The July Cup is the feature race on Saturday, but plenty of action ensures Andrew Mount has five best bets for you to follow.
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Posted: 5.30pm, Friday, July 12th
1.45 Ascot – BADRI (1pt ew – 12/1 generally)
BADRI needs a big field/strong pace scenario, ideally over 5f on a stiff track. Julie Camacho’s seven-year-old has only encountered such conditions on turf in three occasions, winning twice (Ascot and Beverley) and finishing an 18-1 second of 15 in this race last year when best of those to come from off the pace. He looks well drawn towards the stands’ side rail in stall 15 of 19 – the likely pace is high from stalls 17 and 18 – and his stable is emerging from a quiet spell.
2.35 York – KORKER (1.5pt ew – 16/1 generally)
KORKER, though prone to blowing the start, has always been of interest in small fields, recording form figures in single-digit line-ups of 21115221213 (5-11) with the latest placed effort at 14-1 (I first wrote him up on this angle in my GG eyecatchers column way back in 2022). Karl Burke’s five-year-old met trouble when tenth of 16 at the Curragh last time and will be much happier in today’s nine-runner affair. He likes York and rates a solid each-way bet in a race likely to be run at a searching gallop.
2.50 Newmarket – VOLTERRA (1pt ew – 5/1 generally)
The Kevin Ryan-trained VOLTERRA ran a huge race in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot, finishing 11th of 29 overall but ‘winning’ the race on the far side. Drawn poorly in stall 3 and sent off as 13-2 joint favourite, the colt raced with nine others on his side of the track and beat the next finisher of that group by over three lengths. His two other straight-track runs produced wins on the Rowley Mile and at Redcar and he’s going to be hard to keep out of the frame.
4.00 Newmarket – MUSTAJAAB (0.5pt ew – 50/1 bet365, BetVictor)
I wrote the following about MUSTAJAAB in Racing & Football Outlook after his 16th of 26 in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot…
‘MUSTAJAAB’s 16th place was worthy of an upgrade, as the 50-1 shot did second best of the centre group. The four-year-old, two from two on Southwell’s Tapeta surface, has only landed a Ffos Las maiden from 11 turf outings but he could go well at a big price in the Bunbury Cup or the International Stakes next month.’
I like his draw in stall 20 of 20 and he’s worth a speculative each-way punt at a huge price.
5.17 Ascot – BEAU JARDINE (1pt ew – 10/1 bet365)
BEAU JARDINE needs plenty of cut in the ground and he had conditions to suit when slamming Willingly by more than four lengths at Salisbury in mid-May. It was surprising to see him sent off as the 13-8 favourite at Lingfield next time as the officially good ground was faster than ideal and he had a poor low draw. The Rachel Cook & John Bridger-trained six-year-old ended up widest of all on the slowest part of the track and did really well to finish just over a length back in fourth under 7lb claimer Shariq Mohd, who was also on board when he finished last of nine on good to firm ground at Salisbury last time (7f). He was only beaten by three lengths despite the fast ground, and he looks something to bet on with Kevin Stott taking over and the ground at Ascot on the slow side.
Andrew Mount’s Best Bets
1.45 Ascot – BADRI (1pt ew – 12/1 generally)
2.35 York – KORKER (1.5pt ew – 16/1 generally)
2.50 Newmarket – VOLTERRA (1pt ew – 5/1 generally)
4.00 Newmarket – MUSTAJAAB (0.5pt ew – 50/1 bet365, BetVictor)
5.17 Ascot – BEAU JARDINE (1pt ew – 10/1 bet365)
Andrew Mount’s tips for Saturday, 13th July 2024.
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