Ayaar can give Dettori third Bunbury Cup
NEWMARKET’S July Meeting got underway yesterday. It’s always competitive stuff and not the easiest place to find a winner, but I have two strong fancies today.
INTEGRAL was a winning tip for us at Royal Ascot in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes last month. And she didn’t just win, she absolutely coasted home from a deep field.
Sir Michael Stoute’s filly is progressive and the field for the QIPCO Falmouth Stakes (2.40pm) isn’t strong. Sky Lantern was unlucky not to win this last year when carried by the winner, but she was more than five lengths behind the selection at Ascot and will struggle to confirm the form, even if an improved showing is expected. Snap up the 13/8 with Star Sports.
In the preceding race, the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes (2.10pm), HIGH CELEBRITY will be tough to beat for Andre Fabre, who doesn’t send horses here from France for fun.
The two-year-old was eased home from a furlong out on her debut and still won unchallenged. Already prominent in the ante-post betting for next year’s 1000 Guineas, she can go some way to justifying that position by seeing off five rivals that don’t look exceptional.
The 666Bet Bunbury Cup (3.15pm) is Saturday’s big betting race. Multiple winners have been a feature of this historic handicap down the years, and I wouldn’t write off last year’s winner Field Of Dream, who landed the Hunt Cup last month, from winning again.
However, AYAAR was desperately unlucky in that race when badly hampered. He took a while to recover from that, but ran on again strongly to only be beaten by three lengths. Granted more luck this time, Luca Cumani’s charge can make a bold bid for the big pot at 8/1.
Slade Power will bid to underline his credentials as the best sprinter in Europe in the July Cup (3.50pm), but I think jockeys might give too much rope to the trailblazing Spanish horse NOOZHOH CANARIAS.
The 2000 Guineas sixth has one way of running – fast from the front. He doesn’t have the stamina for a mile, but back at six furlongs he will take some pegging back under Christophe Soumillon. And the faster the ground the better, so let’s hope the rain stays away. The 6/1 with Star Sports is an exceptional each-way bet.
Pointers…
HIGH CELEBRITY 2.10pm Newmarket (today)
INTEGRAL 2.40pm Newmarket (today)
NOOZHOH CANARIAS e/w 2.40pm Newmarket (tomorrow)
AYAAR e/w 3.15pm Newmarket (tomorrow)