There are no Group One events on the first afternoon of Newmarket’s July Festival meeting, but there is still something for pretty much everyone in the four televised events (on ITV3) including the Coventry Stakes winner Rajasinghe’s attempt to see off a fresh set of juvenile opponents in the July Stakes and a St Leger trial at the top of the card, but the race that offers the deepest, and potentially most rewarding, puzzle is the three-year-old handicap at 3.00, which is always one of the strongest of its type all season.
There is a long list of possible winners, most of which remain unexposed and open to significant improvement. Cartographer, the likely favourite at around 6-1, is the most obvious example after an easy win over this track and trip last time out, while Mostahel, a full brother to the King’s Stand Stakes winner Equiano, is another who could easily prove to be much better than a handicapper.
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