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes as a two-year-old, the Musley Bank team pointed the son of Ardad towards the 2000 Guineas in the spring of 2022.

Having failed to see out the eight-furlong trip on the Rowley Mile, a return to sprinting seemed the obvious option for this smooth-travelling colt and it worked as he landed back-to-back victories at Royal Ascot and Perfect Power now has the opportunity to cement himself as one of the leading sprinters.

“We are delighted with our lad. He is in great form and we are actually looking forward to the race,” said Fahey. “He is very, very reliable. He will like the ground and we’re looking for a fourth Group One with him.

Raring to go: Perfect Power wins the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot 2022. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)

“He normally gets drawn on the wing, so it is the first time they have given us a decent draw. I think at Ascot he was drawn one and I’m sure he was drawn one in the Middle Park, so at least we are drawn among them now. We are delighted with him and we would not swap him.”

A length and a half adrift of Perfect Power in the Commonwealth Cup was Hugo Palmer’s Flaming Rib and connections have paid £36,000 to supplement the three-year-old.

Others from the Commonwealth Cup taking the step up to challenge the older horses include Aidan O’Brien’s Cadamosto, Michel O’Callaghan’s and Twilight Jet , while Artorius represents Australia and King Hermes, Japan. Michael Dods’s Blackrod is another northern raider in the 14-strong race.