Oxted gave trainer his biggest success as a trainer when winning Saturday’s Gr1 July Cup (6f) at Newmarket.
Driven into the lead over one furlong out by Ceiren Fallon, Oxted stayed on strongly up the hill to defeat Sceptical (Exceed And Excel) by 1-1/4 lengths with the favourite Golden Horde (Lethal Force) a neck away third.
The four-year-old Oxted (pic: Newmarket Racecourses) has provided the 21-year-old Fallon with the biggest win of his career three times: in the Portland Handicap at Doncaster last September and then in the Gr3 Abernant Stakes at Newmarket before Saturday’s breakthrough at the highest level.
“This is the race we’ve targeted all year,” Teal told ITV Racing. “Harry (son) said to me last week: ‘This wins the July Cup.’ I told him to keep his feet on the ground but when we tacked him up today, he said: ‘Dad, this will win.’ I didn’t want to get myself too carried away but this horse is amazing.
“When he hit the front I thought: ‘Oh my God, he’s going away here.’ Then I saw Adam Kirby getting down into the drive, and I thought: ‘He is pulling away here.’ Then I thought: ‘Keep him going, Cieren, just keep him going.’ What a cracking ride!”
Bred by co-owners Tony Hirschfeld and Stephen Piper, Oxted emulated his sire Mayson by winning the summers premier sprint.