Six races take place on ITV Racing on Thursday afternoon, headed by four races from Newmarket’s July Course, where there are two Group Two races on the agenda.
Doncaster also features two races, which includes a potential St Leger trial.
13:50 NEWMARKET – Bahrain Trophy Stakes (Group 3) Cl1 (3yo) 1m5f
The first two home in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot reoppose, and it might be worth chancing POINT OF LAW (11/4) to turn the tables on Del Maro who finished two places ahead of him.
The latter-named finished a nose runner-up, while the selection finished fourth although he didn’t enjoy the best of runs and that performance can be marked up given he was last early and the Frankel colt had to chart the widest course of the runners turning into the straight, giving up ground and others including the runner-up got a run on him.
All things considered, he did very well to finish as close as he did to the winner, beaten just over one and a half lengths in the end, and there could be better to come from him after just three career starts.
14:10 DONCASTER – Betfred Champagne Trial EBF Novice Stakes (GBB Race) Cl2 (2yo) 7f
AMIR LEHAB (4/1) turned in a very satisfactory performance on debut at Newbury last month, beaten just a neck into third behind Silver Dominion and with further improvement expected, then it might be worth sticking with Andrew Balding’s charge here.
The No Nay Never colt travelled well in that race, taking up the running entering the last furlong, although he was soon headed and run down late. He’ll have learned plenty from that defeat, and he could well improve markedly for the experience.
Quicker ground to contend with here ought not to present too many problems, while this longer trip could prove another source of progress, and he should make his presence felt again as he bids to get off the mark at the second attempt.
14:25 NEWMARKET – Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings) Cl1 (2yo) 6f
Coventry Stakes runner-up Adaay Of Scarlett ought to go close again, but once-raced INNER CITY BLUES (4/5) caught the eye when making a winning debut at York last month in a race that is working out well, and Charlie Appleby’s charge can improve for the experience to strike again.
The Blue Point colt was held up early in that debut, but he came through stylishly and only needed pushed out to score by two lengths from Stardon Glory who has won since along with the third horse home.
While the overall form perhaps isn’t as strong as that of Hugo Palmer’s rival, who had also finished runner-up in a Listed contest before Ascot, he nevertheless has plenty of improvement to come on the back of that successful first outing and he should give the Palmer horse plenty to think about.
14:45 DONCASTER – Betfred St Leger Trial Novice Stakes (GBB/GBBPlus) Cl2 (3yo) 1m4f
ACCORDING TO MARK (9/2) is taken to get off the mark at the fourth attempt, having found only one too good in recent starts over trips shorter than this.
Ed Bethell’s charge went closest to a win two starts ago at Redcar when denied by a short head behind Mr Colonel, and he again bagged a runner-up finish at Pontefract when last seen out.
The form of his Redcar second looks fair, the winner having since placed in a Group Three at Chester and tackled the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot. There appears nothing of that calibre in opposition here, and he could improve for this longer trip, so a breakthrough victory wouldn’t be a huge shock now.
15:00 NEWMARKET – Betway Handicap (Heritage Handicap) Cl2 (3yo 0-105) 6f
CALICO BLUE (6/1) won twice last term – both at Chester – and Roger Varian’s charge can get back on the scoresheet here after promising runs in defeat the last twice.
The Calyx colt struck back-to-back wins in novice company around this time twelve months ago, and he returned this campaign to go close at Sandown on his handicap debut, where he was beaten less than one length behind Black Star Boy. He then went to Royal Ascot and the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Handicap where he finished fourth, beaten around four lengths having raced down the centre of the track in a race where the nearside had the best of the race.
Both starts this term have come at the minimum trip, but both of last season’s wins came over six furlongs which is the distance he’ll race over here and he can compete from the same mark as at Royal Ascot so another big performance wouldn’t come as a surprise now returning to a more suitable trip.
15:35 NEWMARKET – Princess Of Wales’s Stakes (Sponsored By The Kingdom Of Bahrain) (Group 2) Cl1 (3yo+) 1m4f
Convergent might ideally want some cut in the ground, so REBEL’S ROMANCE (Evens) looks the way to go in the finale for Team Godolphin.
Charlie Appleby’s Dubawi gelding is a classy sort who knows how to win and he does especially well when fresh as evidenced when winning the City Of Gold Stakes at Meydan back in February when last seen out. That run came on the back of a similar layoff to that he faces here, but the victory showed he’s very capable when fresh.
A four-time winner in 2025 which included Group two victories at both York and Ascot, he was far from disgraced when finishing third in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes behind Calandagan before heading stateside where he won at Belmonth and finished runner-up at the Breeders’ Cup.
He brings the best form into this race, has proven himself very capable of a big run on the back of a break, and quick ground holds no fears so he could prove tough to beat in the TV finale.
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Brian joined the team a couple of years ago but he has a long background in writing horse racing content and betting tips. Having worked for a number of publications in the past, such as RacingTips, Brian made the move to thatsagoal and is the main content writer across flat and National Hunt racing.