Our form expert has five selections for Super Saturday's action including Ascot, York and the final day of Newmarket's July Festival.
The Verdict: Saturday, July 13
1pt win Albasheer in 1.45 Ascot at 14/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook, William Hill)
1pt win Royal Dubai in 2.20 Ascot at 14/1 (General)
1pt win Celtic Warrior in 2.50 Newmarket at 16/1 (BetVictor, Ladbrokes)
1pt win Remaadd in 3.10 York at 14/1 (General)
1pt e.w. Mill Stream in 4.35 Newmarket at 12/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4)
Stream a dream bet in July Cup
There’s good racing everywhere you look on Super Saturday and shunting Chester to an evening slot hardly helps punters catch a breath, with Ascot, Newmarket and York showcasing quality racing.
The cream of the crop run in the Group 1 My Pension Expert July Cup Stakes at Newmarket where Inisherin leads a merry band of three-year-olds towards the top of the market.
Kevin Ryan’s horse looks all class and he’s the deserved market leader, his victories in the Sandy Lane Stakes and Commonwealth Cup marking him out as a potential superstar in the sprinting ranks.
He takes on his elders for the first time in the July Cup on a course that will be the quickest he has faced in his fledgling career, though, and there’s a chance he’ll be taken out of his comfort zone for the first time at six furlongs.
As much as he is respected, I want to have an each-way bet against him at the prices and it’s Jane Chapple-Hyam’s MILL STREAM that appeals at 12/1.
The improving four-year-old looks a little underestimated in the betting, as he ran a cracker in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes behind two Ascot specialists and this test on the July Course looks his best chance of top-level glory.
He has run really well in two starts at this track and he had a recent gallop here being trained just up the road, so he looks as well equipped as any horse in the field to run to his best – which we saw just two starts ago at York.
Six furlongs on the Knavesmire on good ground is another good test of speed and he coped with it admirably in the 1895 Duke of York Stakes, finishing well despite a less than clear run to beat a strong field including subsequent winners like Shouldvebeenaring, Montassib and Khaadem.
That is red-hot sprinting form and the nature of Newmarket’s July Course, speedy with an uphill finish, could be absolutely perfect with William Buick the ideal man to have in the saddle.
The Verdict: Back MILL STREAM in the 4.35 Newmarket
Go into battle with Warrior
The Bunbury Cup gave me a bit of headache and I couldn’t find a bet, but the bet365 Mile Handicap earlier on the card is a nice contest for three-year-olds and Andrew Balding's CELTIC WARRIOR looks overpriced at 16/1.
He started his campaign from a lowly mark of 75 and while he disappointed on his first few handicap starts on turf at Chester and Haydock he looks to be getting to grips with things now judging by his excellent effort at Goodwood last time out.
That was a strongly-run race and he ran a cracker in second, beaten just half a length, while the form could hardly be working out any better with subsequent winners Debora's Dream, Swindon and Dashinwhitesargent beaten in behind.
It's an underestimated form line in the context of this race and he's going to get the ideal mixture of a strong gallop, good ground and a mile here, while I like the look of Silvestre de Sousa taking over in the saddle with a ‘beeline for the stands’ rail manoeuvre’ not out of the question from stall one.
The Verdict: Back CELTIC WARRIOR in the 2.50 Newmarket
Rem the one I love in John Smith’s Cup
York looks tricky on Saturday but I can never resist a bet in the John Smith's Cup and William Haggas' REMAADD is the one I’m backing at 14/1.
Haggas goes for his fourth win in the race and his Remaadd is just the second three-year-old to line up in this in the last 14 years, but the age group traditionally have a good record in this contest and the son of Gleneagles is dead interesting.
A half-brother to Gaassee who was a York handicap winner, Haggas knows the family very well and he's had this fellow pinpointed as a middle-distance Group horse from some way out.
His form just behind Al Musmak at Haydock last September was highlighted by the winner at Newmarket this week and it’s not the only form that hints at Remaadd being better than a handicapper.
He ran a good third in the Sandown Classic Trial behind Arabian Crown when too keen to do himself justice in the spring and it wasn't really a surprise to see him drop to a mile at the same track for the Listed Heron Stakes after that.
It didn’t work out, but much better is expected now he tackles a big field and a likely strong gallop over 10 furlongs, while I’m taking the first-time tongue-tie as a positive given it worked wonders for Gaassee and Haggas has a 21% strike-rate with the t1.
The Verdict: Back REMAADD in the 3.10 York
Taking two at Ascot
Finally, there’s a couple I don’t want to miss at Ascot including Archie Watson’s ALBASHEER in the A1R Services Heritage Handicap over five furlongs.
He races off a 9lb lower mark than his all-weather rating but he was good enough to dead-heat for first with Summerghand in a good sprint handicap at York last August and he was beaten less than a length in the subsequent Ayr Gold Cup, so he’s clearly effective on turf.
Sand-based Ascot still looks his best chance of adding to his two wins on the grass and while he had no luck in running in the Wokingham two starts ago he shapes like a horse that has a good run in him here granted the breaks.
He was ridden inefficiently last time at Newcastle but he was lit up after being pestered on both flanks and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Hollie Doyle rides him cold on this track, with a strong pace at five on a stiff course looking likely to suit.
ROYAL DUBAI is also worth chancing in the Group 2 Anne Cowley Memorial Summer Mile on the round course under the in-form Oisin Murphy.
He needs the ground to dry out as much as possible and looking at the forecast it could do, though I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a non-runner if connections aren’t satisfied.
Hopefully he takes his chance as he ran a race full of promise when running on from the rear behind the well-ridden Royal Scotsman in the Diomed Stakes at Epsom, his first run since a successful stint at Meydan.
A stiff mile looks ideal for him on that evidence and he loves a turning track, while quite a few of his rivals have recorded their best form on straight courses.
The Verdict: Back ALABASHEER (1.45) and ROYAL DUBAI (2.20) at Ascot
Preview posted at 1545 BST on 12/07/24
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