Newmarket Tips: Three runners to follow on day one of the July Festival

Top-class racing returns to Newmarket for the 2022 July Festival, which showcases some of the best equine and human athletes in the country on a rather unique track. 

Simply put, the July Course thoroughly tests stamina and balance. A long and undulating six-furlong section of the straight mile is swiftly followed by a downhill furlong, where races can be won or lost as horses try to engage fifth gear without wheel-spinning or losing their rhythm. Once that portion is negotiated, a check on the petrol tank is needed as an energy shortage will be found out on the steep climb to the line.  

One trainer that has an excellent record at this venue is Richard Hannon, who has regularly featured in the top three of the trainer’s standings at this course over the last decade and returned a healthy 164% ROI with his runners here in 2021. 

The Group 2 July Stakes (2.25 Newmarket) has been extremely kind to Hannon since he assumed control of training duties from his father, Richard Hannon snr, who incidentally won this race six times. Ivawood provided Hannon jnr with a debut success in the race back in 2014, while the Al Shaqab-owned Mehmas (2016) and Lusail (2021) have followed suit recently.  

Hannon had a lull in acquiring talented two-year-old sprinting stock between 2018 and 2020, so he wasn’t represented during those years, which means he has won this event three times from just five editions that he’s had a runner.

Persian Force: won the Brocklesby at the SBK Lincoln meeting at Doncaster earlier this year

All of the Wiltshire-based trainer’s eggs are in one basket this year - Royal Ascot runner-up Persian Force. This son of the aforementioned Mehmas is bred to win the July Stakes and his form dramatically boosts that argument. Debatably the most impressive winner of the Brocklesby for decades, Persian Force went on to back-up his flying Doncaster performance with a last-to-first and rather cosy success at Newbury.

His unbeaten streak came to a halt in the Coventry last month, but he performed extremely creditably to take second behind the impressive Bradsell from a disadvantageous draw and should be marked up. Persian Force blew away all of his rivals that raced towards the stands’ side (the closest was Blackbeard, who finished two-and-a-half lengths back in fourth) and also had to briefly delay his move as backpedaling opponents blocked the way just at the wrong time. 

Persian Force is a hardy sort who is improving for his racing and should take another sizeable step forward here. Given his official rating of 108, he only needs to improve 1lb to meet the average rating required to win a standard edition of this Group 2.

Hannon’s success may continue in the following 6f heritage handicap (3.00 Newmarket), which has drawn a near-maximum field of 19 runners. This is a great punting heat and a place play on the selection wouldn’t be a poor call by any means, especially as he has been underestimated in the market. 

The horse in question is Bosh, who is bred to be ideally suited by 7f but hasn’t hit the line overly powerfully in two attempts at that distance so far this year. Nevertheless, his form is working out nicely. 

He tried to give 12lb to Whoputfiftyinyou, who is now rated 20lb higher after winning at Haydock and finishing fourth in the Britannia, on his reappearance. While last time he was given far too much to do yet still finished a clearcut fourth.

Galiac (won again since), Find (second in the Group 3 Jersey) and Annaf (second in a Group 3 at Newcastle) finished ahead of him and have all supplemented the form in a big way. Bosh now drops down to his ideal distance, has drawn well in stall 17 and Pat Dobbs regains the ride - all of which rate as positives. 

The final play on day one of the July Festival is Yibir, who looks to bounce back to winning ways in the Group 2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes (3.35) after three defeats this year. Charlie Appleby’s highly-talented gelding has not been running below expectations judged by the numbers, and he’s had plausible excuses the last twice.

He looked a bit ring-rusty on the Rowley Mile in April after a trip to Dubai in the spring, and he actually ran respectably last time at Belmont Park given he broke five lengths behind his rivals and had to make his effort three-wide around the bend. He was the best horse in that field without a doubt. 

Yibir has still performed to around 120 on two runs this term and the switch back to the July course may see him finally break through (he won at this meeting last year). He has 3lb in hand of Mostahdaf on ratings and deserves to be a short-priced favourite.

Recommended bets

Persian Force (2.25 Newmarket) @ 2.78
Bosh (3.00 Newmarket) @ 12
Yibir (3.35 Newmarket) @ 2.6