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Newmarket Ready for Exciting July Festival Meeting
10/07/13

The July Festival at Newmarket is always one of the highlights of flat racing's summer period and this year’s meeting, which runs from Thursday 11th - Saturday 13th, shouldn't disappoint.

Shea Shea
© Caroline Norris

Racing fans will descend on the July course for three cracking days of action at racing HQ with the feature race being the July Cup on Saturday afternoon. The Group One race over six furlong event has attracted some of the best sprinters in the game with South African Raider, Shea Shea, the current market leader.

The pick of Thursday's races is the Group Two Princess of Wales’s Stakes run over 1m 4f, which has been won by some very good horses indeed over the years. It always attracts a good field and once again there are some nice types engaged for the highlight of the first day of the July Festival. Godolphin have a couple of nice sorts in the field in the form of Cavalryman (4/1) and Ahzeemah (8/1) while the likes of Wigmore Hall (13/2) and Danadana (4/1) should also run their races.

Sky Lantern
© Racehorse Photos

The fillies take centre stage on Friday with the Falmouth Stakes the feature race on the card. The Falmouth is a Group One race over a mile and there looks to be a clear favourite engaged for this one in the form of Sky Lantern. The Richard Hannon trained three year old is an 11/10 shot with Bet365 for the Falmouth after her 1000 Guineas win was followed up by a stunning success at Royal Ascot last time out. The Red Clubs filly looked something special when winning the Coronation Stakes last month but this could well be her toughest assignment to date now up against older rivals. Elusive Kate (3/1) is a Group One winner who takes her chance and Ascot winner, Duntle makes another trip across the Irish Sea for David Wachman and both should give the favourite plenty to think about but the feeling is that Sky Lantern could be special and in receipt of 9lb of the market rivals should take all the beating.

Fig Roll
© Racehorse Photos

The second big race of the day on Friday is the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes over six furlongs. The Group Two race is for two-year-old fillies only and often gives early classic clues ahead of next season with some excellent youngsters winning this one in the past. Among those to keep an eye out for include Fig Roll who will go for Richard Hannon and Wee Jean who won her only start to date for trainer Mick Channon and jockey Martin Harley. Expect the winner to jump to the forefront of the antepost 1000 Guineas betting and be a lead player in some of the leading two year championship races later in the season.

Saturday's July Cup is the main event of the meeting with the odds suggesting that a competitive renewal can be expected. Leading the way is South African sprinter Shea Shea who is a 4/1 chance in the current betting; last seen finishing a close up second behind Sole Power (10/1) in the King's Stand Stakes at the Royal Meeting, the pair will renew their rivalry over a furlong further at the Suffolk venue with the Mike de Kock trained Shea Shea fancied to reverse the form. Another Royal Ascot winner set to take his chance is Gale Force Ten for the Aidan O'Brien stable. Any Ballydoyle trained runner has to be respected and at 7/1 with Betfred or Ladbrokes, the three year old will be a danger to all as he looks to build on his impressive Jersey Stakes success last time out.