Author: Best Of Bets

13:30 Rossdales British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes – 7f

Just six face the starter in another maiden to open the card. Achillea is the only one of the field with any racecourse experience and ran with credit on debut at Newbury.

However, it is hard to believe that there won’t be a newcomer to beat Achilles and the two more interesting runners on pedigree are perhaps Her Majesty The Queen’s Blue Missile and the Lope De Vega filly LUCKIN BREW.

The latter is the suggestion, though of course do keep an eye on the market here.

The selection is a sister to Antonio De Vega, a 7f 2yo winner who scored at Group 3 level, while her dam was a Listed-placed 7f winner. This trip looks a good starting point for her and, with Running Lion representing the Gosdens and the also well bred Frankness involved for the Andrew Balding team, it could develop into both a competitive and informative contest.

14:05 Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa Fillies’ Handicap – 7f

Truly Acclaimed arrives seeking a hat-trick and has been improving in recent times, scoring in a Class 4 at York in May and following up last month at Ayr. 

He’s been claimer-ridden for several starts now and that’s the case again here. He could still be well treated but more obviously so that looks to be the case with KIDWAH.

William Haggas trains this Kodiac filly, who was a comfortable Doncaster maiden winner (6f, soft) on debut, while she stepped up significantly on that when romping home by more than 4l at Redcar last time (6f, good).

Very much an improving filly, she looks to be a potential Group horse running in a handicap here and is taken to score.

Golden Spice was below par at Royal Ascot last time (1m, good to firm) in the Sandringham. Prior to that, she had won back-to-back over 7f and now returning to that trip, she could bounce back and go close.

14:40 bet365 Mile Handicap – 1m

Just the ‘dead eight’ has been declared for this Class 2 contest and it’s a race that looks quite open.

Laasudood won a 7f Kempton maiden when with Sir Michael Stoute last season and has improved on that in both starts since joining Richard Hannon this term. In two starts, he’s been stepped up to around a mile and his most recent success, at Doncaster (1m, good to firm) suggests he may still be ahead of the handicapper, despite a 7lb rise.

JIMI HENDRIX is coming along steadily and ran an absolute cracker at 20/1 when third in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot. He’s already a winner over this trip and there will surely be more to come from him.

Bay Of Honour looks to be a serious player. Charlie Appleby’s Shamardal colt won a Kempton novice event (7f, AW) last year and beat the right horse into second when making a big improvement to land a Thirsk novice event (1m, good) on his reappearance last month. He’ll need more of that to defy this initial handicap mark of 94 but that looks possible, so he can’t be ruled out lightly.

The unexposed, hat-trick seeking Be Lucky My Son looks in need of a more significant improvement from his most recent run to this than some of this field and might find at least one too good.

 15:15 bet365 Superlative Stakes (Group 2) – 7f

Just five go to post for this. The Charlie Appleby/Godolphin team already think enough of VICTORY DANCE to have given him an entry in the Group 1 National Stakes at the Curragh in September.

Therefore, there’s no surprise to see the son of Dubawi put in as the favourite, having won a novice event over this C&D last month. You’d expect him to come on plenty for that first run and with the stable in good form, he is taken to make a successful step up into Group company. 

Lion Of War scored on debut at Leicester (7f, good to firm) last month, before going on to make all and score by 10l in a Newcastle novice event (7f, AW) a couple of weeks later.

He looks well worth his place in this race as a result of that and he should be capable of going close.

There was nothing wrong with how Isaac Shelby did his job in winning a Newbury maiden over an extended 6f on debut (good to soft). The form of that race is working out well and his chance is much respected as a result, with some natural improvement likely.

15:50 bet365 Bunbury Cup (Heritage Handicap) – 7f

The strong-travelling MONTASSIB was unbeaten for his first three starts and ran with plenty of credit when fifth in the 29-runner Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.

He looks particularly well treated based on his Goodwood win prior to that Ascot run and it would be no surprise to see him bounce right back to win again.

Samburu has a similar profile to Montassib, having kicked off his career with a hat-trick. Instead of the handicap route, he went to the Group 3 Jersey Stakes (7f, good to firm; first-time cheekpieces) at Royal Ascot, where he was perhaps a bit too keen and eventually finished a 3l sixth, which still represented progress.

