There is a packed card of twelve races to be broadcast by ITV this Saturday with action from Newmarket, York and Ascot.
- 1:40 Newmarket: Rossdales British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes – Snow Light @ 7/4
- 2:00 York: John Smith’s Racing Handicap – Old Cock @ 4/1
- 2:12 Newmarket: Trustatrader 20th Anniversary Fillies’ Handicap – Miss Information @ 11/4
- 2:22 Ascot: Cornish Orchards Summer Mile Stakes – Haatem @ 7/2
- 2:35 York: John Smith’s City Walls Stakes – Jm Jungle @ 11/2
- 2:50 Newmarket: bet365 Bunbury Cup – More Thunder @ 11/8
- 3:10 York: John Smith’s Cup Handicap – Thunder Run @ 5/1
- 3:25 Newmarket: bet365 Mile Handicap – Bedouin Prince @ 5/2
- 3:45 York: John Smith’s Silver Cup Stakes – Al Qareem @ 9/4
- 4:00 Newmarket: bet365 Superlative Stakes – Wild Desert @ 15/2
- 4:35 Newmarket: Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup Stakes – Flora Of Bermuda @ 11/2
- 4:50 Ascot: LK Bennett Butterfly Mark Heritage Handicap – Stormy Impact @ 10/1
Newmarket’s July Festival concludes on Saturday with the Group 1 July Cup the headline act in what could be a classic renewal. Last year’s 2000 Guineas winner, Notable Speech, was entered on Monday in what would be a first attempt at 6f. Despite question marks over the trip, Charlie Appleby’s runner has been instilled as the pre-race favourite.
Before Notable Speech’s addition to the line-up, the favourite’s spot was held by Andrew Balding’s Flora Of Bermuda after finishing behind only fellow Wathnan Racing owned Lazzat and Japanese star Satono Reve in last month’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. Also at single figures are the Aidan O’Brien pair of Whistlejacket and Believing and Kevin Ryan’s Inisherin who was fifth in the race last year.
Building up to the July Cup on our screens will be five other races from the July Course. Opening proceedings will be the Maiden Fillies’ Stakes, and the 7f Fillies’ Handicap. One of the most popular betting heats of the meeting is next, the £100,000 Bunbury Cup. William Haggas’s More Thunder has won twice this season on the Rowley Mile and looks a worthy favourite.
The fourth live race from Newmarket will be the bet365 Mile Handicap which is followed by the Group 2 Superlative Stakes for two-year-olds. As ever the market is the best guide for these juvenile races with Aidan O’Brien’s Italy he odd-on favourite ahead of Charlie Appleby’s Saba Desert and Wild Desert.
Saturday is John Smith’s Cup Day at York and ITV will bring us four races from the Knavesmire. The title race of the meeting, the 1m2½f John Smith’s Cup Handicap is scheduled for 3:10 with 18 runners set to go to post. William Haggas’s Archivist heads the betting after winning the Dubai Mile at the track a fortnight ago. Amongst the opposition will be Thunder Run for Karl Burke who was last seen at York winning a handicap back in May over the same distance as the John Smith’s Cup.
ITV coverage from York on Saturday also includes the John Smith’s Racing Handicap, the Listed City Walls Stakes over 5f and the Group 3 Silver Cup over 1m6f.
The remaining two live races come from Ascot, starting with their big race of the day, the Group 2 Summer Mile Stakes. An open looking contest sees Andrew Balding’s Never So Brave, Roger Varian’s My Cloud, Richard Hannon’s Haatem and Simon and Ed Crisford’s Quddwah all vying for favouritism. The final televised race of the day will be the 5f LK Bennett Butterfly Mark Heritage Handicap.