Thursday’s ITV Racing Preview
8 races live on ITV on Thursday and here you will find our in-depth preview for every single race including main dangers to our selections. Newmarket’s July meeting kicks off PLUS York’s Dante Festival. No less than 6 Group races. Bring on the winners!
Make sure you scroll right down to the bottom to see any multiples we are placing.
ITV Racing Schedule
Newmarket 1.50 The Sir Henry Cecil Stakes
York 2.05 The EBF Marygate Fillies’ Stakes
Newmarket 2.25 The Bahrain Trophy Stakes
York 2.40 The Tattersalls Musidora Stakes
Newmarket 3.00 The Tattersalls July Stakes
York 3.15 The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes
Newmarket 3.35 The bet365 Handicap Stakes
Newmarket 4.10 The Princess Of Wales’s Tattersalls Stakes
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Newmarket 1.50 The Sir Henry Cecil Stakes
I loved the way LORD CAMPARI won at Newbury last time and with the form already boosted with the second and third winning their next starts he can follow up here even though he’s tackling tougher opposition. He should keep improving and is tough to get away from.
Muhaarar colt Magical Morning won nicely at Yarmouth and backed that up under a penalty at Doncaster and should emerge as the main danger. I’ve not been as confident on the NAP & NB today as I have been for a long while though.
York 2.05 The EBF Marygate Fillies’ Stakes
Smaller field for this renewal with just 9 taking their chance at the time of writing and the market is headed by a clear favourite in SARDINIA SUNSET. She has the best form on offer after finishing fourth in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot. That combined with her debut form which has also worked our really well with winners coming out of both races. If she runs to her Ascot level she will be hard to beat.
Different Face put in an improved performance to win at Lingfield last time out and could be the main danger at a price for the Crisford’s if she has more to come back on turf. Blackberry is the one being supported and is also feared having showed plenty of dash to make a winning debut at Hamilton.
Newmarket 2.25 The Bahrain Trophy Stakes
David Simcock and Jamie Spencer took this last year with Spanish Mission. I found it a hard race to dissect but the one I’ve come down on is Charlie Appleby’s AL DABARAN. He clocked some good time figures as a 2yo and shaped as a horse needing the run when third to Santiago in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot. I think he has further improvement in him and if he steps forward from that run will be bang in the mix.
It’s a race that looks to have strength in depth and Dawn Rising has been popular for Aidan O’Brien. He won by 12 lengths at Limerick last time and while he will need to improve he can do and is definitely respected. Al Aasy is probably the one I fear most though as this Sea The Stars colt who visually impressive last time and like the selection will have more to offer.
York 2.40 The Tattersalls Musidora Stakes
A race John Gosden has a great record in winning 3 of the last 5 runnings of the Musidora and it is no surprise to see the unbeaten filly Ricetta heading the market. That said we are going to take her on with another Khalid Abdullah horse in POCKET SQUARE who was last seen winning a Group 3 in France and visually has impressed me more than the favourite and has better form in the book. She hasn’t had a run this season but Roger Charlton has had 5 winners in the last 2 weeks and if she is near peak fitness she will be in the mix for sure.
Other than the favourite who has a good chance, the main danger could easily be Dubai Love who ran well in Dubai in March and went close at Royal Ascot last month.
Newmarket 3.00 The Tattersalls July Stakes
Toronado colt Tactical will undoubtedly prove popular here off the back of his Windsor Castle Stakes win at Royal Ascot but I just thought he was short enough in the market and there could be one or two to take him on. SWISS ACE was the one that caught my eye for last year’s winning connections. The colt by Kingman ran out an impressive winner on debut at Tipperary and could be open to any amount of improvement. The former had quite a hard race at Royal Ascot too whereas this horse comes here relatively fresh off an easy maiden win.
Qaader is favourite for Mark Johnston but with Admiral Nelson blowing out in the Coventry I thought he’d take full advantage but couldn’t get past 150/1 shot Nando Parrado. He wouldn’t be for me and I’m quite surprised he is as short as he is. I expect Tactical to overhaul him as favourite come post time. I think the selection is definitely the value in the race.
York 3.15 The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes
Like the Musidora, Gosden has won 3 of the last 5 runnings of this race as well but once again we are going against him and Encipher. We are siding with HIGHEST GROUND and Oisin Murphy. The Champion Jockey is seeking a hat-trick in the Dante and he looks to be on a very good horse. The selection is 2/2 and looks to be winning with plenty in the tank. He should improve for his easy win against Waldkonig at Haydock and will take all the beating.
Thunderous had his unbeaten record tarnished on his comeback run but if coming on from that he should be fighting out the places. We did like Juan Elcano at Royal Ascot but he left us unconvinced.
Newmarket 3.35 The bet365 Handicap Stakes
Undoubtedly the most competitive race live on ITV on Thursday so it’s no surprise to see our Longshot go in this race in the shape of TROUBADOR for Michael Dods. We were with him at a monster price at Pontefract last time and he ran a cracker given I don’t think he was 100% fit. If that run brings him on again he looks sure to go close and I’m quite surprised to see 11/1 on offer – looks very generous (each way). He still looks to have scope off a mark of 100 and should be popular in the run up to the race as his price is just too big.
Dangers a plenty in a race of this nature so expect Lexington Dash to be on the premises. He has won his last two and is a big player again under a 6lb penalty. At bigger prices I’ll give tentative shouts to Mister Snowdon who needs to bounce back but could and Dark Regard who didn’t fire on heavy ground last time but the stable wouldn’t just be running her for the fun of it.
Newmarket 4.10 The Princess Of Wales’s Tattersalls Stakes
We haven’t seen ENBIHAAR for 278 days since chasing home Anapurna and Delphinia in the Prix De Royallieu. That was a good run though and prior to that she had looked ultra progressive really taking the eye when sweeping by the opposition at Goodwood. If she is fit and ready to do herself justice she is a danger to all here make no mistake about it. Hopefully she gets the race run to suit too as Forest Ranger and Communique could end up taking each other on up top.
Old Persian looks the danger. He is a classy sort who took his form to a new level in Dubai last year. He didn’t show much on return in France though and connections reach for the cheekpieces. Could bounce back so looks a potential danger. Alounak is another to consider but I’ll be disappointed if the favourite doesn’t go close.
ITV Racing Win Treble
Given there are 8 races live on ITV Racing on Thursday we have placed a Win Treble on our three most confident selections of the day.
ITV Racing Each Way Double
Here you can find our Each Way Double for the races live on ITV on Thursday. These are two horses we fancy strongly at decent prices to make a big double.