Rhoscolyn ran a blinder to be a 1l third in the Buckingham Palace Stakes, which suggests there may still be a little more to come from him, despite already having had 20 starts.

He’s on the same mark of 103 for this and is a 12/1 chance. For me, he looks some each-way value for those wanting to take on the favourite, whom he finished ahead of at the royal meeting.

Al Rufaa and, if he runs here rather than on Friday, Lord Rapscallion are both of interest at 20/1 and bigger and you could do worse than having a small each-way interest.

16:25 Darley July Cup Stakes (Group 1) – 6f

The centrepiece of the entire meeting takes place as the penultimate race on the final day. 

No favourite has won this race for the past five years, and only three ‘jollies’ in the last decade have been successful.

Both Aidan O’Brien and Clive Cox have won the race twice during that period but Cox does not have an entry this time and O’Brien relies on the 25/1 chance CADAMOSTO, who has been a drifter in the build-up and has over 2l to find with the favourite, Perfect Power, from their Commonwealth Cup run at last month’s royal meeting.

Seamie Heffernan steps in for the mount (Ryan Moore has ridden him in all six career starts so far) on this improver, who is unlikely to have been entered for the trip across the Irish sea. He needs improvement but that is not impossible and he has around half a stone to find.

Naval Crown is 4-14 and arrives on the back of Group 1 success in the Platinum Jubilee success, when he finished a neck to the good over his reopposing stable companion, the better fancied Creative Force. The latter would be better-placed if any rain came but that is not forecast. Artorius was third behind that pair at Royal Ascot and there is no obvious reason why he will turn the tables. Having said that, he certainly can’t be ruled out.

Perfect Power won the Commonwealth Cup with some degree of comfort, producing his best yet. He is largely consistent and didn’t get home over a mile in the 2,000 Guineas behind Coroebus. He gets 7f and that will be no bad thing, as they will go hell-for-leather over shorter here. He is a massive player. 

17:00 Moet & Chandon Handicap – 1m4f

And so to the last race of the 2022 Newmarket July Festival.

Another small field, just six, goes to post for this 0-90 contest, which is reasonably open.

The Andrew Balding-trained Bizarre Law is the talking horse, having come into this from a marked improvement in scoring at Goodwood (1m4f, good to firm) last month in the same grade.

ADJUVANT is interesting. His form has plateaued out over 1m2f but his dam won over this trip and it offers the possibility of further improvement, now trying it for the first time. With 5lb claimed off his back he looks too big to let pass by at 13/2.

Glen Savage was a debut winner at Newbury in April 2021. He was then off the track until being supported in to 7/2 when reappearing at Doncaster (1m2f, good) last month. He was hampered inside the final furlong that day and might have finished closer. 

There’s plenty of stamina on the dam’s side of his pedigree and he could have a huge say from a mark of just 89.

Commonsensical has put together three good efforts since joining Hugo Palmer, winning the first and most recent of them (1m2f, good; 1m3f, good to firm). He should get every yard of this and is not ruled out from a fair mark of 88.

13:15 Weatherbys British EBF Maiden Stakes – 7f

Just like the first race on day one, just three of this field have any prior public experience. Of that trio, there was plenty of promise in the debut by HOPE YOU CAN RUN at Doncaster (7f, good to firm) last month.

Always thereabouts, he took to his job well that day and found just one too good. Like most Johnston-trained runners, he’ll come on for the run and it will be a surprise if he doesn’t go very close again.

Flying Honours looks an interesting newcomer. A Sea The Stars colt, he represents Godolphin and is trained by Charlie Appleby, who has won three of the last six runnings of this race. A brother to a staying winner in France, Snow Tempest, his dam won from 1m1f-1m3½f and this 7f trip should be an ideal starting point.

He probably looks the pick of the Godolphin/Appleby pair, Desert Order perhaps being more one for next year.

The Andrew Balding-trained Leadman is the other newcomer of significant interest. His brother Baseman is a 1m winner and his half-brother Georgeville won at around 1m2f and is an even better performer. His dam is also a Group 3 winner at around today’s trip and it would be no surprise to see this Kingman colt put up a big debut effort.

13:50 bet365 Handicap (Heritage Handicap) – 1m2f

There’s no doubt that NEW LONDON was a disappointment in the Group 3 Chester Vase but he went into that 2-2 and perhaps it was more about Ryan Moore burgling the race on Changingoftheguard, as the Charlie Appleby-trained New London was not far off the level of his previous winning performance.

He’s a Group horse dropping back into a handicap here and I expect him to kick on again and show his class with a win, especially dropping back to a trip over which he is already proven.

Yonafis completed a hat-trick at around a mile on the all weather and was 22/1 for the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot, when he was eighth of 30, beaten over 4l. He’s by Golden Horn, so this step up to 1m2f ought to suit and he is potentially well handicapped from a mark of 92.

Charlie Appleby second string Natural World made good progress from his debut win at Newbury to his second run, in Listed company at Lingfield in May. He pulled far too hard when last of six in a Goodwood Listed contest later that month and, now gelded, he may be able to kick on again. He looks a potential player.

Reelemin is another with claims, while at longer prices, 20/1 shot Schmilsson looks interesting, reverting back to the trip over which he won a Bath maiden. He looks worth an each-way interest.

14:25 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes (Sponsored By bet365) (Group 2) – 6f

MAYLANDSEA looked potentially useful when winning on debut at Nottingham and was pitched straight in at Group 2 level in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot (5f, good to firm). A 28/1 chance there, she may have been no match for the winner Dramatised, but she still made a huge improvement in finishing second.

The step up in trip offers further possibilities for improvement and she looks a huge player here.

Lezoo is 2-2 and looks a serious challenger. Ralph Beckett’s filly scored on debut at Bath (5f, good) and improved significantly when a ready winner of the Listed Empress Fillies’ Stakes over this C&D last month.

Already proven over this trip as a result, she is not taken on lightly.

Mawj was a debut winner on the Rowley Course (6f, good to firm) in May and made some improvement on that when under 2l second in the Group 3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, where she showed a good attitude.

She hasn’t achieved what the aforementioned pair have just yet but there is still time for her to do so and she should again be very competitive.

The other trio need significant improvement to win a race like this.

15:00 bet365 Trophy (Heritage Handicap) – 1m6f

Candleford is put in at just 10/3 by most firms here and on the back of his 6l Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes win at Royal Ascot, he looks to have a huge chance. He’s already just 10/1 for the Ebor, so if you fancy him to double up, I’d be getting on before this race.

Up 13lb for that Royal Ascot success, he still looks well treated on the proviso that he can produce something similar. He’ll be tough to beat but the bookies are not giving anything away at these prices.

Contact finished just over 7l behind him in third that day and has a 13lb pull for that, which can’t be taken lightly. He’d arrived at Royal Ascot on the back of wins at Newmarket (Rowley Course) and Haydock and had also looked one of the better treated Duke Of Edinburgh runners until being put in his place.

Midnights Legacy has some good 1m4f to his name. He’s been placed over this trip and is unexposed over it, so makes some appeal.

TRAWLERMAN bombed out in the Duke Of Edinburgh, when one of the joint favourites but he is better than that and, on the evidence of his Chelmsford win in April, could be thrown in here from a mark of 98, provided you can forgive him his Royal Ascot run. He is more than twice the price of the favourite and can be backed each-way.

The 132-rated hurdler Zoffee has joined Hugo Palmer from Philip Hobbs for this Flat campaign and has been improving, winning his last two over 1m6f (good) at Carlisle and most recently, an extended 2m on Newcastle’s Tapeta, in the Northumberland Plate.

He’s up 6lb for that, which can only be expected, but there could be more to come and he looks sure to get the strong pace he’ll need here.

Others with claims include Soapy Stevens, Spirit Mixer and Dubai Welcome.

15:35 Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (Group 1) (Fillies & Mares) – 1m

Of all the races on the three days, this one really ought to be a procession.

The biggest question over INSPIRAL in recent days appeared to be whether or not Frankie Dettori would be allowed to ride the Frankel filly.

