Brando looks a Threat to all in the July Cup at whopping 25/1
AFTER non-stop rain for most of the week, sadly Saturday’s July Cup (3.35pm) will be run on what looks pretty soft ground, so the ultimate test of speed becomes more of a test of stamina.
Golden Horde deserves to be favourite on the back of an impressive win in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, and he seems pretty versatile when it comes to ground.
However, he is as short as 15/8 and meets talented older horse like Hello Youmzain and Sceptical.
That pair fought out the finish to the Diamond Jubilee Stakes and will surely be in the mix again.
Sceptical may be ridden with a bit more patience, but I’m not sure the recent rain and greater emphasis on stamina will play to his strengths.
Hello Youmzain should confirm Ascot form, particularly as he seems at his best when the mud flies.
Yet, there may be a bit of value in taking the fancied runners on with a few at decent prices.
First up, Richard Hannon’s THREAT blatantly failed to stay the mile trip in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Ascot and was last off the bridle.
The recent rain won’t have helped but he looks too big each-way at a general 10/1.
I’m also going to take a chance on old boy BRANDO who can be backed at 25/1 and may be even bigger on the Tote.co.uk.
He’s been placed in this race twice in the last three years and looked in good form at Newcastle last time.
Looking at the rest of the Newmarket card, and Finest Sound is the obvious one in the mile handicap (1.50pm).
He bumped into a good one in the Britannia Stakes last time and looks on a reasonable mark.
There will be plenty interested in the 5/2 available at the time of writing and there is a chance he will start considerably shorter.
However, I’m prepared to back INTO FAITH at a massive 20/1 each-way.
Ignore his reappearance run as he will relish this soft ground, as he showed when winning in France last year.
Red-hot French jockey Pierre Charles Boudot takes the ride and he looks a lively outsider.
Finding the winner of the Bunbury Cup looks as impossible an assignment as you might expect, but I’ll stick with in-form ARIGATO at 12/1 for the William Jarvis team.
He’s bidding for a hat-trick and has proven himself on the ground.
I’m also going to have a saver each-way on KIMIFIVE at 20/1.
The five-year-old has found plenty of trouble in-running in recent outings and may just be hitting some form.
POINTERS
Into Fait e/w 1.50pm Newmarket
Threat e/w 3.35pm Newmarket
Brando e/w 3.35pm Newmarket
Arigato e/w 4.10pm Newmarket
Kimifive e/w 4.10pm Newmarket