Ain't Nobody, Sergeant Wilko and Lead Artist feature in our selections
Expired
Space Legend (centre) stays on for second behind Calandagan (right) in the King Edward VII Stakes. (Getty)
July Festival Day 1 Tips
1:50pm Newmarket - Bahrain Trophy Stakes Tips
2:25pm Newmarket - July Stakes Tips
3:00pm Newmarket - bet365 Handicap Tips
3:35pm Newmarket - Princess Of Wales's Stakes Tips
4:45pm Newmarket - Sir Henry Cecil Stakes Tips
Newmarket's popular July Festival kicks off on Wednesday afternoon. ITV Racing will be showing three pattern races and a red-hot three-year-old handicap live from flat racing HQ, with a Listed race featuring later on the day one card.
Here are my best betting tips for Thursday's ITV races, plus a bonus tip for the Sir Henry Cecil Stakes.
ITV Racing Tips - Thursday 11th July
1:50pm Newmarket - Bahrain Trophy Stakes Tips
Kinesiology's withdrawal means that just four runners will contest the opening race of the July Festival. Soft ground will certainly suit Ancient Wisdom, who won the Futurity Trophy on heavy last autumn, but I'd still rather take the favourite on with the progressive SPACE LEGEND (9/4).
William Haggas' colt kicked off this season with a hugely impressive maiden triumph on soft ground at Leicester. Space Legend has since suffered a narrow defeat in the Cocked Hat Stakes, before following the superb Calandagan home in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Space Legend still looked very green during both of those defeats, so I'm happy to mark up his performances. This extended trip should be no problem for James Doyle's mount and returning to softer conditions should suit too.
2:25pm Newmarket - July Stakes Tips
An interesting renewal of the July Stakes, despite just six featuring in the field. Whistlejacket - the beaten odds-on favourite in the Norfolk Stakes - is the only runner in the field with proven form on genuinely soft ground, so it's no surprise to see Aidan O'Brien's juvenile topping the market.
I've come down on the side of AIN'T NOBODY (4/1), who beat my two selections when scoring in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot. Kevin Ryan's star went into that Listed sprint on the back of an impressive maiden win at Carlisle and built on that performance with a one-length triumph over Gabaldon and Aviation Time.
Sands Of Mali won the Champions Sprint on soft ground and Ain't Nobody's dam was a six-furlong specialist too, finishing a close second in the 2020 Silver Wokingham. I'm expecting Tom Eaves' mount to relish this step up in trip.
Jamie Spencer riding Ain't Nobody win The Windsor Castle Stakes during day two of Royal Ascot 2024. (Getty)
3:00pm Newmarket - bet365 Handicap Tips
A low weight and a high draw have often been the recipe for success in this three-year-old sprint handicap. I like the chances of SERGEANT WILKO (12/1), who'll carry just 8-10 and has been drawn nicely in stall nine.
A winner on soft ground as a juvenile, Kevin Ryan's sprinter kicked off his three-year-old campaign with a four-length demolition on the all-weather at Newcastle. Sergeant Wilko was last seen winning a competitive little race at Leicester in May, where Oisin Murphy's mount again seemed to relish a cut in the ground. Off just a three-pound higher mark, I'm hoping to see Sergeant Wilko challenge.
3:35pm Newmarket - Princess Of Wales's Stakes Tips
Given how well he asserted in the closing stages of his maiden win at York, LEAD ARTIST (2/1) looks well up to Listed class.
John and Thady Gosden's colt ran well when second on debut in the Wood Ditton, before trouncing a classy field - which included Wood Ditton winner, First Conquest - on his most recent outing. Kieran Shoemark's mount always travelled well and powered five lengths clear of his rivals during the final two furlongs at York.
The form of that race hasn't worked out that well, but I thought it was a really smart performance from Lead Artist. Dubawi's progeny go on any sort of ground and his dam, Obligate ran up to a high level in France as a three-year-old, claiming both of her victories on juicy turf. He's most certainly the one to beat.
Verdict
July Festival Day 1 Top Tips:
Best Bet1: Lead Artist 4:45pm Newmarket @2/1 at BoyleSports - 10 Units
Best Bet2: Space Legend 1:50pm Newmarket @9/4 at bet365 - 10 Units
Best Bet3: Aint Nobody 2:25pm Newmarket @4/1 at Betgoodwin - 10 Units
Best Bet4: Sergeant Wilko E/W 3:00pm Newmarket @12/1 at bet365 - 5 Units
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