Starspangledbanner kept a tight grip on favouritism to end an Australian-bred run of outs in the July Cup following the barrier draw for Saturday morning's Group One sprint.The colt, who now races out of Ireland, has drawn gate 11 in a field of 14 but remains a solid 13-8 elect with British bookmakers to complete the Golden Jubilee Stakes-July Cup double.Joining Starspangledbanner in the outside half of the field will be Australian-trained Nicconi and Alverta.Nicconi and Alverta will start from

Starspangledbanner kept a tight grip on favouritism to end an Australian-bred run of outs in the July Cup following the barrier draw for Saturday morning's Group One sprint.

The colt, who now races out of Ireland, has drawn gate 11 in a field of 14 but remains a solid 13-8 elect with British bookmakers to complete the Golden Jubilee Stakes-July Cup double.

Joining Starspangledbanner in the outside half of the field will be Australian-trained Nicconi and Alverta.

Nicconi and Alverta will start from barriers eight and 14 respectively.

Both are coming off Royal Ascot disappointments and have fallen from favour with local bookmakers.

Alverta is out to 66-1 after finishing 14th of 24 to Starspangledbanner in the Golden Jubilee but her jockey Tye Angland is tipping an improved run.

"She is looking much better than when she first arrived over here," Angland told Sydney's Sky Sports Radio.

Run on the famous July course at Newmarket, the July Cup is the fourth - and arguably most testing - leg of the Global Sprint Challenge.

There is an uphill run to the winning post which has led to the downfall of more than one Australian entry during the past decade.

Takeover Target broke down in last year's race and was immediately retired while Scenic Blast was the shadow of the sprinter who won the King's Stand Stakes three weeks earlier when he struggled into 10th place.

Australia's best July Cup result belongs to Choisir, the sire of Starspangledbanner.

After winning the King's Stand and the Golden Jubilee, Choisir was denied a second Group One triumph on English soil when runner-up in the 2003 edition.

Angland says Alverta's lone Group One success - over 1500 metres in the Coolmore Classic at Rosehill in March - will be the key to her chances.

"To run 1200 metres over here you need a strong 1400-metre horse from Australia," he said.

"If horses have gone quick in front (at Newmarket) they struggle to get up that hill.

"Alverta has got a very good turn of foot if there is good speed in her races."

Nicconi, who won the opening Global Sprint Challenge leg for 2010 with his Lightning Stakes victory at Flemington in late January, is at 16-1 in latest betting.

Fleeting Spirit, the 4-1 second favourite, will be trying to become the first horse since 1958-59 to win back-to-back renewals of the race.

She will be ridden by glamour jockey Frankie Dettori after finishing fourth - 2-1/2 lengths behind Starspangledbanner - in the Golden Jubilee.