Alverta to contest the Group 1 July Cup in Newmarket. TELEVISED LIVE SKY 12.10am Saturday 10 July

THE undulating July Cup course at Newmarket has been a graveyard for Australian speedsters in recent years. Its victims include Choisir, Takeover Target and Scenic Blast - who were all victorious at Royal Ascot before coming up short on the gruelling six-furlong straight. But jockey Tye Angland believes the testing nature of Newmarket will play in to the hands of gritty mare Alverta, who will line up in the international sprint tomorrow night.

"It is definitely a very tough 1200m," he said from Newmarket last night. "Her best distance is probably 1400m, so it will suit her down to the ground. I've worked her twice on the July course now and she is really looking good."

Alverta, rated a $26 chance with TAB Fixed Odds, is the outsider of the Aussie trio headlined by Golden Jubilee victor Starspangledbanner ($2.25) with Nicconi on the fourth line of betting at $11.

While conceding that Starspangledbanner is the horse to beat, Angland is quite upbeat about the Paul Messara-trained mare's chances.

"She has definitely improved, she has put on a bit more weight, she has muscled back up again," he said.

"We were on the wrong side of the track at [Royal] Ascot, we were only beaten six lengths so if you put us back on the good [grandstand] side of the track she probably only got beat three or four.

"I didn't think her run was too bad, it was a world-class Group One race and she held her own for a bit. She got tired late and definitely needed the run considering how long she had between breaks.

"She is going to improve a couple of lengths on the performance so hopefully that puts us right in to the race."

Angland, who has been based at Newmarket for the past three weeks, has been riding Alverta in work (pictured) and also spent his mornings putting some of local trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam's charges through their paces.

In the process, he has been picking the brains of locals to gain vital knowledge of the tricky track, which is nothing like Australian racing surfaces.

"The July course is up and down hill the whole way, it is just so different, we don't have anything like this at home," he said.

Angland, who is set to come home next week, has enjoyed his English experience, using the break to revitalise his body and mix with some of racing's most famous characters.

The Daily Telegraph