Megan Nicholls BetMGM Preview – Newmarket July Festival Day 1 Tips
NEWMARKET JULY FESTIVAL DAY 1 RACING TIPS
Newmarket 1.50 – Bahrain Trophy Stakes
I’m going with Point Of Law (9/4) here in what is a small field.
He’s only lightly raced but was a real eye-catcher in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.
Point Of Law took a pretty big bump early on, fairly quickly into the bend, then he lost his position and got unbalanced, running a little bit keen after that.
He did still manage to fly home from the rear though and he wasn’t far behind Del Maro in the end, who got a much smoother passage round.
Del Maro has lots of experience and looks exposed, whereas I think Point Of Law could be the one to improve the most.
In a smaller field, hopefully he will have a nicer trip round.
Megan’s Tip: Point Of Law WIN
Newmarket 2.25 – July Stakes
Adaay Of Scarlett’s (15/8) experience is no harm here.
He ran very well into second in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot – won the battle on his side slightly and I thought he looked a better and improved horse up until the six furlongs.
I would imagine when he hits the rising ground on the July Course he’ll really start to stay on.
Adaay Of Scarlett won his debut on the Rowley Mile so he shouldn’t have any issues with this undulating track either.
Inner City Blues (4/6 fav) is the talking horse here – only one start at York, where he won well and the second and third that day have won since albeit only maiden or novices’.
Effectively, he has got to put up the equivalent of a Coventry-winning performance on his second start in order to beat Adaay Of Scarlett.
Inner City Blues may well be the better horse down the line but I’m going with Adaay Of Scarlett’s experience here.
I imagine he’ll jump and sit with Hickory Lad (15/2), the most likely pacemaker, and try to outstay his rivals with that experience.
Megan’s Tip: Adaay Of Scarlett WIN
Newmarket 3.00 – Heritage Handicap
Calico Blue (6/1) and Red Spells Danger (11/2) are the two that I like in this three-year-old sprint.
Red Spells Danger looked as if York didn’t necessarily suit him last time when beaten by Thunder Call (7/2 fav) but he did still manage to run on well towards the line and get up for second.
A stiffer finish at Newmarket should suit him.
He is off a high mark but is rapidly improving and Tim Easterby does really well with this type of horse – he’s my each-way selection as a result.
Calico Blue is lightly raced, yet to be out of the frame, very consistent and ran very well at Royal Ascot in the Palace Of Holyroodhouse.
He’s yet to try a stiff six furlongs so he’s got stamina to prove in that sense; his prior wins were at Chester so a much sharper track.
If he handles it, which he should do from what we’ve seen, then he will go very well again.
Both are solid options in what is a nice big field – especially with BetMGM paying four places each way on this one.
Megan’s Tip: Calico Blue WIN; Red Spells Danger E/W
Newmarket 3.35 – Princess Of Wales's Stakes
It’s hard to go against Rebel’s Romance (11/10 fav), a nine-time Group 1 winner with an incredible record.
Charlie Appleby made it pretty clear that, now he is an older horse at eight years old, they very much have to target through his season and his inclusion here has obviously been mapped out for a while.
We last saw him back at Meydan in February so it has been a little while since we’ve seen him but I have no doubt he’ll be very much prepared for this.
He’s still proven, even at an older age, that he has retained all that talent; he was second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf and then came back to win at Meydan in the City of Gold.
I imagine the longer-term plan would be to go back to the Breeders’ Cup Turf and then back to Dubai again.
This is very much his target coming back and I see him hard to beat.
Megan’s Tip: Rebel’s Romance WIN
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation
