Racing commentator Simon Holt has three selections for Super Saturday with Solar Power considered the pick of them in the Bunbury Cup.
Recommended bets
2pts win Solar Gold in 3.30 Newmarket at 8/1
1pt win Fairyland in 4.40 Newmarket at 10/1
1pt win Final Venture in 2.05 York at 5/1
There are almost too many races and betting opportunities to cope with on Britain's busiest Saturday but SOLAR GOLD is my idea of the day's best in the bet365 Bunbury Cup at Newmarket.
William Haggas's filly, who has a fascinatingly mixed pedigree by Sea The Stars out of the high class sprinter Jessica's Dream, could be the most progressive runner in the field and her rating has gone up 21lb after just two starts this season.
On the first occasion, she went down by just three-quarters of a length to the subsequent Commonwealth Cup runner-up Forever In Dreams at Haydock, keeping on well in the sixth furlong, and then had to wait too long to mount a serious challenge before staying on takingly behind Billesdon Brook and the re-opposing Crossing The Line in a listed race over seven furlongs at Chelmsford.
Forced to switch and race wide down the home straight that day, Solar Gold is fancied to turn the tables on the runner-up on 4lb better terms and could prove ideally suited by the uphill finish here back in handicap company.
My biggest fear in this race is a victory for Kynren, who I have been in danger of following over the proverbial cliff edge.
David Barron's charge surely deserves a big handicap win soon and his Ascot second to the subsequent Wokingham winner Cape Byron in the Victoria Cup over this trip looks good now even though he has been beaten off lower marks in the past.
The latter horse now takes his chance in the Group One Darley July Cup but has a little bit to find with Dream Of Dreams and Advertise who are both rated 119.
While Advertise put up a good time performance to win the Commonwealth Cup (Ten Sovereigns fourth), and was a course and distance winner at this meeting last year, Dream Of Dreams is beginning to look highly progressive and might have caught Blue Point in another stride or two in the Diamond Jubilee (Lim's Cruiser eighth) at the Royal meeting. However, I am sure Blue Point was slowing down quickly in the closing stages as was third placed Kachy.
Indeed, Blue Point’s King Stand win earlier in the meeting, beating Battaash, Soldier’s Call and Mabs Cross was probably a stronger effort and the close-up fifth FAIRYLAND performed really well dropped in trip after running in the English and Irish Guineas.
The five furlongs was probably on the sharp side for last season’s Cheveley Park Stakes winner, and the return to six here could be ideal.
In what looks a fairly ordinary renewal, Brando, who has finished third (to Harry's Angel) and second (to US Navy Flag) in the last two runnings is also expected to go well after beating Donjuan Triumphant and Sands Of Mali, two soft ground specialists in those conditions at Hamilton last month.
At York, FINAL VENTURE can gain a deserved success after three seconds this season in the opening John Smith's City Walls Stakes.
Paul Midgley's seven-year-old was beaten by the bang-in-form Ornate at Beverley last time but what draws me particularly to his chances here is a solid course record which includes a close second to Take Cover in this race in 2017 and two excellent efforts behind Mr Lupton and El Astronaute (at the Ebor meeting) last term.
Posted at 1640 BST on 12/07/19.