With the Gosden-Dettori spat apparently all sorted, the Italian ace is back on board and this should be an exercise canter for a filly who has carried all before her thus far.

Unbeaten at two, culminating in a her Group 1 Fillies’ Mile success on the neighbouring Rowley Mile, she trounced her field in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, on last month’s delayed return to action.

It will be some shock if anything is good enough to lower her colours here.

She’ll be very short, so if you’re looking to forecast her with something, my idea of the runner-up is Prosperous Voyage, who was second to her in that Fillies’ Mile last year.

16:10 Arioneo Handicap – 7f

Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Nizaaka has been put in as the ‘jolly’ for this race after a C&D success last month, when the front pair were 2l clear of the field.

A 5lb rise looks fair, she has the profile of a steady improver and she’d have to be considered a serious player again at this 0-90 level.

Dashing Dick is rated 1lb inferior to the favourite and has yet to win at this level, but his 7f Leicester success (good to soft) from April, and his close second back over that C&D (good to firm) last month both suggest that he can have a big say at a double-figure price. He’s a best-priced 11/1 at the moment and looks a bit of each-way value.

LORD RAPSCCALLION is another worth considering. He’s up 1lb for going close in a competitive Class 2 event here over C&D recently. He’ll surely appreciate a slight drop in grade and he might just be the answer at 6/1, representing the Stuart Williams team, one that is in pretty good form at present.

16:45 Moet & Chandon Handicap – 5f

This looks tough! 14 face the starter in the ‘lucky last’ on day two and they go 6/1 the field.

There was plenty to like about the narrow win by Ancient Times at Musselburgh last time out, beating an in-form rival in doing so. He is now 4-12 and has won both starts since reverting to 5f, improving in the process. A 5lb rise will ask more questions but Hayley Turner is back on board, she knows him well and the partnership should go very close.

Navello is typical of sprinters who have their day but also find it tricky to go close every time. He has put up one good run followed by a less impressive one in turn this season. He did the job well at Chester last time, recording a career-best in the process. However, whether he can find that level again now 3lb higher, there has to be at least some doubt.

Tees Spirit has already probably had his big race for the season when winning at Epsom on Derby Day, although he matched that effort in a valuable handicap at the Curragh last time, when sixth of 18.

He returns to these shores 6lb higher than that Epsom success and needing improvement to add this to his CV.

There are several other last-time winners who could fancy their chances too but I’m taking a 16/1 shot to come good again this time.

NIGHT ON EARTH has the form to win this race, despite being well beaten on his last three starts. Those all came in better races than this, however. He’s not dropped to a mark of 91 and in grade, he has a new headgear combination on and he’s also drawn towards the stands rail, which is no bad thing. He looks a sporting bet at a price and you can get on each-way to three or maybe even four places if you shop around.

13:20 British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes – 5f

Very little for us to go on here, with only three of the nine declared runners having seen a racecourse in public before.

Of that trio, IVORY MADONNA looks the pick, having shown promise on her debut at Goodwood, before finishing third in the Group 3 Albany Stakes (6f, good to firm) at Royal Ascot last month, when an unfancied 66/1 chance.

A slight concern has to be that she has been ponderous when the gates have gone back on both occasions and she contests a race over a furlong shorter this time but you would hope there has been a bit of work in the stalls since then. She certainly has the speed when she gets going, as was evident in her Ascot run.

The most interesting of the newcomers is Canadiansmokeshow, who is trained by Sean Woods, back in Newmarket after 20 years training abroad. He’s booked Ryan Moore for this €290,000 yearling, who is a half-sister to Going Global, Mitbaahy, and Finians Bay, all three of whom were rated over 100 and two of whom won at two.

13:50  Bahrain Trophy Stakes (Group 3) – 1m5f

The Derby fourth, MASEKELA, should come here full of confidence after finishing just over 8l behind Desert Crown in the Blue Riband, when a 66/1 shot.

As soon as you saw that run, you’d have this sort of race in mind for him. A couple of steps down in grade and the potential for another improved effort. There is always the possibility that the Derby might have taken the edge off him but he was held up there and came home well. He didn’t look to have had that hard-a-race when I saw him afterwards.

