Ivory Hopeful for Tropics’ next run

July Cup runner-up Tropics is likely to bid for a hat-trick in the Hopeful Stakes rather than tackle the Stewards’ Cup on his next run.

Dean Ivory‘s stable star was beaten a nose by Muhaarar in the Group 1 at Newmarket on Saturday after being nailed on the line by the three-year-old.

It was the second year in a row that Tropics has finished second in the July Cup after he occupied the same position behind Slade Power 12 months ago.

His run was a return to form after the seven-year-old had finished second last behind Undrafted in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot and he now has several options for the rest of this season.

He is entered in the Stewards’ Cup, but Ivory is leaning towards swerving a trip to Glorious Goodwood in favour of a return to Newmarket towards the end of August for the Listed Hopeful Stakes over six furlongs, which Tropics has won for the past two years.

“It was a great run,” Ivory told Racing UK. “To me it’s like a win and gives you so much more confidence in the horse after his last run. He keeps knocking on the door and someone’s got to open it one day.

“Next I might go to the Stewards’ Cup but he doesn’t like crowds and doesn’t like a lot of runners around him. I’m not chickening out but I might put the brakes on and say no.

“He’s in at Haydock and a few others, like Champions Day, but I’ve got to bring him back here for the Listed race he’s won two years on the trot. I’ll bring him back for that without a penalty to try to win it for a third time.”