High-class entry for July Cup

Star filly Attraction and 2000 Guineas hero Footstepsinthesand headline a 71-strong entry for the Darley July Cup at Newmarket.

The six-furlong event would represent a step back in trip for both horses as they have been running over a mile, but Attraction did win the Cherry Hinton Stakes over the trip on the July course two years ago.

Attraction is currently in Hong Kong for Saturday’s Champions Mile at Sha Tin where she is due to clash with local star Silent Witness.

Footstepsinthesand is one of 11 entries for trainer Aidan O’Brien, who won the race with Stravinsky in 1999 and Mozart two years later.

The Ballydoyle maestro also has the 2000 Guineas fourth Oratorio, Middle Park Stakes winner Ad Valorem and new recruit Airwave, third in 2003 and ninth last year when trained by Henry Candy, among his team for the July 7 showpiece.

Other Irish possibles include the David Wachman-trained Damson, who was forced to miss the 1000 Guineas after scoping dirty, and Jim Bolger’s 2000 Guineas sixth Democratic Deficit.

Godolphin’s Guineas flop Dubawi is one of six entered by trainer Saeed bin Suroor.

This year’s renewal could have a truly international feel with entries from Australia, Canada, America and Japan.

Paul Perry, who went so close with Choisir two years ago, has entered the Sue Magnier-owner Fastnet Rock, while Japanese trainer Hideyuki Mori, who won the race in 2000 with Agnes World, has a contender in Keeneland Swan.

The two potential challengers from North America are Soaring Free from the Canadian stable of Mark Frostad and Wrzeszcz, trained in the United States by Tom Amoss.