Walk Of Stars was a much better fancied 11/1 chance in the Epsom Classic and he ran a stinker, reportedly stopping quickly and finishing stone last. His Lingfield Derby Trial second that preceded that is a good piece of form in the context of this race and if he is back on-song (he’s been gelded since the Derby) then he could be a big player.

14:25 Close Brothers July Stakes (Group 2) – 6f

A super race is in prospect here with the leading players being Little Big Bear and PERSIAN FORCE and the latter is just preferred.

Little Big Bear ran a cracker to win the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes (5f, good to firm) at Royal Ascot, where the front pair had breathing space over the remainder. Ryan Moore retains the partnership for Aidan O’Brien’s team and he is not passed over lightly, as he has the potential to do better again now reverting to this longer trip. 

The selection is clearly the current apple of trainer Richard Hannon’s eye and was second in the 17-runner Group 2 Coventry Stakes at the Royal meeting (6f, good to firm), having trounced the Brocklesby field at Doncaster on debut and backed that up with a very comfortable Newbury conditions win.

Hannon described the son of Mehmas as “special” after his Coventry run and, apart from being a proven contender at this level, given that he “ran around a bit” that day (the words of his trainer), he surely has more to offer when nailing a fully-formed performance.

As you never know with such young horses who will improve the most, you could conceivably back both of these. If so, I’d be with Persian Force for the win and Little Big Bear to cover my Persian Force stake. 

The fly in the ointment could possibly be Mysterious Night, who has twice run well at Newbury, winning a 6½f novice event there second time out. He has the potential to do better and it is unlikely that Charlie Appleby would be tilting at this is he didn’t feel the Dark Angel colt could do himself justice. He’s around about 6/1 and in an eight-runner field, could represent the proverbial ‘each-way bet to nothing’.

15:00 Bet Boost At bet365 Handicap (Heritage Handicap) – 6f

The biggest field of day one, 19, goes to post for what should be a cracker of a sprint handicap.

Khanjar was a big market drifter before dotting up at Ripon (6f, good) last month. He’s gone up 9lb for that 3l success and is now 2-2 over this trip. He looks a big player and is the clear favourite at around 9/2 at the time of writing.

DEODAR was second in last year’s Listed Doncaster Stakes (6f, soft) but that remains his best effort. He returned to Town Moor to win over the same C&D (good to firm) on his reappearance but was then too keen when running here over 7f (good) last month, when a beaten favourite.

The return to 6f ought to suit him, as should a 2lb drop. If the application of blinkers also proves positive, he looks the value in this race to me, at around 8/1. Ryan Moore is booked. If all of that helps him produce anything within 3-4lb of that Doncaster Stakes run, he’d look well treated here.

Ingra Tor ran a stinker at York last time, when favourite for a similar race to this. He won over 6f on the Rowley Mile on his penultimate start. If you can forgive that latest effort, he’d also look interesting as an each-way play at around 9/1. On the form of that Newmarket win, he still looks well treated.

Another at longer odds who could make the frame is Aasser. He drops back from a couple of second-placed efforts over 7f. He went close at Ayr last time and the first-time cheekpieces he tried there are now swapped for a visor. William Buick rides for Karl Burke. I wouldn’t expect to see him played until late but he’ll get every bit of the pace he needs over this shorter trip and could nab a place late on.

15:35 Princess Of Wales’s Close Brothers Stakes (Group 2) – 1m4f

The consistent MOSTAHDAF can gain due reward for that strong level of form in this Group 2 event.

The son of Frankel has won four of his seven starts and being second in two of the other three, the only serious blip coming in last year’s St James’s Palace Stakes.

He finished that campaign with Group 3 success on the nearby Rowley Course in the Darley Stakes, matching that effort with another win at that level in the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown Park in April. 

There was no disgrace in being beaten 5l by Bay Bridge in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes (Group 3) back at that venue, nor when stepped up in trip and into Group 2 company and running second to Broome in the Hardwicke Stakes (1m4f, good to firm; first-time cheekpieces) at Royal Ascot last time.

You can pretty much set your clock by his performance here and for that reason, he is selected.

