July Meeting at Newmarket

the July Meeting at Newmarket is always one of the best meetings of the summer and, neatly sandwiched between Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood, always atttracts strong fields. Luckily Newmarket has missed much of the rain that has hit most of Britain, but the going is bound to be on the soft side. Today´ s card opens with the Group Three Bahrain Stakes for 3yo´s over 1 mile 5 furlongs at 14.20 CET, usually a good trial for the St. Leger and last year both races were won by Masked Marvel. His trainer John Gosden now saddles Shantaram (William Buick), who looks the clear form choice, having run second to Main Sequence in the Lingfield Derby Trial. The obvious danger is Valiant (William Haggas/ Ryan Moore), winner of both his races so far but taking quite a leap in class here. Rewarded (Jamie Toller/ Kirsty Milczarek), third to Energizer at Royal Ascot is next best.

The Group Two July Stakes for 2yo´s over 6 furlongs at 14.50 has 9 runners, 6 of whom ran at Royal Ascot: Sir Pranecealot (Richard hannon/ Richard Hughes) foinished 4th in the Coventryx with Heavy Metal (Mark Jkihnston/ Joe Fanning) well behind, while Alhebayeb (Hannon/ Paul Hanagan) was runner-up in the Windsor Castle over 5 furlongs with Smoothtalkinrascal (Brian Meehan/ Shane Kelly) 8th, and Gale Force Ten (Aidan O´Brien/ Ryan Moore) was runner-up in the Norfolk with Ahern (David Barron/ Jamie Spencer) running on into fifth. It is difficult to tie in these form lines, but the Coventry is usually the best 2yo race at the meeting so we shall go along with Sir Prancealot. He is ridden by the stable´s main jockey, but Hanagan would be on Aklhebayeb in any case as that one is owned by Hamdan.

Royal Ascot form could also be decisive in the Group Two Princess of Wales´s Stakes over 1 1/2 miles at 16.00 as 4 of these runners also ran in the Hardwicke Stakes, in which Red Cadeaux (Ed Dunlop/ Tom McLaughlin) finished third, Jakkalberry (Marco Botti/ Buick) fifth, and Fiorente (Sir Michael Stoute/ Moore) sixth. Red Cadeaux is very tough and consistent, but has a penalty for winning the Yorkshire Cup and may find this distance too short and the concession of three pounds to some useful opponents too much. We expect both of those who finished behind him to be much closer this time, especially Fiorente who is a son of Monsun and should like the ground. Harris Tweed (Haggas/ Liam Jones), who also likes soft ground, is another danger, but the Godolphin runner Modun (Saeed bin Suroor/ Frankie Dettori), who has not run since the Meydan meeting, looks well held by Red Cadeaux on Melbourne Cup form.

Godolophin probably have a better chance with Greek War (Mahmood al Zarooni/ Mikael Barzalona) in the 10 furlongs handicap for 3yo´s at 15.25. He has a great German pedigree (by Monsun out of Gonfilia) and was a very easy winner over this CD last time. he has been put up a whole stone for that win, but still has a good chance, although the race is very open; the unexposed Nabucco (Gosden/ Buick) and Hajras (Mark Johnston/ Hanagan) are just two of several dangers.