Horse racing betting: Mehmas to bounce back to winning ways in July Stakes
Over the last few weeks the weather has made life difficult when it comes to making selections.
There’s no excuse at Newmarket on Friday, though, as the forecast for the three-day July Festival looks fair.
Richard Hannon’s MEHMAS was an excellent second behind Caravaggio in the Coventry Stakes last month and will appreciate the better ground here in the July Stakes (2.40pm).
He was beaten by a potentially top class horse that day, but still finished two-and-a-half lengths clear of the third.
Hannon’s runner has won at Newbury and Chester on decent ground already this season and I’m happy to take the 5/2 with Betway.
Ardad is clearly the main threat having followed up a debut win at Yarmouth with a surprising 20/1 success in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot.
However, I don’t think he has done enough to warrant being as short as 9/4 in the betting. Betway are offering money back as a free bet if your horse finishes second in this race.
Only one of the last 13 favourites has won the Princess of Wales’s Stakes (3.15pm) and I’m keen to take on current 5/2 jolly Exosphere.
He was disappointing at Ascot last time out and has to carry a penalty here, while The Grey Gatsby has never run over a mile and a half.
The two that interest me are ELITE ARMY and MUNTAZAH and the advice is to back them both at 5/1 and 9/1 with Betway respectively.
Elite Army ran a cracker at Royal Ascot last time and looks over-priced back on good ground.
Owen Burrows’ Muntazah gets a massive three-year-old weight allowance and is worth a go over this distance following a nice reappearance in the Dante.
Pointers
Mehmas, 2.40 Newmarket
Elite Army, 3.15 Newmarket
Muntazah e/w, 3.15 Newmarket