When Alcohol Free finished in mid-division in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, it seemed possible the attempt to turn Andrew Balding’s Group One-winning miler into a Group One-winning sprinter might be quietly shelved.
But Jeff Smith, Alcohol Free’s owner and breeder, had other ideas and his filly proved to be a very fast learner. The four-year-old was sent off as a 14-1 shot for the July Cup here on Saturday, against a field that included several of the horses that beat her at Ascot and she reversed the form with something to spare.
