For many racing fans this is THE Super Saturday of the summer flat season with quality action from Newmarket, York and Ascot. We begin our preview at Newmarket where the feature contest is the Group 1 July Group.
2.40 Newmarket
Christophe Soumillon did us a favour courtesy of Vadeni in the Coral Eclipse last weekend – although he fell foul of the Sandown Stewards – and he can land the mile handicap for three-year-olds with the lightly-raced LAASUDOOD.
The selection has been raised 7lbs for a fluent success at Doncaster last time and the runner up has since gone very close from a 4lbs lower mark. Richard Hannon has booked the Frenchman as Shadwell’s retained jockey Jim Crowley has a full book of rides at Ascot. The selection is a full brother to Thibaan – a personal favourite – and is bred to be smart. The yard had a winner here on the first day of the meeting and, after just four career starts, he remains open to significant improvement.
Recommendation: Laasudood 3/1 at 10Bet
3.50 Newmarket
You have to go back to 1998 for the last three-year-old winner of the Bunbury Cup but I do feel SUNBURU has every chance for John Gosden with Kieran O’Neill taking over in the saddle.
The son of Kingman won his first three before finishing sixth in the Jersey Stakes in first-time cheekpieces. The handicapper has seen fit to raise him by 8lbs for that run, but he can race from his old mark this afternoon. Only two of the last ten renewals have been won by horses drawn in single figures but I hope his draw in seven is not a negative.
Montassib met trouble in running when a beaten favourite in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting when I thought he was a good thing. He can race off the same mark today, but I do feel he might appreciate stepping up to a mile sooner rather than later.
Recommendation; Sunburu EW at 6/1 with William Hill 5 places
4.25 Newmarket
Soumillon is at Newmarket primarily to keep the ride on PERFECT POWER in the July Cup and the three-year-old who did us a favour in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last month cannot be opposed.
He was my idea of the champion sprinter ahead of the Royal meeting and I see no treason to change after his success in the 3-y-old sprint last month.
The first three home in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes – Naval Crown, Creative Force and Artorius – lock horns again this afternoon but I do think Perfect Power – who is drawn in the middle in stall eight – is the best horse in the race.
Recommendation: Perfect Power at 5/2 with 10Bet
4.05 York
The William Haggas trained MAHRAJAN tanked his way through his comeback race at Haydock over 12f but failed to get home having been too keen in the early part of the race.
He drops back down in trip to this extended 10f in the prestigious and valuable John Smith’s Cup this afternoon and, after just six career starts, he is open to significant improvement. The yard have won this race twice in the last decade including with Sinjaari a couple of years ago. He looks to be well drawn in stall five and Dane O’Neill takes over for Shadwell with Crowley, as mentioned earlier, riding at Ascot. O’Neill knows the 4-y-old well having ridden him in half of his six races to date.
Recommendation: Mahrahjaan EW at 6/1 with Boylesports 6 places
4.10 Ascot
Only three go to post for the 12f handicap for three-year-olds with Charlie Appleby saddling two the market leader and unbeaten colt Warren Point and Wild Crusade. The nod however goes to ISRAR who pulled hard but ran a terrific race when third in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.
The selection has been raised 4lbs for that run, but he had looked a potentially very smart colt when landing the London Cup at Newbury on his previous start. John & Thady Gosden saddled the winner of the corresponding race 12 months ago and they can double up this afternoon.
Recommendation: ISRAR at 13/8 with William Hill