2026 Newmarket July Meeting Saturday Tips – DS
2026 Newmarket July Meeting Saturday Preview
Two bets, two losers on Thursday. Mo Of Cairo didn’t run too badly but I take it all back about Poker. It looks like he is a donkey after all. Hopefully our wait for a winner comes to an end today, check out Dave Stevos’ 2026 Newmarket July Meeting Saturday tips below.
1.55 Ascot – Club 26 Handicap (Heritage)
I was tempted by Adrestia, who won the Palace Of Holyrood here last year but her draw in stall 2 is off-putting. Instead, I’ll take a chance on Ross Burdon’s Mesaafi from stall 14.
This 5yo son of Exceed And Excel comes into this race in fine form. After a fine run over C&D in May he went on to win a class 4 handicap at Windsor (5f, gd-fm) off 79, running on late to score by a neck. He was given a 2lb rise for that but that didn’t stop him from running another cracker back at Windsor.
Repeatedly denied a clear run in the final 2f, he picked up very well when daylight came and, in the end, he was beaten just 0.5l for the win in fourth. Now, Mesaafi steps up in grade but he ran well in a class 2 at Chelmsford in December so he should be fine and he us just 1lb higher than last time out.
Hopefully he gets a clear passage here, if he does, he can reward e/w support at odds of 12/1.
2026 Ascot Saturday Tip: Mesaafi e/w @ 12/1 (5 places) NB
2.15 Newmarket – Worldpool Fillies’ Handicap (Class 2)
The one I like at half-decent odds in this handicap for the fillies is the John Gallagher trained Havana Pusey. This mare ran a cracker in this last season off a mark of 95 when beaten 1l into second and she is back for another go off just 1lb higher.
On her last start in handicap company, at Yarmouth in April, she scored off 4lb lower under Neil Callan and he’s back on board today. On her next start she picked up some precious black type in a Lingfield G3 and you can put a line through her last run in listed company at Musselburgh as she got upset in the stalls.
7f on good to firm ground are her optimum conditions and if she can repeat the form of that Lingfield G3 run, she should be capable of making an impact here off her current mark, even carrying top weight. At odds of 14/1, Havana Pusey is the e/w selection.
2026 Newmarket July Meeting Saturday Tip: Havana Pusey e/w @ 14/1
2.27 Ascot – Summer Mile Stakes (Group 2)
A tricky race. If Jonquil settles, he is capable of running well here, just as he did when beating Holloway Boy in a listed race over C&D in May. However, he pulled like a dog in the Lockinge last time when beating just one rival home and while this is easier, he’s a risky proposition.
It would be no surprise to see Docklands bounce back from a rare below par effort in the Queen Anne last time out but he’s a shade too short for us at 13/2. I’m happy to swerve this race on what is a busy day. No bet.
2026 Ascot Saturday Tip: No bet
2.39 York – John Smith’s Racing Handicap (Class 2)
This has been a good race for David O’Meara in the past. He’s won it three times since 2019 and this year he’s doubly represented. The market favours Cerulean Bay, a 5yo son of New Bay who has been knocking on the door in major handicaps this season.
Beaten a neck off 3lb lower over C&D on his penultimate start, he ran another excellent race at Royal Ascot off 2lb higher on latest and the handicapper left his mark alone. However, he probably hasn’t got much wriggle room off his current rating and his last two wins have come at Goodwood, so surely he’ll be aimed at the Glorious meeting in a couple of weeks.
I will instead take a chance on his stablemate, New Image. He’s a 6yo by Frankel and his best run this term came when beaten 0.75l on his seasonal return at Redcar off 90. He pitches up here off 4lb lower after three lesser runs and with his rider’s claim, he’s effectively 9lb lower.
He’s run twice here before. On the first occasion he stayed on really well for second over 7f and then last time he was beaten 5l over C&D off 95 but was subsequently disqualified. With his rider’s claim he’s effectively off the same mark as when second here on his first visit and 11lb lower than when last winning at Ascot in 2024. At odds of 16/1, back New Image e/w.
2026 York Saturday Tip: New Image e/w @ 16/1 (4 places)
2.52 Newmarket – Weatherbys Handicap (Class 2)
I was really sweet on Sunset Of Leros at Royal Ascot. I was sure he’d relish the step up to 1m2f but that wasn’t the case. Another reason for me fancying him was that he looked potentially well handicapped on the form of his fine listed run at Doncaster, so obviously I think he’s even better handicapped now given he was eased 2lb for that Ascot run.
