Newmarket July Festival Day 2 Preview and Tips for Friday 11th July

Brian Healy has picked out his Newmarket July meeting day 2 betting tips below, along with a preview of each of the seven races on Friday.

Friday sees the second day of the July Meeting taking place at Newmarket, and another seven-race card awaits punters eager for some more top-class flat racing action from Flat HQ. Once again unfolding on the July Course, the day’s feature sees the Group One Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes going to post as the fourth race of the day.

As with day one, the racing gets underway from 1.50pm and the ITV Racing team will be on hand with live coverage of the first four races of the day, including the Falmouth Stakes. We’ve once again looked over all the day’s action to pick out our day two July Meeting tips for every race on the card.

 

NEWMARKET JULY MEETING DAY TWO TIPS AT-A-GLANCE

• 1:50 Newmarket – URBAN GLIMPSE (4/1)
• 2:25 Newmarket – VENETIAN SUN (4/7)
• 3:00 Newmarket – STORY HORSE (6/1)
• 3:35 Newmarket – CRIMSON ADVOCATE (7/2)
• 4:10 Newmarket – HENGROIN (SP)
• 4:45 Newmarket – LEADMAN (11/1, EW)
• 5:20 Newmarket – JENEVER (11/2)

 

NEWMARKET JULY MEETING DAY TWO PREVIEW AND RACE-BY-RACE TIPS

 

1:50 Newmarket- bet365 Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race) Cl2 (3yo 0-105) 1m2f

URBAN GLIMPSE (4/1) has rattled the crossbar on both starts this term, but Andrew Balding’s charge can make it third time lucky.

The Cityscape colt got off the mark at the second attempt last term, scoring at Chelmsford before being sent to Italy for a Group Two where he eventually finished a well-beaten sixth on his first try on turf.

Back from a six-month break, he has finished runner-up in a handicap at Sandown back in April, but he showed he had come on for the run when going close in a stronger race at York at the end of May where he was beaten only a half-length by Dante’s Lad, headed late on.

That form is working out well with the race-winner, fourth and sixth horses home all went on to win next time out ,and he’s only up 1lb for that performance, so could be well-handicapped taking another step up in class given he is open to plenty of improvement.

 

2:25 Newmarket – Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes (Sponsored By bet365) (Group 2) (Fillies) Cl1 (2yo) 6f

Unbeaten VENETIAN SUN (4/7) can make it a hat-trick of wins as Karl Burke’s charge seeks to take another step up the sprinting ladder.

The Starman filly was impressive when making a winning debut at Carlisle back in May where she had reopposing Argentine Tango behind; that rival has boosted the form significantly with two wins of her own, including a Listed race here in June.

Karl Burke’s runner made it two for the campaign with another impressive display to take the Group Three Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, posting a near-two lengths’ defeat of Awaken which saw her travel well in mid-division down the centre of the track before finding plenty to readily assert and she shapes as if she’d get further.

She’s certainly not short of speed, however, while this stiff track will play to her strengths. With the potential for plenty of improvement she rates the one to beat and features here well clear of the rest of ratings.

 

3:00 Newmarket – bet365 Trophy (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race) Cl2 (4yo+) 1m6f

STORY HORSE (6/1) can quickly resume winning ways, having found only French Master too good by a neck at Goodwood back in May and William Knight’s charge can go one better here.

The Bated Breath gelding won twice last term, although he ended his campaign on a low note in the Cesarewitch when appearing unsuited by the soft ground. Given a break afterwards, he made a pleasing reappearance at Southwell in April before regaining the winning thread on the Rowley Mile course here in May during the Guineas meeting. He gained a short-head verdict there, responding well to pressure and gamely holding off the challenge of the runner-up even though he was bumped late by that rival.

He was only run down late at Goodwood, but that form is all the stronger now with the winner going on to take the Copper Horse at Royal Ascot; while the third horse home finished runner-up in the Northumberland Plate. The handicapper hasn’t reacted harshly to that Goodwood effort, pushing him up just 2lbs, and there may yet be more to come from this consistent five-year old.

Saffie Osborne takes the ride again and the pair’s form figures when combining read 112 so there’s a rapport between them and the pair can continue to be competitive here.

