Brave success keeps Loughnane rolling
Billy Loughnane has surged into the lead in the Flat jockey’s championship in recent weeks and the 20-year-old added a third Group One success of the year to his haul as Donnacha O’Brien’s Comanche Brave beat Venetian Sun by a length in the July Cup, the midsummer sprint championship, at Newmarket on Saturday.
Comanche Brave was always travelling smoothly for Loughnane as Japan’s best sprinter, Satono Reve, set a strong pace and his strong finishing kick was enough to keep Venetian Sun at bay in the final furlong.
“The race today couldn’t have gone any better,” Loughnane said. “I got on the back of the Japanese horse, who was a perfect target, and my one instruction was just to nurse him as long as I could.
“He travelled so sweetly, fast ground was perfect and I do think he could drop back in trip. I was taking back the whole way through and he’s got a lot of gears, this horse. Hopefully the sky’s the limit.”
O’Brien’s “super-impressive” sprinter holds several Group One entries in the weeks ahead.
“There’s not much between these sprinters and he’d won a Group Two, so where else to go but keep trying to win Group Ones?,” O’Brien said. “We’ve seen a few times horses that have been beaten in the Jubilee at Royal Ascot and have come and won this race, so we weren’t afraid to try it and it worked.”
Ayr 2.00 Vega King 2.30 Woohoo 3.00 White Ladder (nb) 3.30 Runninsonofagun 4.00 Jkr Cobbler 4.30 Pol Roger 5.05 Annandale
Newton Abbot 2.42 Gore Point 3.12 God Of Fire 3.42 Saucats 4.12 Limerick Leader 4.42 Muskerry Rock 5.15 Park Hall
Lingfield 5.10 Lord Ragnar 5.40 Mister Daydream 6.10 Aphra Behn 6.40 Split Elevens 7.10 Perfect Location 7.40 Nutcracker 8.10 Freedom Bay 8.40 Sapphire Dream
Windsor 5.20 Jaijai 5.50 Levens Hall 6.20 Ferrystream 6.50 Market Leader 7.20 Amazonian Dream 7.50 Bold Impact (nap) 8.20 Morcar 8.50 Darn Hot Da
Earlier on the Newmarket card, Charlie Appleby’s Al Hudaiba got up to beat the hot favourite, Abraham Lincoln, by a nose in the Group Two Superlative Stakes despite drifting sharply in the final furlong, while Aalto ran out the winner of the Bunbury Cup handicap for the second time in three years.
“William [Buick] said it’s just a job to stay on, let alone to try and get him to gallop out,” Appleby said. “I was sort of confident once he got his head down and started to rally again that he would get there, because he has got a lot of ability, this horse. But if he’s going to start stepping up into bigger leagues, he’s going to have to concentrate a bit harder.”
Elsewhere on racing’s Super Saturday, Raammee landed the historic John Smith’s Cup handicap at York, while the progressive Zeus Olympios took the Summer Mile at Ascot.
Updated
The busiest day of Flat racing’s summer is nearly done. And what of the tips? Three wins from 12 races, at 3-1, 5-2 and 7-2, adds up to … £12, dead level on the day.
4.55 YORK RESULT:
1. MOUNT ATLAS 2-1, 2. Tabletalk. 6 ran.
Off and running in the 4.55 York:
Arabian Force leads from Tabletalk, a steady pace …
Epic Poet settled third, Mount Atlas in touch in fourth …
A soft lead here for Arabian Force but Tabletalk has the ideal position if it turns into a sprint …
Turning for home, no change in the order …
Epic Poet making ground, Tabletalk closing too, Mount Atlas travelling well …
Tabletalk takes over, here comes Mount Atlas .. the line’s approaching, can Mount Atlas get there? … inching closer and he gets his head in front in the final stride! A terrific finish to close out the ITV action.
The July Cup success of Comanche Brave is another big-race win for Donnacha O’Brien, the master-trainer Aidan’s younger son, and the 11th success of his career at the highest level.
He looked to be travelling all over them and Billy’s given him a lovely ride.
4.55 YORK, JOHN SMITH’S SILVER CUP, GROUP THREE, 1M 5F 188YD
A weakish Group Three is a somewhat low-key conclusion to Super Saturday. Tabletalk and Mount Atlas both have decent course form and were second and third respectively in a Listed race over course and distance in June. Mount Atlas is favourite to reverse that form – and there was only a neck between the two horses – but Tabletalk was a ready winner of the Melrose over track and trip last summer and may be a better bet to confirm it.