I think it is too soon to write this son of Almanzor off and I am going to give him another chance. The drop back to a mile should suit and hopefully, that run last time may have been needed after a 50-day break. At odds of 33/1, Sunset On Leros is worth chancing e/w for small stakes.
2026 Newmarket July Meeting Saturday Tip: Sunset On Leros e/w @ 33/1
3.12 York – City Walls Stakes (Listed)
I was tempted by the two Katie Scott runners but in the end, I came down on last year’s runner up, Miss Attitude. This filly has won four of her 24 starts but it really could and should have been more. She can be frustrating at times, often slowly away and often meeting trouble in running but she is due things to drop right at some stage and hopefully it happens today.
Last time out she ran a massive race in the King Charles at Royal Ascot, beaten just 2.25l for the win. It was a huge run and if she can repeat that here, she surely won’t be far away. Given how well she ran in this last year, it has surely been on Jack Channon’s radar and the 6yo daughter of Cityscape will hopefully be doing her best.
If she doesn’t lose too much ground at the start and avoids trouble in running, Miss Attitude can go very close here at odds of 12/1.
2026 York Saturday Tip: Miss Attitude e/w @ 12/1 (4 places) NAP
3.25 Newmarket – Bunbury Cup Handicap (Heritage)
The Ropey Guest glory days are becoming a distant memory but maybe Dapper Guest can go well in the same silks at a venue he likes. This son of Dandy Man started the season slowly but a sliding mark and a return to this C&D saw him produce a much-improved effort to finish a 1.5l fourth and only for meeting traffic, he probably would have finished a bit closer.
He’s 1lb wrong here but he’s off the same mark as last time and he’s 2lb lower than when winning at Chelmsford last October. He clearly goes well here (course form figures on good or quicker read 4144) and while he undoubtedly needs to improve to win upped to this grade, that last run was a step in the right direction and if he builds on it, he might just be able to sneak a place. At odds of 50/1, Dapper Guest is the e/w selection.
2026 Newmarket July Meeting Saturday Tip: Dapper Guest e/w @ 50/1 (4 places)
3.45 York – John Smith’s Cup Handicap (Heritage)
Andrew Balding has a fine recent record in this race. He won it with Pivoine in 2019, with Johnny Drama in 2021 and last year, he took it with Fox Legacy, who was steered to victory from stall 19 by PJ McDonald.
McDonald has got the call again this year to ride Respond, an ultra-consistent son of Ghaiyyath who carries top weight. Also drawn wide in stall 20, this gelding has finished in the first three in five of his seven turf starts, winning twice, and while he ran a nice race at Epsom last time, I’m not convinced he was in love with the rain softened ground there.
On his previous start he absolutely bolted up on good ground at Chester off 96. Yes, he’s 9lb higher now but that Epsom run proved he could compete off this sort of mark and he remains relatively unexposed at around this trip on good ground.
He’s only raced on good to firm once and that was an excellent effort in a 1m2f Sandown maiden, a race he would probably have won if he didn’t meet trouble in running. A prominent racer, he’ll need to break well from his draw and if he does, he will surely make a bold bid at odds of 12/1.
2026 York Saturday Tip: Respond e/w @ 12/1 (6 places)
4.35 Newmarket – July Cup Stakes (Group 1)
Only seven run in the Superlative so we move on to the week’s feature race, the G1 July Cup. We went ever so close to nailing a huge winner in the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot with Spicy Marg and her conqueror that day, Venetian Sun, is near the top of the market here. Fighting it out for favouritism is the Japanese speedster Satono Reve who will be hoping to gain compensation for his exceedingly narrow defeat in the QEII at Ascot.
Is there anything with the potential to go well at bigger odds here? The most likely contender is Quinault, who has been chalked up at around 33/1.
This 6yo son of Oasis Dream went close in a G3 on the Rowley course here in April behind our now sadly departed friend Run To Freedom. Yes, he’s been soundly beaten in a G3 over 5f and a G2 over 6f at York since and on those efforts, he has no chance here but as he showed in the Champion Sprint at Ascot in October, he is capable at this level if he is in the mood and he has been well and truly in the mood on his only two previous runs on the July course.
On his first visit, in July 2023, he beat Mill Stream by a head in a handicap here and he went on to win this very race a year later. On his next visit he landed a listed race on soft ground, so he brings a 100% C&D record into this race. If the top two or three run to form, he’s probably goosed but if any of those fluff their lines, hopefully Quinault can pounce for place money at odds of 33/1.
