Day 2 of Newmarket's July Festival, and a good afternoon for the ratings. Here is how it unfolded, race by race, with the result grids and how our selections got on.
Our review of the opening two races is free to read below. The rest of the card, and how our top-rated fared right through to the finish, is for Premium and Pro members.
Won by our top-rated runner, Heraldry, a nice winner who came around the outside and picked up strongly. Liam's selection, Laureate Crown, was a frustrating third, for two reasons: he was beaten by the top-rated, and he did not get the smoothest of runs from Oisin Murphy. Whether that was a poor ride or simply an unlucky one, unable to find a way through, is hard to say, and he may just be a touch tricky to win with. Even with a clear passage he might not have won, because he was very keen throughout, though a stronger pace to aim at could have brought him right into it. He is one to keep firmly onside, as he will surely win soon, and it will be interesting to see where they go next.
The 1:50 result: our top-rated Heraldry winning, with Liam's pick Laureate Crown a keen third.
Won by the top-rated Senorita Bonita, making it two from two for our number one at Newmarket. Our ratings got it right and the market got it wrong, and so, tellingly, did our members: of those who napped this race, four Free members were on Libertango and just one on Senorita Bonita, whereas five Premium members were on Senorita Bonita and only one on Libertango. Those on the winner included Liam, for whom she was the nap of the day. She was a good winner despite being keen herself: hampered early and lit up, she was still good enough to win. Oisin Murphy was gentle with her when the time came, letting her come down the dip before getting after her to make sure she got home. Libertango, by contrast, was ridden to use her stamina and was asked a fraction earlier, but she was run down by the speedier and probably just better Senorita Bonita.
The 2:25 result: our top-rated Senorita Bonita, Liam's nap of the day, running down Libertango.
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Won by the top-rated Valedictory, our selection, making it three from three at the course for the top-rated on the day, with Heraldry, Senorita Bonita and Valedictory all winning, and two of them turning over short-priced favourites, which is always satisfying. The race was dictated by Wine Dark Sea and Lewis Edmunds on the rail, but he simply did not get home. Having bowled along in front, he had nothing left late, a really disappointing effort and a concern for connections who bought him with the Melbourne Cup in mind. It left the door open for Valedictory, who was given a lovely ride by William Buick, brought down the outside off the rail, much as Buick had done on Heraldry earlier in the day, and picking up strongly to win well. Our other selection, Oneforthegutter, was disappointing, though there is an excuse: he looked to get stuck in behind the weakening Wine Dark Sea and never got a run at all. He is not running to form and deserves another chance, and this looks a case of finding him a race where things fall right next time.
Looking further ahead, there are two here to keep firmly in mind, both from the Ian Williams yard. Oneforthegutter, as covered above, should drop a few pounds for this, and I would expect them to go looking for a race to get him winning again and back into the Ebor, where he finished third in 2024. Their other runner, Beylerbeyi, was desperately unlucky, never getting a clear passage and unable to get through when he needed to. He has been shuffled about on trip since winning the Cesarewitch over 2m2f, tried too short at times and too far at others, and this 1m6f finally looked the right test before the trouble in running. The handicapper is unlikely to do much with him off this, and a return to the Cesarewitch, which he won comfortably last year beating Dawn Rising and Bunting, looks the obvious target, perhaps via the Ebor. If he gets in off anything below 100, he would go very close again. Keep both of these Williams horses onside, with the Ebor an option for the pair and the Cesarewitch firmly in mind for Beylerbeyi.
The 3:00 result: our top-rated Valedictory winning under William Buick, the third top-rated winner on the day.
You guessed it: won by the top-rated Blue Bolt, turning over the odds-on favourite. That makes it three odds-on favourites beaten by our number one at Newmarket on the day, and four top-rated winners from four races. Blue Bolt was much the best here, and given a really good ride by Colin Keane, who did not press the button until he had to. He let Blue Bolt travel sweetly and even begin to ease away, rather than letting the others close up and get to her before responding, as you so often see. He let her slip a length clear of Precise while travelling far the better, and when he did ask, the response was immediate, with Precise off the bridle some way out. She stayed on nicely at the finish, but she may just not be quite good enough at this level against the older horses at this stage of her career, and a step up to 1m2f could be worth a try. Either way, the ratings got it spot on again.
The 3:35 result: our top-rated Blue Bolt beating the odds-on Precise, a third odds-on favourite turned over on the day.
Won by the top-rated Acting Lady under William Buick, making it five top-rated winners from five at Newmarket. She switched off really nicely, got a lovely lead off the couple in front of her, and it was probably just experience that told in the end. The one to take out of the race, though, is the Billy Loughnane-ridden Sorrengail, who ended up fourth on what was very much a learning, introductory effort; with a clear run we think she might even have gone close. Sierra Belle, who was second, is another nice sort to follow. One or both should be winning soon.
The 4:10 result: our top-rated Acting Lady winning, with Sorrengail (4th) the one to take out of it.
Top-rated again, and Liam's next-best selection: Twilight Calls got there right on the line to make it six from six for our number one at Newmarket. It was a battle of the pale colours, Twilight Calls getting his nose in front of Rapper's Delight, carried in the same owner's silks, with Emperor Spirit back in third. The pair behind actually passed the post together, but after a stewards' inquiry Emperor Spirit was demoted for interference, leaving Rapper's Delight second on his own and Emperor Spirit third. A fantastic result to see Twilight Calls get up, and six top-rated winners from six. Can we make it seven?
The 4:45 result: our top-rated Twilight Calls getting up on the line, six from six on the day.
The winning run of top-rated came to an end here, with Sierra Sands coming down the near side and picking up strongly late, though we have to be honest and say we were a little disappointed. Mostly that was with the ride on our selection Flight Control, who finished a very close third under William Pyle but needed to be ridden with much more urgency and got after far earlier. We said in our preview that if he was there travelling with a furlong to run he would finish best of all, and he was there, but William was simply not asking him for enough, and it was not the strongest of rides. They did not go a strong gallop either, despite the winner coming from the back of the field, and Lion Of Mali split the pair we had talked about to run into second. We are really confident the best horse in the race did not win, and if the Frost yard put a top-class jockey up next time in place of William Pyle, Flight Control looks a handicap winner in waiting, one who should be better again over a bit further.
The 5:20 result: Sierra Sands winning, with our Flight Control back in third and the top-rated Toastmaster only fifth.
All told, a brilliant day for the ratings: six top-rated winners from the first six races at Newmarket, three odds-on favourites turned over, and in the one that got away we are convinced the best horse did not win.
If you have read this far, thank you. We would genuinely love your feedback on these reviews, so please let us know what you think. See who we like across the weekend in our Saturday preview.
