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Key events
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.
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.
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.
1.55 ASCOT RESULT:
1. DUBAI BLING 12-1, 2. Behike, 3. Fandom. 15 ran.
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.
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.
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