Newmarket July Festival Thursday Tips and Preview

It was another winnerless day for us last Saturday but thankfully, a couple of nice places meant it was a profitable day overall. Happy Romance, advised e/w at 40s, was very well backed and justified that support by finishing fast for 3rd. Alpine Stroll ran no sort of race and Plantadream couldn’t land a blow either. Makawee disappointed too, as did the heavily punted Dark Jedi. However, Rosemary And Thyme ran a massive race to finish 4th and she also drifted nicely out to 100/1. Tomorrow the focus switches to HQ, check out our Newmarket July Festival Thursday tips below.

1.50 Newmarket – Bahrain Trophy Stakes (Group 3)

Just the six are due to go to post for this 13f Group 3 and two of them are Johnston runners. Frankie is on the fav Stowell for John Gosden and he has zero stamina doubts. A son of Zoffany, the only slight concern would be rattling quick ground. His win came on good to soft and Zoffany’s progeny often excel on rain softened ground. He did run well on good to firm last time though when he probably should have finished closer than the 2.75 lengths he was beaten by Kemari.

Yibir is the horse that has the best form in the race. He chased home Lone Eagle over 11f (sft) at Goodwood last time, form that was boosted in the Irish Derby. On his previous run at Sandown (10f gd) he actually beat Lone Eagle on better ground and he was only a neck behind subsequent Epsom Derby winner Adayar and 0.75L behind Royal Ascot winner Alenquer. Yibir was gelded after his last run and the return to proper good ground is in his favour. His pedigree gives mixed signals regarding this trip though and while he has the best form, he is not a guaranteed stayer.

Mandoob is 2/2 for Brian Meehan but he is taking a big step up in grade here. The two Johnston horses both have chances. On ratings, Gear Up looks to be the one with the most serious claims. Pleasant Man won a handicap nicely last time but his two previous runs at pattern level have resulted in heavy defeats. Nothing looks overpriced here and I am happy to sit this one out. If he stays, Yibir should win but for me, it’s a no bet race.

Newmarket July Festival Thursday Tip: No Bet

2.05 Carlisle – Fillies’ Handicap (Class 4)

It isn’t often that Carlisle is shown on ITV racing but the course has its moment in the spotlight today. The featured race is a 6f handicap for fillies and mares only. A field of 9 are due to line up in the stalls. However, Ella Joe was in action at Catterick on Wednesday so she could be a non-runner. The one that makes most appeal at a big price is Elladora.

Trained by Katie Scott, Phil Dennis will ride this daughter of Equiano. She has had just one run on turf so far but the ground was soft and she performed poorly. However, she has shown she has ability on a couple of her runs at Newcastle, including when finishing a neck ahead of Copper Queen there in a 7f Novice last September. She was getting 5lbs from that rival and today she gets 8lbs. So, she is weighted to uphold the form.

Her best effort came on her handicap debut over 6f at the same track. She was beat just 0.5L off 67 and she is in off the same rating today. Something was amiss last time at Newcastle and she has had 3 months off. Her trainer had a winner at Ayr during the week so the yard is in decent shape and Elladora has a nice draw in stall 4. If this filly is fit and healthy, she could sneak into the money at odds of 40/1.

Carlisle Thursday Tip: Elladora e/w @ 40/1

2.25 Newmarket – July Stakes (Group 2)

This season’s Royal Ascot form will be put to this test in this 2yo sprint. Placed horses from the Norfolk, Coventry and Windsor Castle will lock horns and it is an intriguing 6f Group 2. Eldrickjones and Ebro River finished 2nd and 5th in the Coventry (6f) behind Berkshire Shadow. Project Dante flew home to finish a close 3rd in the Norfolk (5f), while Dig Two was 2L behind Chipotle in the Listed Windsor Castle (5f).

However, I will instead be backing one that didn’t go to Ascot. Sam Maximus was a well backed winner on debut, prevailing by a short head from King Of Gold. That horse had previously finished just 0.75 behind Tolstoy at Yarmouth, so on a line through him Sam Maximus doesn’t have much to find with that rival (who is half his price today). On his next start in the Spindrifter at Pontefract he could only manage 3rd but he hung all over the place and he was denied a clear run so he did well in the circumstances.

The return to a straight and more conventional track will suit this fella a whole lot better. He is by a quality sprinting sire in Showcasing and his dam is related to a G3 winner over 6f. Tom Dascombe has his horses in great form and PJ McDonald keeps the ride. He is proven on quick ground and at the distance and with 4 places on offer from William Hill, Sam Maximus is worth backing each way at 28/1.

Newmarket July Festival Thursday Tip: Sam Maximus e/w @ 28/1 NB (4 places W Hill)

3.00 Newmarket –Bet365 Heritage Handicap (Class 2)

We backed Apollo One last time out at Newmarket in the G3 Criterion Stakes. He was far from disgraced in 5th against some talented older horses and he beat the only other 3yo in the field, The Lir Jet (rated 107). He has run in Group 2/3 company on his last three outings and his mark has now fallen to 100. Peter Charalambous now switches him into handicap company against horses of his own age and he could be well treated off his current rating.

The booking of James Doyle is a big eye catcher and it is another plus that he is returning to the scene of his impressive debut victory over 7f. On the evidence of his five runs this term, 7f looks to be just a shade too far for him so the drop to 6f is another plus. I think he is going to make a bold bid from stall 15 and with trip, track and ground to suit he is the each way NAP of the day.

Newmarket July Festival Thursday Tip: Apollo One e/w @ 18/1 NAP (6 Places W Hill)

3.35 Newmarket – Princess Of Wales’s Stakes (Group 2)

The final live race of the day on Thursday is this 12f G2. Unfortunately, it is another disappointing turnout with just five participants. Al Aasy is on a recovery mission after his narrow Epsom defeat to Pyledriver. That is rock solid form and it is no surprise to see he is the odds on fav today. On ratings, Sir Ron Priestly looks the biggest danger. He flopped last time on soft at Ascot but on his last visit to Newmarket and on his last run at 12f on quick ground, he beat Pyledriver by 2L.

Highest Ground was also a winner the last time he ran over 12f on quick ground at Leicester. Star Safari is an unknown quantity on his first run back in the UK after a spell in Dubai. Bangkok completes the field and he has some smart form in the book. However, his best recent efforts have come on the all-weather. This is another race that makes no appeal from a betting perspective. The odds look just about right and with just 2 places on offer, it’s a watching brief for me. No bet.

Newmarket July Festival Thursday Tip: No Bet