SELECTION: TABLETALK
That was a significant step up by Comanche Brave, who was only seventh behind Almeraq and Satono Reve in the Jubilee at Royal Ascot last month. But he was only around two-and-a-half lengths behind the winner and has found the necessary improvement with Billy Loughnane, the narrow leader in the race for the Flat jockeys’ championship, getting another Group One win on his cv.
Satono Reve stayed on again to finish third after Comanche Brave powered past around a furlong out, while Venetian Sun’s run into second on fast ground was full of promise with the going likely to ease as the year goes on.
4.35 NEWMARKET, JULY CUP RESULT:
1. COMANCHE BRAVE 11-1, 2. Venetian Sun, 3. Satono Reve. 11 ran.
Updated
Off and running in the July Cup:
Big Mojo and Quinault come stands’ side, the rest are racing far side with Satono Reve in front …
Satono Reve leads two out, Venetia Sun making ground, big outsider Coppull is still there …
Satono Reve fades, he did too much too soon, here’s Comanche Brave for Billy Loughnane, he’s got the lead and he’s going to get the win …
They are at the post before the Group One July Cup, Satono Reve is 15-8 favourite to join a roll of honour that dates back to 1876 and includes such outstanding names as Moorestyle, Pappa Fourway and Oasis Dream.
Patrick Veitch, a key player in Tony Bloom’s burgeoning Flat operation, is giving a slightly cagey interview to Matt Chapman in the paddock:
She’s still a good filly on this ground but we’d have liked more rain. This is their chance to beat her on this ground. September or October, it might be a different story
Latest betting for the JULY CUP:
15-8 Satono Reve
5-1 Venetian Sun
6-1 Mission Central
7-1 Double Rush
8-1 Almeraq
12-1 Division
16-1 Comanche Brave
16-1 Big Mojo
40-1 bar
3.45 YORK REVISED RESULT AFTER STEWARDS' INQUIRY:
1. RAAMMEE 5-1, 2. Hand Of God, 3. Castle Stuart, 4. Danger Bay, 5. Salam Dubawi. 22 ran.
The instant reaction from bookie Paddy Power to the Superlative Stakes was to cut Al Hudaiba to 16-1 from his previous price of 25-1.
Ten races down on Super Saturday, two to go on the ITV coverage, and it’s the big one next: the July Cup.
Venetian Sun will definitely be going to post but Satono Reve is the clear favourite to go one better than he did at Royal Ascot. The main contenders have all been previewed earlier in the blog and I’m very hopeful of a big run from Japan’s best sprinter at a track that should suit him ideally.
SELECTION: SATONO REVE.
William Buick did brilliantly to get Al Hudaiba over the line in front there. His mount did everything wrong, rolling around on the climb to the line, but Buick got him onto an even keel just in time and got him home by a nose.
It was a huge win considering the ground and momentum that Al Hudaiba surrendered, and Buick was delighted to have pulled it out of the fire.
I wasn’t sure whether I’d won and I’d have been very, very cross if we hadn’t have won. He just ducked in behind Ryan’s horse late on. I’m hoping we can iron that out, as he’s got lots of ability.
4.00 NEWMARKET RESULT:
1. AL HUDAIBA 5-2, 2. Abraham Lincoln, 3. Pikachu.
Off and running in the Superlative Stakes …
Abraham Lincoln is close behind the early leader Alfred Wallace … Pikachu showing up well, Al Hudaiba covered up at the rear …
Halfway, Pikachu comes through but Abraham Lincoln is going well close behind, Al Hudaiba also travelling well …
Here’s Abraham Lincoln, he’s in front, Al Hudaiba hanging all over the place,
Al Hudaiba is gaining in the final strides, he wandered to the rail but then straightened up for William Buick and may just have got there to beat the favourite …. it’s another very tight photo …
Al Hudaiba has been nibbled at in the market to 5-2, but Abraham Lincoln remains odds-on at 8-13 and it’s 14-1 bar.
It will be a big result for the layers if Abraham Lincoln disappoints, the favourite is odds-on at 8-13 with Al Hudaiba at 3-1 the only runner being given any serious chance against him.
