THE final day of the July Festival at Newmarket features the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai July Cup Stakes Group 1 over six furlongs in what is an open renewal.
This fifteen-runner field only has one runner, Symbol Of Honour, who won on his previous start, whilst Believing, Night Raider, Whistlejacket, and Mojo all had excuses at Royal Ascot; in contrast, Spy Chief and Flora Bermuda ran good races.
It is intriguing that Symbol Of Honour’s stablemate Notable Speech has been supplemented, given the 2024 Guineas winner has only raced over a mile on all his ten career starts, and this will require some performance from him to match the sprint specialists.
I’m looking forward to being at Newmarket for what will be a fascinating day of racing on the final day of the July Festival.
Enjoy whether you are at the home of flat racing or watching #athome on ITV Racing and Racing TV.
See you there!
Cheers
The Wine Tipster
2.50 Newmarket – Bunbury Cup Heritage Handicap (7f)
Akkadian Thunder like favourite More Thunder, Ten Pounds, and Run Boy Run, is running off the same mark as he had at Royal Ascot when a good second to the favourite Never So Brave in the Buckingham Palace Stakes over this distance. On that occasion he tracked the favourite and was just short of pace when Never So Brave kicked for home, though he ran on well and was two and a quarter lengths clear of the third Holguin.
He impressed at Doncaster on his previous start when beating a good yardstick in Billyjoh (reopposes here) by a length and a half over seven furlongs.
Five-year-olds have won three of the last ten renewals, and Akkadian Thunder is very much a seven-furlong specialist, who is fine on this super quick going.
3.10 York – Handicap (1m 2½f)
Naqeeb ran a blinder at 33/1 to finish an excellent third in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot last time over one mile four furlongs and is officially two pounds well in. The big question to ask is whether he has the pace for this drop back in trip but he had to be reined in after breaking well at Royal Ascot and then showed plenty of speed when making his move from two furlongs out to give the impression that he can make his mark over a trip he hasn’t run over since his three-year-old days.
Faylaq like Naqeeb has run over an array of distances, and he ran well in the Northumberland Plate over two miles and half a furlong to finish fifth when not quite staying the trip. Back in May he won over one mile five furlongs and one mile four furlongs respectively, and he has won over pretty much this trip too.
He has been running well in a number of races and has each way claims.
3:25 Newmarket – Handicap (1m)
Bedouin Prince (nap) took another massive step forward on his most recent appearance in May, when making all to score on the Rowley Mile course last time out at Newmarket, winning by an easy four- and three-quarter lengths. There are numerous form lines from this race including from the second home Wicked, who won a handicap from a mark of 80 at Sandown on his next start, and it’s worth remembering Bedouin Prince was giving him seven pounds at Newmarket.
Bedouin Prince has a real presence about him, like his fantastic sire Ghaiyyath, who won on good to firm, so the ground should be fine for him.
This opening mark of 100 might underestimate Bedouin Prince and you can expect him to make all the running.
4:35 Newmarket – Al Basti Equiworld Dubai July Cup Stakes Group 1 (6f)
Spy Chief is a gelding, so he couldn’t run in the Commonwealth Cup over this distance at Royal Ascot and instead took his chance over seven furlongs in the Jersey Stakes. He showed impressive speed early on, looking to have them all beat two furlongs out with the field strung out, and then Noble Champion moved forward smoothly to win by three and a quarter lengths from Spy Chief with the third two and three-quarters lengths back.
He didn’t quite see out the seven furlongs, and this drop back to six furlongs looks a smart move, given he showed how well suited he is to this trip at Yarmouth on his penultimate start.
Spy Chief looks an improving three-year-old with stall 14 giving him a chance to grab the stands rail and get going.
Big Mojo will need to deliver a career best performance to take the July Cup and if he can get a smooth run this time, unlike his last two performances, then he will be right in the mix having stepped up to six furlongs this season.
At Haydock in May he was denied a clear run at the two furlong mark when then running on to finish fourth to Symbol Of Honour. At Royal Ascot in the Commonwealth Cup he didn’t have a smooth start and then couldn’t make a challenge at two furlongs out. If you watch the replay you will see how much ground he did make up once he could show his undoubted speed.
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