Yibir has greater talent than my pick, he’s a Group 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner after all (where he beat Broome ½l last November at Del Mar). He ran below par when beaten on the Rowley Course by Living Legend in the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes in April and has since been third in the Group 1 Man o’War Stakes at Belmont Park.

If he brings his ‘A’ game he’ll be a huge player and I’d expect him to reverse placings with Living Legend, who is trained by Charlie and Mark Johnston, three-time winners of this event in the last decade.

It’s not easy to see any of the other trip being good enough to win this.

16:10 Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil Stakes (Listed Race) – 1m

The penultimate race on day one see eight go to post, with the clear favourite being MIGHTY ULYSSES for the John and Thady Gosden yard. After their recent differences, the Gosdens and Frankie Dettori are teaming up again and they do so with the top-rated runner in this field (BHA mark 113).

A Rowley Mile winner in May (good; first-time hood), he stepped up markedly on that when a close second in the Silver Bowl Handicap at Haydock next time. The Gosdens then showed what they thought of him, entering him in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot last time.

It almost proved to be an inspired move, as when Frankie found some daylight on the outside up the home straight, the well-backed son of Ulysses had every chance. However, he couldn’t find any extra close home and lost fourth place in the dying strides, behind 2,000 Guineas winner Coroebus.

That was still a very smart effort and a reproduction of it, now dropping back to Listed company, would make him very tough to beat.

Berkshire Shadow was one place and 1l behind the selection that day, having run fifth in the Guineas at 80/1, beaten 5l. Clearly very useful, he is unexposed but doesn’t give the impression that he has quite as much more to come as Mighty Ulysses.

Of greater concern to our pick could be The Acropolis, who took a big step back in the right direction at the Curragh in Listed company recently. He looks a bit of each-way value at 13/2 if the ‘dead eight’ do make it to post.

Albahr ran well below par at Meydan when last seen in January. He’s been given time since and was a Canadian Group 1 winner (1m, good) last year, as well as having won at this level at Salisbury. Is he has been revived then he would be a huge player and is also very interesting at 7/1.

16:40 Weatherbys Hamilton Handicap (Class 3) – 1m

If a gelding operation has allowed Noble Dynasty to get back on track then he’d be entitled to claims here, given the form of his Thirsk win (1m, good) last season, before it all went pear-shaped.

He represents Charlie Appleby, who is seeking a hat-trick of wins in this race and at 7/1 he looks worth a small each-way play.

Stablemate Echo Point is well up to running a big race here under James Doyle. His recent form is all over 1m2f or further (didn’t stay 1m4f) but you’d have to have a fairly significant query as to whether the drop back to a mile will see things getting a bit lively for him.

Aside from a blip at Goodwood on his penultimate start, Evocative Spark has had three good runs this season since joining George Boughey. He’s up 8lb for winning at Chester (7f, good) last time and being by Frankel there is every chance he’ll have more to offer now back over 1m. He is feared.

However, ENFORCED represents a red-hot trainer in Roger Varian, arrives in cracking form after a novice win at Brighton (1m, good to firm), followed by a 0-85 handicap success over today’s C&D (good) last time. He may have got away lightly with just a 5lb rise for that and he looks the one with the most potential for progress today.

13:50 – Coral Charge (Group 3) 5f

A classy start to the day sees eight runners go to post for the Coral Charge, a Group 3 contest over five furlongs.

We have no particular trends to go on here, with all of the last 10 years seeing as many different trainers and jockeys enjoying success, so the only real trend has been the winner’s age, with six of those 10 being three-year-olds.

RAASEL has done nothing but improve since the beginning of 2021, proving himself at every level. He won five off the reel last year and is 2-4 this term, winning a good handicap at Goodwood (5f, good) in April and adding the Listed Achilles Stakes at Haydock last time out (5f, good), with the favourite in second place.

Nothing in that race has done much for the form since but then none of them have been realistically tried either. For me, the level that Raasel ran to at Haydock suggests he is good enough to win this, even conceding the weight he has to do to all but one opponent.

It isn’t difficult to see why Mitbaahy is the favourite, after all he is on a hat-trick and won over C&D in Listed company last time (good). He’ll not be inconvenienced if it rains and is also an improver who has fewer miles on the clock than the selection. He is a big player, no doubt, but I don’t see any more value in his price than I do that of Raasel.