Charlie Appleby, Al Hudaiba’s trainer, has just been tackled by ITV’s Matt Chapman in the winner’s enclosure.
We felt he might be the sort of horse that might pitch up here. I think he’s a big player and it’s going to be an interesting race.
4.00 NEWMARKET, SUPERLATIVE STAKES, GROUP TWO, 2YO
Haffner’s win in the opener at Newmarket was a big pointer to the chance of his stable companion, Abraham Lincoln, here, as he was the runner-up behind Abraham Lincoln in what is generally a highly-informative maiden at the Curragh on Irish Derby weekend.
The hot favourite was one of the most expensive yearlings of 2025 and picked up a big “P” from Timeform – not something that the Halifax firm hands out lightly – for his performance.
This will not be a procession, though, as Charlie Appleby’s Al Hudaiba has shown similar promise and this is a race that the trainer has won six times in the last 10 years. He was a ready winner on debut, then jinked away a winning chance and lost his jockey next time up before returning to winning form over this track and trip last month.
SELECTION: AL HUDAIBA
3.45 YORK RESULT:
1. RAAMMEE 5-1, 2. Hand Of God, 3. Salam Dubawi, 4. Castle Stuart. 22 ran.
Raammee went left under a right-hand drive and then the other way when his Ray Dawson switched his whip. This is another big win for Dawson after teaming up with Roger Varian, and his career is very much on an upward curve.
Off and running in the John Smith’s Cup …
Warrant Holder is close behind the lead, Raammee mid-division, Dain Ma Nut In leads them into the straight.
Warrant Holder is sixth and not making much progress at the moment, Raammee making rapid progress in the middle of the track, Hand Of God comes at him …
Raammee veers left towards the rail, Hand Of God eating into his lead, but he’s not going to get there … Raammee wins the John Smith’s Cup!
They are at the post for the John Smith’s Cup, Warrant Holder has taken over as the favourite in the Royal colours at 3-1, with Raammee out to 5-1 and Danger Bay at 11-2. Quai De Bethune is out to 16-1, which is a little discouraging.
3.45 YORK, JOHN SMITH’S CUP HANDICAP, 1M 2F 56YDS
One of the most venerable sponsorships in the sport, dating all the way back to 1960, and consistently one of the strongest events of its type all year.
The field, as ever, is huge for the latest renewal, and as so often in the past, a single-figure draw is likely to be a big help. A pitch in stall 14 is not putting anyone off the chance of Roger Varian’s Raammee, however, and he is trading at around 4-1 for the win. Given the dismal record of horses with double-figure draws, though, I’m more inclined towards the chance of Quai De Bethune, the winer of a hot handicap at Royal Ascot last summer, who had been off for nearly a year before showing up well on his return to action at Epsom last month. He should be much closer to peak fitness here, while a first-time hood could also eke out a little more improvement.
Warrant Holder, in the Royal colours, is also well drawn in stall nine and attracting plenty of support, following his strong run into second place at Royal Ascot last time out, while the Zetland Gold Cup winner, Danger Bay, is another to consider from stall three.
SELECTION: QUAI DE BETHUNE.
3.25 NEWMARKET RESULT:
1. AALTO 4-1 fav, 2. Back In Black, 3. Elarak, 4. Supido. 13 ran.
Updated
That’s a first winner on the card for Norwegian-born William Buick, who turned up at the track today sporting a Norway shirt.
Royal Zabeel appeared to unship his jockey, Conor Whiteley, after crossing the line, hopefully his young rider is unscathed.
A split into one big group on the far side and a couple of runners on the near …
Royal Zabeel and Nostrum near side, Physique leads the far side group … Aalto is towards the rear … getting to the business end already … Back In Black hits the front inside the final furlong but here comes Aalto from a long way back … he’s getting there far side … Aalto wins it again!
Off and running in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket …
Looping back to the action earlier, Paul Smith, one of the “lads” from the Coolmore Stud partnership that owns the opening-race winner, Haffner, was suitably delighted by his success.
“He was very smooth, Ryan was very happy with him. He enjoyed the step up to seven [furlongs] and enjoyed the ground and looks like a stakes horse going forward.
“He’s got a bit of a way to go to get to Constitution River’s level, but it’s a nice start.”
