The Newmarket July meeting always provides the first real test of the Royal Ascot form and that is very much the theme on Thursday.
I have previewed the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes separately and expect Arab Spring to continue his progression. The card opens at 1.40 with the Bahrain Trophy which, if the current trend continues, they will be renaming the John Gosden Bahrain Trophy.
Mr G has won the last three runnings and has opted to run impressive Doncaster winner Forever Now in preference to Epsom third Romsdal. The Epsom form is starting to get that sinking feeling already with only Australia’s win in the egg and spoon version of the Irish Derby so far. No doubt there will be better tests to come but I am not jumping on the hype wagon just yet.
Forever Now should go close but I am worried about Hartnell who battled on well to win the Queen’s Vase at Ascot. I am utterly useless at predicting how the Mark Johnston horses will run but you’d think this one would be in the first two.
The juvenile form gets a test in the July Stakes with Jungle Cat, The Great War and Mind Of Madness among those coming on from the Royal meeting. I am going to bypass all of them in favour of the once-raced Belardo. Roger Varian seems to have his team ticking over nicely and this looked a very nice horse in the making when easily winning at Yarmouth. Hopefully he can cope with these more battle-hardened types.
Another yard that is sweeping into form is that of Luca Cumani. He has had four winners in the last four days and has taken the trouble to enter Mount Logan in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York. If he’s that good, he should be able to win the mile and a quarter handicap off a mark of 95. He seemed to win with plenty in hand at Sandown.
The one that worries me here is the William Haggas colt Mange All. He beat nothing last time at Beverley but was a promising third in a hot Newbury maiden before that. He is available at an each-way price so we can cover ourselves with a small wager.
Forever Now 1.40 Newmarket at 4-1 William Hill
Belardo 2.10 Newmarket at 13-2 Paddy Power
Arab Spring 2.40 Newmarket at 7-4 William Hill
Mount Logan 3.15 Newmarket at 3-1 Paddy Power
Mange All (each-way) at 7-1 Paddy Power
Betfair:
Bet on Henrik Stenson to become the BMW PGA Championship Winner.
Paddypower:
Back Australia to take the Ashes home with them.
Betway:
Back Rafael Nadal to become the Mens French Open Winner.
Coral:
Back One For Arthur to win the Grand National.
Bet365:
Back Mexico to win the Confederations Cup.
