Newmarket’s July meeting comes to a close on Saturday on a hectic day of racing all-round in Britain. Joe Napier previews the finale from HQ with his four best bets.
2.12 Newmarket (July) – Trustatrader 20th Anniversary Fillies’ Handicap
Miss Nightfall retains the potential for better still but she has continued to rise the handicap. She was four lengths ahead of BOUNTIFUL at Royal Ascot last time out, but that form could well be overturned.
George Boughey’s filly ran respectably to be 11th in the Sandringham Stakes that day, but the drop back to 7f looks the wise move as she did not make an impact in the latter stages of that 1m contest. She had previously reappeared with a third in Listed company over this race’s distance at Lingfield when possibly in need of the run after 236 days off.
Perhaps more eye-catchingly though, she was a close fourth in the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes on this card 12 months ago. That form is fairly solid and she is down 2lb in the handicap from Ascot, ensuring a 3lb swing with Miss Nightfall. Give this is a course and distance she should prefer, she looks overpriced by comparison.
3.25 Newmarket (July) – bet365 Mile Handicap
William Buick pledges allegiance to Bedouin Prince for Charlie Appleby, but that will be as much down to the trainer as it is his decision. Were it his, I suspect he would be more tempted by FIFTH COLUMN, another Godolphin runner but trained by the Gosdens.
The selection has matured from two to three, having gone winless in four juvenile starts. Since his return, he has got off the mark at Kempton, then won a highly competitive handicap at Sandown which has been working out very well despite pulling hard.
After a 6lb rise, he was then seventh in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot, but all six ahead of him raced down the near side, whereas he was the first of ten in his group up the centre. The son of Kingman can therefore be considered unfortunate and could easily snare another success off this mark.
4.00 Newmarket (July) – bet365 Superlative Stakes (Group 2)
Italy could well prove to be another Ballydoyle juvenile in a different stratosphere, but Aidan O’Brien’s only other two-year-old runner this week was a bit disappointing and there could be a useful one up against him. Once again, it is a Godolphin runner who is not the choice of William Buick in WILD DESERT.
Saba Desert is his stablemate who got off the mark at Sandown and he must be working well for him to be Buick’s choice, but his debut form is working out poor;y at present. On the other hand, though Wild Desert was beaten on his second start over course and distance, he was a much more impressive maiden scorer, and was only beaten a head by a different stablemate when conceding a winners’ penalty last month.
That would have been a disappointing result given he was strongly odds-on, but that form could yet work out well given he was conceding 6lb. The runner-up from his debut victory at Haydock, who he trounced by five lengths, went much closer to winning next time and he could spring an upset on level terms.
4.35 Newmarket (July) – Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup Stakes (Group 1)
British sprinters may be uncompetitive on a global scale, but this is a strong and deep field for the July Cup. On that international note, the selection is BELIEVING, a Group 1 winner in sprints for a British yard abroad earlier this year.
The mare may not have been up against the very best the world has to offer in the Al Quoz Sprint, but she did the business nicely, as well as being immensely consistent in 5f Group 1s on these shores last term. She was twice a runner-up and in both of those races, connections can claim to have been unfortunate with the draw.
She was regularly finishing with a wet sail over the minimum trip, so going back up to 6f may well be the answer. When it was clear she was beaten on return in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, Ryan Moore was not too harsh on her, suggesting other targets were very much in the offing. Billy Loughnane is a decent sub with Moore engaged for O’Brien too.
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