3.25 NEWMARKET, BUNBURY CUP HANDICAP, 7F
The most historic handicap at the July Festival, and a familiar face is back for another crack as Ian Williams’s Aalto, the winner two years ago and touched off last year by the ridiculously well-handicapped More Thunder, is a warm favourite at around 4-1.
The versatile and dependable Back In Black and Charlie Hills’s Elarak, second home over this trip in the Buckingham Palace Handicap at Royal Ascot last time, are big runners too but I’m happy to stick with my overnight pick of Micky Fenton’s Physique. She was available at 33-1 yesterday and is now down to around 16-1, and the way she dominated over track-and-trip last time, a performance that was backed up by a strong timefigure gives her a decent each-way chance.
SELECTION: PHYSIQUE.
3.12 YORK RESULT:
1. REDORANGE 12-1, 2. Aspect Island, 3. JM Jungle. 13 ran.
Revival Power takes them along, big group on the far side looks to be ahead …
Two out, still revival Power from Washington Heights, here comes American Affair and Redorange, Redorange is going to get up …
Off and running in the 3.12 at York …
They are going into the stalls for the City Walls, American Affair and Starlust vying for favouritism … Heavenly Heather easy to back and out to 8-1 …
JULY CUP CONTENDER: BIG MOJO
Age: 4. Career: 14 races, 3 wins. Group One wins: 1. Trainer: Mick Appleby. Timeform rating: 119.
Big Mojo has been one of the stars of Mick Appleby’s yard since his two-year-old days, when he won the Molecomb at Glorious Goodwood and ended up running fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar in California.
He got off the mark at Group One level in the Sprint Cup at Haydock last summer:
… having been edged out by the shock 66-1 winner, No Half Measures, in this race a few weeks earlier.
3.12 YORK, CITY WALLS STAKES, LISTED, 5F
Back to York for this Listed sprint over the minimum trip of five furlongs, with 14 runners going to post. The market makes it look like a handicap, with with Heavenly Heather, sixth in the Group One King Charles III at Royal Ascot last month, looking to build on that at around 13-2, and American Affair, the winner of that Ascot Group One in 2025, next in on 15-2. Starlust is fancied too but I’m going to stick my neck out a bit and go with Katie Scott’s filly Luna A Inbhir Nis. She continues to improve and posted another career best in a Group Three at Sandown last weekend. This is a quick turnaround but she has a live each-way chance on that form and has a decent draw in stall six.
SELECTION: LUNA A INBHIR NIS
That was an excruciatingly tight finish at Newmarket, Alfaraz got the easy lead I was hoping for but St Anton did him by a pixel.
2.52 NEWMARKET RESULT:
1. ST ANTON 10-1, 2. Alfaraz, 3. Wechaad. 8 ran.
They’ve split into two groups, Alfaraz is leading against the rail with Moonfall on his tail …
Halfway, and Alfaraz still has what looks like a soft lead, Moonfall on his tail …
Alfaraz going for home … still in front and the rest aren’t making much impact, … up the hill here … Alfaraz still just in front as St Anton comes to challenge … neck and neck … it’s on the nod, PHOTO FINISH between Alfaraz and St Anton
Off and running in the 2.52 Newmarket …
Today’s tips got off to a sticky start with three straight losers by the way, but wins for Zeus Olympios (7-2) and The Lost King (3-1) in the last two races have put us back on track for a level-stakes profit. Fingers crossed for Alfaraz here.
2.52 NEWMARKET, HANDICAP, 1M
A Royal Ascot winner is in the field here as Moonfall was a ready winner of the Britannia Handicap.
But he had the benefit of the best of the draw there in stall 28 and the money today has been for Andrew Balding’s Alfaraz. He had a tendency to pull quite hard in the early part of his career but settled much better when dropped back to a mile last time and may have little obvious competition for the lead at a track where runners up with the pace tend to be favoured.
SELECTION: ALFARAZ
2.39 YORK RESULT
1. THE LOST KING 3-1 jt-fav, 2. Mr Swivell, 3. Checkandchallenge. 13 ran.
Off and running in the 2.39 at York …
Khafiz leads early at a steady pace, Cerulean Bay is last of all turning in, The Lost King making steady ground towards the lead … gets to the far rail and goes a length clear … it’s a healthy lead but here comes Mr Swivell … final furlong and The Lost King still leads, holding them off, he’s got this sewn up …
JULY CUP CONTENDER: MISSION CENTRAL
Age: 3. Career: 9 races, 6 wins. Group One wins: 1. Trainer: Aidan O’Brien. Timeform rating: 119.
