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The three-day July meeting commences at Newmarket on Thursday with the Group 2 Princess of Wales’s Stakes as the feature race.
A field of four line up for the 1m4f Group 2 Princess of Wales's Stakes (3:35) with short-priced favourite Adayar appearing tough to beat. Winner of the Group 3 Gordon Richard Stakes on seasonal reappearance, the 2021 Derby hero was a well-beaten third behind the surprise winner Mostahdaf in the Group 1 Prince of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot. The return to twelve furlongs is a positive (2-3) and it seems unlikely that any of his three rivals can beat him if he turns up in true form. John and Thady Gosden's Israr looks the best of the opposition but he would have to significantly step up from his second in the 1m6f Listed Grand Cup Stakes at York.
WIN: ADAYAR
Malc represents Royal Ascot form in the 6f Group 2 July Stakes (2:25), having finished a good second behind Valiant Force in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes. He was a winner of a Carlisle novice stakes on his debut and will be stepping up in distance for the first time. Although Malc is by sprinting first-season sire Calyx, all of dam Bereka's progeny have raced over further than five furlongs and the colt is expected to relish the test.
Andrew Balding is currently operating at a strike rate of 25% (12-48) from the last fourteen days and his Purosangue was an impressive four length victor of a Haydock novice stakes on debut. The Aclaim colt looked very capable of making the transition to Group company. Similar comments could be applied to Windsor debut winner Chief Mankato for trainer Charlie Hills. He out-ran odds of 18/1 when scoring by three-quarters of a length in a twelve-runner novice, but did enough to suggest he won't be out of his depth stepping up in class.
WIN: MALC
Two of the six strong field in the 1m Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes (4:45) will be looking to retain unbeaten records with Imperial Emperor and Embesto both boasting two-from-two. Godolphin's Imperial Emperor was an impressive debut winner on the Rowley Mile in October and returned as a short-priced favourite to record a course and distance success. Charlie Appleby currently holds a 44% strike rate (8-18) from the last fourteen days and Imperial Emperor looks a Group horse in the making.
Nostrum makes his eagerly anticipated return to action in a hot contest for Sir Michael Stoute. The Kingman colt was one of the leading juveniles last year, winning the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes before a good third behind Chaldean in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes. Injury prevented the colt from taking up a Classic engagement in the 2000 Guineas and breeding would suggest he's going to improve from two to three – half brother Imaging was a Listed winner at three and recorded a Group victory at four.
Roger Varian's Embesto was unraced as a juvenile and recorded an easy six length victory on debut at Yarmouth over a mile in early May. He defied a penalty on his subsequent run at Doncaster when taking a novice stakes and has shaped with plenty of promise on his two career starts. It will be a tough ask in a competitive race but his form suggests the Roaring Lion colt will be firmly in the mix.
WIN: IMPERIAL EMPEROR
RACING & SPORTS SELECTIONS
RACE 1 – TOWER OF LONDON
RACE 2 – MALC
RACE 3 – WASHINGTON HEIGHTS
RACE 4 – ADAYAR
RACE 5 – KEY TO COTAI
RACE 6 – IMPERIAL EMPEROR
RACE 7 - TITIAN