Equilateral ran a big race for a 66/1 shot in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, especially given a lengthy layoff prior to that. He’s already won a Meydan Group 2 last year and is not written off.

14:25 Coral Challenge (Handicap) 1m

Sinjaari drops 1lb going into this, the handicapper perhaps acknowledging that he has run some big races from slightly higher marks in handicap company in the past couple of seasons without winning any of them. It may not seem much but a look at his form suggests he may be capable of getting his nose in front again, particularly if he reproduces his Newbury effort from his penultimate start. This stiff mile should suit.

However, he is exposed and the suggestion here is to side with one who certainly is not, in CHECKANDCHALLENGE. William Knight’s three-year-old was a debut winner at Wolverhampton (7f, Tapeta) last November and, after the winter off, returned to land the Listed Burradon Stakes at Newcastle (1m, Tapeta) in April.

A 33/1 chance for the 2,000 Guineas in his only other start, he beat just one home behind Coroebus at Newmarket. While that may have been a bridge too far, there is no reason why he should not equally as well on turf as away from it and he looks capable of getting back on track now put into handicap company for the first time from a mark that may look generous at about 2:30pm.

Lion Tower is up 3lb for winning a Class 2 York handicap over 7f last month and Grant Tuer’s gelding gets this trip. He is respected, along with Escobar, who won a similar York contest a month earlier, and Ouzo, who is better than his 29^thand last placed finish in Royal Ascot’s Buckingham Palace Stakes.  

15:00 Coral Distaff (Listed) 1m

The short-priced favourite for this is the unbeaten HEREDIA, trained by Richard Hannon, who also sent out the 2016 winner Light Up Our World.

The selection began the season with success in a decent York fillies’ handicap (7f, good) and improved again when landing what looked a strong Sandringham Handicap (1m, good to firm) at Royal Ascot recently.

That suggests that she should be well up to winning a race of this nature and she acts on any going with good in the description, so any rain should not be a major concern. I’d expect her to be able to win this before making further progress up the grades.

Grand Dame was a close second in Listed company at York’s Dante Festival (1m, good) and is respected. She probably tried to bite off more than she could chew last time in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes and the return to this level can see her heavily involved.

Group 3 winner Fast Attack is far from ruled out and may actually represent the value for each-way players if the field remains eight-strong at the off. She’s a 6/1 chance and ran well on her first try at a mile in the German 1,000 Guineas last month.

Oscula has been second and then won in Listed company (both 7f) already this season but strictly on the form book, she will need improvement to win this and her form does appear to have plateaued.

15:35 Coral-Eclipse (Group 1) 1m2f

The big race of Sandown Park’s Flat season and one that has seen some stellar winners over the years. John Gosden has been responsible for training four of the last 10 winners, including the brilliant Enable, Roaring Lion and Golden Horn but this time finds himself in the unusual position of saddling the two outsiders in the six-runner field, Mishriffand Lord North.

The former is officially rated as the best in this field but trades at around 15/2, having finished last when favourite in the Group 1 Saudi Cup, when last seen in January. Third in this race last year, he went on to annihilate his field in the Juddmonte International at York last August but was below par when fourth in the Champion Stakes. It was no coincidence that it was good to soft that day and his trainer said he hated the ground.

Provided conditions remain good or faster, he ought to have a better chance than his price suggests but the 10lb allowance for the three-year-olds, plus that poor most recent effort will all have been factored in. You’d have to think that, while they will clearly want to win this race, the Gosdens are likely to have an eye on a return to defend the Juddmonte crown next month, when he ought to be cherry-ripe.

Unlike Mishriff, the favourite Vadeni would probably want some rain to enhance his chance. Having said that, the way he won the French Derby on the flat track that is Chantilly last month was very impressive and has twice won on good. He won’t be crossing the channel for the travel experience and he’s very much respected.

However, I’d have to say that I’m in the NATIVE TRAIL camp for this race. His only defeat came to Coroebus in the 2,000 Guineas, since which he’s won the Irish equivalent. He steps up in trip this time and both his pedigree and style of running suggest that he should handle that and may even improve for it.

