Racing: Raiders out in force for Cup

Sprinters from as far afield as Australia, Hong Kong and Japan will take on the cream of Europe's speedsters in the July Cup at Newmarket tomorrow.

Sprinters from as far afield as Australia, Hong Kong and Japan will take on the cream of Europe's speedsters in the July Cup at Newmarket tomorrow.

Exceed And Excel represents Australia, having recovered from an infection that forced him to miss Royal Ascot. Seeking The Dia will attempt to give Japan's Hideyuki Mori his second win in the race after Agnes World four years ago. And British-born David Oughton runs Hong Kong's Cape Of Good Hope, who was placed in two Group races at Royal Ascot.

Two other foreign hopefuls were among five horses eliminated at yesterday's 48-hour final stage to meet the safety limit. Sheikh Mohammed's Lydgate, trained in America by Eoin Harty, and Dorubako, another Japanese entry, failed to make the cut for the Group One race over six furlongs.

The others eliminated were David Nicholls's Fire Up The Band, Brian Meehan's Twilight Blues and Ringmoor Down from David Arbuthnot's stable.