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Horseracing Betting Briefing: From Newmarket to York there's a host of top racing this week

Events RSS / / 05 July 2008 /

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Andrew Hughes takes you through the top meetings and races in British horseracing over the coming week

Betting is full of old wives tales dressed up as wisdom. For example, the novice punter is often warned about the perils of betting on handicaps, as though these races were unfathomable and not worth bothering with. Now it's true that handicaps, particularly big field contests full of tangled form lines can be tricky. But that's the challenge. It's a real test of punters mettle to find the 33-1 outsider who's been plotted up for the weekend's big betting heat. There's no feeling quite like finding a winner like that when no one else, not even the experts on the television has tipped it. So ignore received wisdom, log on to Betfair's excellent form guide for each race, courtesy of Timeform, and get stuck in.

Wednesday 9th July

Newmarket's July Festival lacks the profile of Ascot and Goodwood but offers a feast of quality racing. Best race of day one is the Falmouth Stakes, a Group One that goes from strength to strength, featuring some of the best fillies and mares around. The Cherry Hinton is an informative contest for two-year-old fillies and a chance to spot potential Classic horses amongst the big field. Meanwhile, handicap lovers will enjoy the toteswinger Stakes, an ultra-competitive cavalry charge for three-year-olds with a big prize and the Class Two EBF maiden is often used by big stables to introduce some of their more promising two year olds.

Thursday 10th July

Day two at racing HQ and the Princess of Wales's Stakes tops the bill. This is a high calibre mile-and-a-half that last year attracted a bigger field than usual and there is likely to be plenty of top quality form to pore over. Then there is the July Stakes, a big field Group race for two-year-olds that has a fine pedigree, going back 200 years. The Bahrain Trophy over 13 furlongs is traditionally a trial for the St Leger that is likely to throw up its share of Group winners. Then there's the July Festival Stakes, a ten-furlong handicap for three-year-olds and a Class Two Novice Stakes in which another group of youngsters with big futures go to post.

Friday 11th July

The highlight of the meeting, the July Cup, has become one of Europe's top sprints. Its particular thrill is in the bringing together of the best three-year-old sprinters with their elders. Raven's Pass is currently antepost favourite but is likely to be around the [7.0] mark closer to the day. The Superlative Stakes is another quality Pattern contest for two-year-olds that sees a number of previous winners stepping up to seven furlongs for the first time and ante-post Guineas players will be paying close attention. Rivalling the July Cup for popularity is the Bunbury Cup, a grand old handicap charge up the galloping seven furlongs. And it may be worth taking an interest in the Class 2 Maiden for fillies that is bound to feature another batch of two-year-olds with potential.

Meanwhile, the John Smith's Cup meeting gets underway at York, featuring the Summer Stakes, a six furlong dash for fillies and mares and a decent handicap, the Cadbury Cup, over 12 furlongs.

Saturday 12th July

John Smiths Cup day at York is always a great betting prospect. The main event is a valuable handicap for all ages in which it can often pay to look out for progressive three-year-olds. Sir Mark Prescott's Caravel is ante-post favourite in an immature market but the betting will gather pace throughout the week. The supporting card features a clutch of solid looking handicaps, headed by the Silver Cup, a Listed contest over a stamina sapping 14 furlongs.

Meanwhile, Ascot's valuable mile race, the Summer Stakes is bound to attract a field of quality class milers, nicely positioned as it is in the racing calendar between the Queen Anne and the Sussex Stakes.

Finally, the Curragh stages a couple of Group Threes, the Minstrel Stakes over seven furlongs and the International Stakes over nine. Both attract horses just shy of top class but are keenly contested despite the small fields.

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