The fact that Aidan O’Brien’s operation is geared so heavily towards producing stallions for the Coolmore Stud operation means that he does not have many geldings in his yard, but then, he does not have many Ryan Moore-ridden 14-1 winners in Group One events, either. Mission Central was stepping up from Listed company, which might explain his relatively big price given his connections, but there was no sign of a fluke about his win in the King Charles III Stakes on the opening day at Royal Ascot, with another of today’s runners, Big Mojo, back in 10th.
Off to York next for our first trip to the Knavesmire this afternoon, Cerulean Bay is a solid 3-1 favourite with The Lost King a half-point behind on 7-2.
The big feature of that race at Ascot was a funereal early pace, and when it inevitably turned into a sprint in the straight, Zeus Olympios was far better positioned to take advantage than the patiently-ridden More Thunder.
It was a 1-2 for Karl Burke, incidentally, as Holloway Boy edged out Seagulls Eleven for second.
ASCOT 2.27 RESULT
1. ZEUS OLYMPIOS 7-2, 2. Holloway Boy, 3. Seagulls Eleven. 8 ran.
Updated
Off and running in the 2.27 at Ascot …
Zeus Olympios sets a very steady clip with Naqeeb in close attendance …
Seagulls Eleven now pulls towards the lead, Naqeeb in front with Zeus Olympios close behind … More Thunder, the favourite, is towards the rear …
Into the straight, Seagulls Eleven leads but Zeus Olympios is hunting him down … a drive for the line but Zeus Olympios has this, More Thunder finishes too late into fourth from off a very slow pace .. Zeus Olympios is the winner!
Three minutes to the off at Ascot, More Thunder is a hot favourite at even-money with Zeuz Olympios at 7-2 and Docklands next at 9-2.
2.39 YORK, HANDICAP, 7F 192YD
Two runners that raced from sub-optimal draws at Royal Ascot last time dominate the betting here, with Cerulean Bay, fifth home in the Royal Hunt Cup, and The Lost King, who beat just one of 27 rivals in the Buckingham Palace Stakes, both quoted at around 7-2.
Cosi Bello, who was a long way in front of The Lost King at the Royal meeting but had a much better draw, is also picking up plenty of support, along with Checkandchallenge, 10th home in the Hunt Cup.
SELECTION: THE LOST KING
2.15 NEWMARKET RESULT:
1. PLANET SEEKER 12-1, 2. Machadadorp, 3. True Test. 9 ran.
Updated
Off and running in the 2.15 Newmarket …
Havana Pusey missed the kick, Just A Girl sets a decent pace …
Just A Girl still leads … Machadadorp close behind, True Test under a little pressure …
Two out, Machadadorp hits the front but Planet Seeker has taken over now, Planet Seeker finishing really strongly and goes on to register an impressive success …
Five minutes to the off in the fillies’ handicap at Newmarket, Machadadorp, True Test and Song N Dance are closely grouped at the head of the betting at 100-30, 9-2 and 11-2 respectively.
2.27 ASCOT, GROUP TWO SUMMER MILE, 7F 213YD
Two of the principals from the Queen Anne Stakes that opened the Royal meeting last month are back in action here, as More Thunder, second home behind the shock winner, Ten Bob Tony, renews acquaintance with the fourth, Zeus Olympios. There was a lot of pace on that day – Ten Bob Tony came from last to first to win as it collapsed – and I think the steadier gallop that is likely on the round course could well help Zeus Olympios to turn around the form. Docklands, the Queen Anne winner in 2025, is also a big runner at a track that suits him so well (although he was only seventh in this year’s renewal) while Christophe Ferland’s No Lunch, unbeaten in his last six starts, is an interesting contender from France.
SELECTION: ZEUS OLYMPIOS.
