Newmarket July Meeting Preview – Day 1

[Wandering Eyes]

The Group 3 Bahrain Trophy opens proceedings at Newmarket’s July meeting on Thursday and is traditionally used as a stepping stone for aspiring St Leger horses. This 1m 5f contest has been won by the likes of Youmzain, Masked Marvel and Raheen House in recent times.

John Gosden has a fantastic record in the race as he’s won four of the last seven renewals and he seems to hold a strong hand in this year’s race with First Eleven set to represent the dual champion trainer.

First Eleven would seem to be a leading fancy, the lightly raced son of Frankel finished a close up third at Royal Ascot most recently and with the assistance of Frankie Dettori he’s sure to run a big race.

Aidan O’Brien will be doubly represented but it’s Giuseppe Garibaldi that peaks my interest. The son of Galileo hasn’t finished out of the first three in six racecourse appearances including a runner-up placing behind stablemate Flag Of Honour in the Curragh Cup most recently. This represented another big run and continuation of his current good form and he looks like a colt with a big future.

Others to note in the race include Charlie Appleby’s Loxley, Wells Farhh Go and recent novice stakes winner Caliburn.

Selection: First Eleven

The Group 2 Arqana July Stales is a six-furlong race for two-year-old colts and geldings. Richard Hannon junior and senior have farmed this race over the years with Richard junior winning two of the last four races.

Surprisingly Hannon isn’t represented this year which leaves the race at the mercy of leading trainers including Richard Fahey, Aidan O’Brien, Clive Cox and John Gosden.

Advertise has the strongest form in the race having finished second in the Coventry at the Royal meeting. Martyn Meade’s inmate has the assistance of Frankie in the saddle and will prove a tough nut to crack.

Aidan O’Brien’s Van Beethoven who has a recent Group 2 winner at the Curragh when landing the Railway Stakes must be a danger to all in this. Ryan Moore has been on board the Scat Daddy on all five starts which may point to how highly he rates the colt

The horse I like in the race, however, is the John Gosden trained Legends Of War, again the son of superstar stallion Scat Daddy was a scintillating winner of a Yarmouth maiden at the end of May. He showed wayward tenancies that day when hitting the front which would suggest there was more under the bonnet and he’s my idea of the winner.

Others to note are Alan King’s Dunkerron, Konchek and the Richard Fahey trained Charming Kid.

Selection: Legends Of War

The Group 2 Princess of Wales’s Stakes is the feature on the first day of the Newmarket July meeting where Sir Michael Stoute will be hoping he can continue the blistering from we witnessed at the Royal meeting. Mirage Dancer looks set to start favourite for this contest following a very credible run the Wolferton.

The son of Frankel will be seeking to reverse a neck defeat at the hands of Roger Varian’s Barsanti earlier this season who re-opposes. This looks a really open race where in truth with the possible exception of Algometer any result wouldn’t surprise me.

Selection: Mirage Dancer

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