Best bets for the Moët & Chandon July Festival at Newmarket

It is an incredibly busy weekend of horse racing here in the UK and across the globe ahead of us but the Moët & Chandon July Festival at Newmarket remains the main meeting.  

Best bets for day three, Saturday, at the Moët & Chandon July Festival at Newmarket

They get underway at 1.30 on the July Course Saturday with the 7f Rossdales British EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes which is a race to watch rather than punt in I would suggest with just one racecourse appearance between them! Blue Missile, owned by the Queen (gawd bless her) is very well-bred and one to note with the future in mind. The first race I am betting in is the Bet365 Mile Handicap at 2.40. Laasudood won on his handicap debut las time off 87, up 7lb for that win, and there could more to come but he didn’t set my pulse racing. Bay Of Honour arrives with two victories from three runs and I think could be on a workable mark of 94 for his handicap debut. Won over the mile at Thirsk last time in a Novice Stakes giving weight to the rest of the field. I wonder if he is the Group horse in a handicap here and have taken a chance he is at the 7-2..  

At 3.15 we have the 7f Group Two Superlative Stakes. Godolphin owned Charlie Appleby trained juveniles have dominated the recent roll of honour for this, won 12 months ago by Native Trail, and Charlie Appleby had a couple entered but runs only Victory Dance. A 700,000 Guineas purchase as a foal he began paying off some of the cash winning on debut over this track and trip last month. Bred to get a little further as he matures I would expect to see Buick ride this one confidently and for the son of Dubawi to make it two from two. I have the 6-4. If there is a danger it might be Lion of War.  

We stay at 7f for the bet365 Bunbury Cup at 3.50. I tipped Samburu when he won at York earlier this season and he was far from disgraced in the G.3 Jersey Stakes at the Royal meeting. I think his mark of 97 (due to rise 8lb) gives him every chance here especially with improvement still likely from one so lightly raced. Get on at 4-1. I have talked of Silent Film before and he has an each-way shout on his best form whilst Montassib is similar to the selection in that there might be more to come from him yet.  

The Group One 6f July Cup is at 4.25 and this could be a cracker. It really is a case of the usual suspects with Royal Ascot form very much on show. G.1 Commonwealth Cup winner Perfect Power renews his rivalry second-placed Flaming Rib for the younger generation whilst the first three in the G.1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes are set to clash again in the shape of Naval Crown and Creative Force lining-up plus the Aussie raider Artorius still on these shores not to mention a few other very familiar faces. Creative Force is one of my Dirty Dozen to follow and I am sticking with him today, backed him at Ascot, as I still think he is the better of the Appleby trained duo despite the narrow defeat at Ascot. I have the 5-1. A lot of the likely early pace looks low-middle drawn which should give Buick a chance to get his mount into the race and swoop passed late. Blink and you will miss it.  

Over at Ascot the mile Group Two Fred Cowley MBE Memorial Summer Mile Stakes at 3.35 looks really competitive, I wanted to back Modern News, I still can’t quite believe he got beat by the re-opposing My Oberon at Windsor a fortnight ago, but I could make a case for several and I have left the race alone. Watch the bugger win now.  

Be lucky