Updated
1.55 ASCOT RESULT:
1. DUBAI BLING 12-1, 2. Behike, 3. Fandom. 15 ran.
Updated
Off and running in the 1.55 at Ascot…
Schrodinger’s Cat away well, Toca Madera prominent early …
Behike coming stands side, Dubai Bling coming through far side, into the final furlong already .. two in it, well apart on the track, it’s a photo between Dubai Bling and Behike …
The sprint handicap at Ascot is next on the whistle-stop agenda: Behike is a solid favourite at 100-30 but Schrodinger’s Cat is in to around 8-1 second-favourite with King Of Light and Havana Hurricane next in on 9-1.
JULY CUP CONTENDER: DOUBLE RUSH
Age: 4. Career: 11 races, 5 wins. Group One wins: 0. Trainer: Andrew Balding. Timeform rating: 118p.
There is not always the biggest of gaps between the top handicappers and the Group One sprinters and Andrew Balding’s Wokingham winner is the latest to try to take the step up to the highest level in his stride.
Double Rush had the benefit of a high draw at Royal Ascot but still deserves huge credit for lugging 9st 9lb to victory in a strong time, and in Timeform’s view, the performance was pretty much on a par with the Jubilee Stakes won by Almeraq earlier in the afternoon. He is young, lightly-raced, improving and definitely right in the mix.
That’s a big tip for Abraham Lincoln in the Superlative Stakes here later, as Haffner was less than two lengths behind his stable companion on debut at the Curragh last month.
1.40 NEWMARKET RESULT:
1. HAFFNER 5-4 fav, 2. Al Wathba, 3. Velociraptor. 7 ran.
Off and running in the 1.40 at Newmarket!
Haffner and Subscription both break well …
Al Wathba making ground towards the lead on the near side … the first three in the betting now 1-2-3 …
Haffner still leads narrowly at halfway, Subscription being asked for an effort, Al Wathba looks a bigger danger to the favourite …
Haffner leads into the final furlong … Al Wathba running on again but he won’t get to the favourite … Haffner wins at 5-4 favourite. Al Wathba second, Subscription in a photo for third.
Ok, we’re almost off and running at Newmarket. As expected, Haffner is a warm favourite at around 11-10, but the best-backed horse in the race is Andrew Balding’s Subscription, an impeccably-bred son of Night Of Thunder, who is down to around 11-4. Al Wathba, though, is easier to back, at 7-2.
JULY CUP CONTENDER: ALMERAQ
Age: 4. Career: 7 races, 4 wins. Group One wins: 1. Trainer: William Haggas. Timeform rating: 120.
William Haggas’s colt arrives as one of the most lightly-raced runners in the field, having been off the track for 258 days after suffering a horrible fall in a race at York in September 2025. Jim Crowley, his rider there, has yet to return to the saddle, but Almeraq made a successful four-year-old debut in May and then followed up as a 25-1 shot in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.
He stayed on to lead in the final strides there, needing every yard of the stiff uphill finish, but is clearly a hugely talented young sprinter who may still have his best days in front of him.
Satono Reve, incidentally, would be following an illustrious and historic compatriot onto the July Cup’s roll of honour if he can triumph this afternoon, as Agnes World’s win in 2000, with the equally legendary Yutaka Take holding the reins, was the first ever Group One win for a Japanese-trained runner in the UK.
JULY CUP CONTENDER: SATONO REVE
Age: 7. Career: 19 races, 9 wins. Group One wins: 2. Trainer: Noriyuki Hori. Timeform rating: 123.
No horse has gone closer than Satono Reve to giving Japan its first ever win at Royal Ascot, as Noriyuki Hori’s sprinter has finished second in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes over six furlongs for the last two years.
His latest defeat was particularly agonising, as he did everything right bar getting his nose down on the line as Almeraq finished fastest of all to deny him the win.
His overall form stacks up impressively in this field and the easier finish on the July course may well suit Satono Reve better than the stiff climb to the line at Ascot.
The punters certainly seem to think so, as he has been backed all morning to currently stand at 2-1 favourite and a repeat of his form earlier this year behind the legendary Hong Kong-trained sprinter, Ka Ying Rising, might well be more than enough.
2.15 NEWMARKET, FILLIES’ HANDICAP, 7F
The nine runners in this fillies’ handicap are all priced up at between 7-2 and 16-1 at present so no outcome would be an entire surprise. Machadadorp, though, looks like a worthy favourite for the Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy combo, as the form of her narrow win last time was franked when the second went in next time up, and her opening mark of 86 looks more than fair on that basis. True Test, sixth of 30 from an iffy draw in the cauldron of Royal Ascot last time, is a serious rival, though, while from among the older, more experienced competitors, Song N Dance and Shallow both have distinct chances on their best form.
