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July Cup looms for Royal Ascot winner Advertise

Advertise and Frankie Dettori win the Commonwealth Cup
Image: Advertise and Frankie Dettori win the Commonwealth Cup

Advertise has Newmarket's Darley July Cup on his agenda before targets in France later in the season.

Martyn Meade's three-year-old bounced back from a disappointing run in the 2000 Guineas to win the Commonwealth Cup in clear-cut fashion at Royal Ascot last week.

Meade was irked by how quickly Advertise had been discounted after just one disappointing run, which came at a time just before he closed his yard for a month because of the general health of his string.

"He was going into the race written off," said the Manton trainer.

"It's amazing. He had one bad run in the Guineas - which clearly wasn't him - and everybody thinks he isn't what he was before.

"His two-year-old form was spectacular, a Group One winner, yet he barely got a look in on the day - but that's life."

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There will be no Blue Point to try to conquer in the July Cup, after Monday's announcement from Godolphin that their brilliant sprinter is retired to stud following his Royal Ascot double last week.

Mapping out Advertise's programme, Meade added: "I think the vague idea at the moment is to think about the July Cup - then the Prix Maurice de Gheest over six and a half furlongs looks tailor-made for him, absolutely up his street.

"Then we'd like to end up in the Foret over seven. That's what we're thinking at the moment - I don't think he'll go back to a mile.

"As a Group One winner at two and three, he's already booked his next career. Whatever he does now is a bonus."

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