DAY 1 of The July Festival features the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes Group 2, with the remarkable eight-year-old Hamish heading the market and the soft conditions are certainly in his favour, however Giavellotto is a real threat despite dropping down in trip and giving three pounds to the favourite. An intriguing Group 2 with Arrest and Time Lock in the line up too. 

In the Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes Group 2 I was going to mark up Ain’t Nobody Unibet 7/2, who I tipped up for the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot, but the ground just might come up too soft for him and in this tightly matched contest I’ll watch with interest.

Enjoy whether at Newmarket on their July course or watching #athome on ITV Racing and Racing TV.

Cheers

The Wine Tipster

1.50 Newmarket – Bahrain Trophy Staes Group 3 (1m 5f)

Space Legend is preferred over Ancient Wisdom who some will expect to bounce back after a fairly lacklustre effort in the Derby, and whilst it’s easy enough to blame the track, you’d be hard pushed to say his overall form this season makes him worthy of a rating of 115.

Space Legend, on the other hand, keeps improving with each start and might have come up against the best horse in Europe in Calandagan in the King Edward VII at Ascot last time. There was little disgrace in being beaten six lengths there, and it very much looked like the extra furlong will suit. The soft ground conditions are not a hindrance as Space Legend won on the soft at Leicester on seasonal debut.

Unibet 7/4 win

3.00 Newmarket – Heritage Handicap (6f)

Sergeant Wilko was useful at two, but he’s really come alive this spring and his hard-fought win at Leicester last time has had the form franked a few times by those in behind running improved races since. A 3lb rise for that win looks more than fair, and with track, trip and ground all likely to suit he has strong claims here.

Unibet 12/1 each way

Two Tribes second to James’s Delight, beaten one and a quarter lengths at the Guineas meeting over this trip, is an excellent piece of form, given the winner won at the York next time out with Elmonjed, the favourite for this race back in third, Imperial Guard fifth and Tropical Island sixth.

Two Tribes was unplaced at Royal Ascot in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap when racing in the unfavoured stand side group. That appearance should be overlooked and returning to this trip will suit, whilst he has won on good to soft going.

Unibet 12/1 each way

3.35 Newmarket – Prince of Wales’s Stakes Group 2 (1½m)

Giavellotto (nap) is a grand staying type and whilst he is dropping back in trip, coupled with the fact he’s got a penalty for his Yorkshire Cup win to give away, he can still take on the evergreen Hamish, who will love the conditions.

Giavellotto made it back-to-back Yorkshire Cups and the way he beat Vauban by four and a half lengths eased down was impressive. He has been in my notebook since winning at the July course in 2022 and he always looked like he would run well in the St Leger.

His performance at York highlighted how much progression there is to come from this five-year-old and he can spring a surprise here over this distance.

Unibet 5/1 win

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