 

3:35 Newmarket – Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (Group 1) (Fillies & Mares) Cl1 (3yo+) 1m

CRIMSON ADVOCATE (7/2) and Cinderella’s Dream lock horns again after finishing 1-2 in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, and John and Thady Gosden’s charge is taken to come out on top again in this latest clash between the pair.

The selection won at Royal Ascot back in 2023 for US handler George Weaver, but following her switch to Clarehaven, she raced just once last term, finishing down the field in the King Charles II Stakes, where she may have been amiss, given she wasn’t seen out again.

She’s had three runs this term, beaten a nose on her seasonal return in the Snowdrop Stakes at Kempton and then gained the verdict by the same margin next time over Betty Clover in a Goodwood Listed contest. That form was bettered latest when winning a shade cosily at Royal Ascot, overcoming a muddling pace with a good late thrust of speed and with this likely to be more of an end-to-end gallop, she should be seen to even better effect.

With more to offer, the Nyquist filly can confirm Royal Ascot form with her Godolphin rival and strike again.

 

4:10 Newmarket – Weatherbys British EBF Maiden Stakes (Colts & Geldings) (IRE Incentive) Cl3 (2yo) 7f

Only three of these have seen a racecourse before, so it might be worth siding with the experience of HENGROIN (SP), who could improve for the application of cheekpieces ahead of his third start of the campaign.

Owen Burrows’ charge had shaped quite well on debut at Salisbury back in May, where the Lucky Vega colt likely needed the experience and he stepped up on that run to chase home American Gulf at Windsor next time although no match for the winner and looking as if he’d appreciate a stiffer test of stamina.

The bare form is nothing special, although the winner was thought worthy of a place in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, but ran no better than mid-division. However, there could be more in the locker to come, and the combination of headgear and an extra furlong could both yield improvement

He can make the most of his experience to get off the mark at the third attempt.

 

4:45 Newmarket – Dubai Racing Club Handicap Cl3 (3yo+ 0-90) 7f

LEADMAN (11/1, EW) could be worth chancing to get back on the scoresheet despite a lesser run on the Rowley Mile track back in May.

The Kingman gelding was an all-weather winner for Andrew Balding last term and rounded off his time with that yard when going close at Kempton in October ahead of his switch to David O’Meara. He’s run twice for his current yard, finding only one too good at Newcastle prior to that lacklustre effort latest.

He possibly didn’t handle the dip on that occasion, coming under pressure entering the dip and then hanging right on the clime to the line and fading to finish fourth, beaten around three lengths. However, he had run well on this track on his debut, which offers some home.

It may be he’s better on the all-weather, but he’s shown he can handle turf, and he can improv,e so a big run here wouldn’t come as a huge shock. He can make the frame.

 

5:20 Newmarket – debenhams.com Handicap Cl3 (3yo+ 0-90) 5f

JENEVER (11/2) turned in an improved performance refitted with cheekpieces to land the spoils at Sandown last month, and in the hope that the headgear has the same positive effect again, Jessica Macey’s charge is taken to follow up.

The Swiss Spirit gelding clearly enjoys that track, having also won there last term, and he’s run better than his bare form figures suggest on most runs in between those victorie,s including on the all-weather and when finishing fourth in last season’s Ayr Silver Cup off just 2lbs lower in the weights.

His latest outing saw him come with a late surge, having been held up early, to win going away from So Smart, scoring by just over one length. That race has thrown up a couple of subsequent winners and a 5lbs rise for the victory doesn’t look too harsh despite it being a career-high mark.

The cheekpieces he wore last time out are redeployed again in the hope the headgear has the same effect, while there’s no shortage of pace here, which will suit his hold-up style. He’s shown up well on stiff tracks before so while this is competitive, he can post another big performance in the day two finale.

 

Join BetVictor to get £20 in Horse Racing Free Bets

• Create your account via this link
• Opt In to this promotion via the Offers tab.
• Place your first Horse Racing bet of £10 or more at odds of evens 1/1 (2.00) or greater.
• You must do this within 7 days of registering an account.

Relevant news