Thursday 7th July 2022

Author: Jordan Yates (EvRacing_)

Welcome to my opening day preview for this year’s July Meeting at Newmarket. I’m kicking things off with the 1:50 which is the first group race on the July course this week in the form of the Bahrain Trophy Stakes, a Group 3 contest that’s ridden over a mile and five furlongs. It’s hard to separate the market principles here, but I’ve sided with Zechariah who’s currently an 11/4 chance for the Meade team, and Ryan Moore. He made an underwhelming start to his campaign this year when not beating a single rival home within Group 3 and Listed company at Newmarket and Lingfield respectively, however, he returned to form with a fine effort in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot last time when only been denied victory by a nose from the smart Eldar Eldarov. I think there could be considerable progress yet to come from him and if he turns up in the same form as he did at Ascot last time, he’s a big player.

The 2:25 is up next which is the Group 2 July Stakes that’s contested over a distance of six furlongs. This looks like a potential showdown between the top two in the betting and it’s Persian Force for me who’s currently just edging favourtism at 6/4 for the team of Richard Hannon and Rossa Ryan. He made an extremely impressive start to his racing career when winning both of his first two outings in dominant style, taking out the Brocklesby at Doncaster by over four lengths before following up with a two and a half-length success in a Newbury conditions race. He then went to Ascot and tried his hand in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes where he posted another impressive effort when finishing a very solid second of seventeen. He’s already proved himself as an extremely smart sort, he will need to be if he’s going to get the better of Little Big Bear but I think he’ll be more than up for the challenge.

We move into handicap company at 3:00 with a Heritage Handicap over six furlongs. As you’d expect, this is extremely competitive as it’s currently 4/1 the field which currently consists of nineteen runners. I have come down on one though here who’s come in for market support already and that’s Bosh who’s currently trading at a best price of 11/2 again for Richard Hannon, this time ridden by Pat Dobbs. He’s posted two solid efforts so far this term in decent handicaps when upped to seven furlongs, I don’t think the drop-down to six here will be an issue for him at all and one major positive for him is that the ground is set to be ‘Good To Firm’ which is going that he’s unbeaten on having won two out of two starts on it. If he gets a bit of luck in running he’s every chance of being involved at the business end of things.

The 3:35 will conclude my preview for the opening day of the meeting which is the Group 2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes that’s contested over a mile and four furlongs. This is another race that looks to be a potential showdown between the top two in the betting and it’s Yibir I like the chances of at 11/8 for the team of Charlie Appleby and William Buick. Sporting the famous blue silks of Godolphin he had a fine campaign last term, winning three on the spin which culminated with Breeders Cup success in the Group 1 Breeders Cup Turf. He’s yet to find the winners enclosure this year and was actually turned over at very skinny odds here in April, however, he’s been on a bit of a break since finishing third in a Group 1 back over in America in May and I think he could be fully tuned up for this particular assignment. He’s the highest-rated horse in the race and if turning up in the form we saw him in at the back-end of last season he’s the one they all have to beat.