Certainly, the way he ran through the line at the Curragh suggests he will not be stopping up the Sandown hill. If it gets tactical, he’ll have the speed to cope and if they go lickety-split then we’ll have to trust he has the stamina that I believe will be the case.

You can also make some sort of cases for both Bay Bridge and Alenquer but for me they may suffer more at the hands of that three-year-old allowance than Mishriff, who is reported to have been working well. The last-named would be my idea of a small each-way play (bearing in mind only two places) if you’d rather not go with the shorties. 

16:10 Coral Play “Racing-Super-Series” For Free Handicap 1m2f

The day’s biggest field head to post for this and the up-in-class Chairman has been put in as the favourite for it at around 7/2. He is improving, unexposed and has those type of credentials that do well in this sort of race but he is a pretty skinny price based purely on what he has achieved.

Electrical Storm returned from a lengthy layoff with a very comfortable-looking win at York (1m1f, good) last month and his pedigree suggests he’ll be a huge player now upped to this longer trip, especially after that improved effort. Even though that was only a Class 4, it was easy to see why connections had kept him after whatever had ailed him, because he looks to have retained plenty of ability. He’d look better value than the favourite to me at 5/1 and I wouldn’t put you off a wager.

Aldhaja is an improving performer, although I’d like to have seen him get a bit closer when upped to 1m1f here last time and my preference here is for FOREST FALCON. Ryan Moore is quite an eyecatching booking for the Johnstons, who got a win out of this five-year-old last time, after a near miss prior to that.

The gelded son of Raven’s Pass showed a marked improvement when a close second at Ripon  in May (1m2f, good). He then went on to produce a slightly better performance to win the Class 2 Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar (1m2f, good) last time. A 6lb rise for that looks fair and he may still have a few pounds in hand on his rivals. He looks the value at 8/1 and can be backed each-way if desired.

16:45 Coral ‘”Beaten-By-A-Length” Free Bet Handicap 1m2f

Strictly speaking, the best piece of recent form to go with here is that of Land Of Eagles, when second at Yarmouth (1m1f, good to soft) on his penultimate start. He didn’t need to be at that level to win a novice event at Chepstow (1m2f, good) and you just wonder if that Yarmouth form was quite as good as it first appeared, given how it is working out.

Forward Flight would definitely have a better chance if the ground turns soft but both he and I Am The Sea have to be respected on their racecourse achievements but this is a race where I am siding with the favourite, PICUAL.

The Lope De Vega filly showed some promise in her first three starts but always looked the type to improve when entering handicaps. That proved to be the case when, despite being slowly away, she came with a sustained run to win a fillies’ handicap at Nottingham (1m2f, good) last month.

The runner-up has boosted that form since, while this stiffer 1m2f should suit the selection even better and she will probably improve again when upped to 1m4f. She looks to have a fair bit going for her and looks likely to be ahead of the assessor after just a 4lb rise. 

17:20 Coral “Get Closer To The Action” Handicap 5f

A tough end to a very good day’s racing and a race in which no favourite has emerged on top in the past decade. All of the winners in that time have come from stall 7 or lower, with seven of those winners from stalls 1-4.

The favourite this time is Lovely Mana, who made all for a decisive Newcastle win last time, recording a career-best in the process. She is respected but given the record of the ‘jollies’ in this race as well as her 0-11 record on turf, she doesn’t look a giveaway price at 4/1.

Mine’s A Double ticks a few boxes, except recent form, coming into this after a well below par effort at Ascot in May. If Clive Cox has him back on good terms then he would very much be a player from stall 2.

Fantasy Master looks interesting in a new first-time headgear combination but I’m going to suggest that today could be the day to side with KING OF STARS.

Mick Appleby’s runners are in good form and this five-year-old is proven in higher grade than this, having won a Class 2 at York (5f, good to soft) last September, when just 1lb lower.

This calendar year has seen him struggle to replicate that, with six straight defeats, after the handicapper caught up with him. However, there is now light at the end of the tunnel and, with this drop in grade, plus 5lb claimed off his back by Frederick Larson, he can strike again. He certainly looks worth an each-way interest at around 9/1 with most firms.