SELECTION: MACHADADORP
1.55 ASCOT, HANDICAP, 5F
The high-numbers had by far the best of it at the Royal meeting last month and while the stalls are in the centre rather than spread right across the course, the near side still appeals as the likeliest source of the winner here. Horses that race up with the pace also tend to be favoured over the minimum trip at this track, and for me at least, the speedy Schrodinger’s Cat, who is drawn in stall 13, fits the bill at around 10-1. He is two stalls away from Regal Envoy, one of the few horses in the race that might give him a lead, and showed that he remains in top form when edged out by a short-head at York last month. Behike, who had little chance from his draw at the Royal meeting last time, has a better pitch today and every hope of success if he is back to his earlier winning form at Lingfield, while Havana Hurricane has a track-and-trip win to his name in the Windsor Castle Stakes last June although his hold-up running style is not ideal.
SELECTION: SCHRODINGER’S CAT
1.40 NEWMARKET, MAIDEN STAKES, 2YO, 7F
A rare appearance for a maiden event on the ITV schedule and while it’s not a race to be betting in, it has a strong back-catalogue of winners and runners that went on to better things. Constitution River, this year’s leading three-year-old, was beaten a short-head in last year’s race – it remains the only defeat on his record – while Field Of Gold, a multiple Group One winner last season, was the winner two years ago.
There’s an obvious favourite in Aidan O’Brien’s Haffner, who was second behind stable companion Abraham Lincoln, the current second favourite for next year’s 2,000 Guineas, in a similar race at the Curragh on Irish Derby weekend, but it would be no surprise at all if one of the unraced runners if either Al Wathba (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) or Subscription (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy) were up to the task of winning this on debut. Appleby is looking for his fifth success in the last decade and his overall record at the July Festival is second to none.
SELECTION: AL WATHBA.
JULY CUP CONTENDER: VENETIAN SUN
Age: 3. Career: 8 races, 6 wins. Group One wins: 2. Trainer: Karl Burke. Timeform rating: 118.
Karl Burke’s three-year-old filly gave her owner, Tony Bloom, his biggest win since deciding to invest heavily in the Flat game when she took the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last month.
She has a leading chance on that form and was a solid favourite for today’s feature event after the final declarations on Thursday morning, but has been drifting steadily this morning after doubts were raised about whether she will line up on the increasingly quick ground.
The going has been good-to-firm for both of Venetian Sun’s Group One wins – she also took the Prix Morny against the colts, including Gstaad, this year’s Irish 2,000 Guineas winner, at Deauville last summer – but Burke believes she is better with some cut in the ground and is particularly sensitive ahead of his star filly’s first run in all-aged company.
It may still be a while before her participation, or otherwise, is confirmed, as Sean Graham, Bloom’s racing manager, may opt to see how the jockeys feel the ground is riding after the first race at 1.40 before reaching a final decision.
Updated
Preamble
Good afternoon and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of Flat racing’s annual “Super Saturday” – the busiest and most wide-ranging afternoon of action in the calendar.
There are a dozen races from three different tracks – Newmarket, Ascot and York – on the ITV Racing schedule, including the Group One July Cup – the midsummer sprinting championship – at 4.35, and two of the sport’s most historic and popular handicaps: the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket (3.25) and the John Smith’s Cup at York (3.45).
Along the way there’s also a chance to see the current second-favourite for next season’s 2,000 Guineas, Abraham Lincoln, in action in the Superlative Stakes (Newmarket 4.00), while the second and fourth from the Group One Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot last month take each other on again over the same track and trip at 2.27.
The action at Newmarket is underway at 1.40, after which it is all going to be a bit of a blur until the Group Three Silver Cup closes out the televised action at 4.55, so I’ll be teeing up the main contenders for Group One glory in the July Cup with video form, ratings and pen-pics before it all kicks off.
There will be race-by-race previews too through the afternoon, though there’s a summary of my picks for the dozen ITV races here. So, leap into the saddle, shake the reins and hang on tight: it promises to be quite a ride.
