Saturday Ante Post Tips: Notable looks well worth a bet in Newmarket July Cup

• Three days of Newmarket's July meeting on ITV

• Two handicap picks at 6/17.00 and 16/117.00 appeal at this stage

• Alan Dudman also give his verdict on the Group 1 July Cup on Saturday 

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Thursday, Newmarket - 16:45: Back Elarak @ BSP

Three days of Newmarket's July meeting is the perfect antidote to what has been a low-key few days, and for us starved of the quality have a trio of afternoon delights on the ITV cameras.

There's only one horse I am interested in at this stage for the Thursday and that's Charlie Hills' Elarak.

Now the caveat to start with is that he holds an entry on the the Saturday for the Bet365 Mile, although Jim Crowley is jocked up which suggests Thursday should be all systems go.

He's a three-year-old who used a nice sighter late October in 2024 to build on with experience, and he came out to win at Lingfield and Newmarket this year - on both occasions flying through on the the good to firm ground.

The form of his novice win at Newmarket under a penalty was nothing special with the second previously beaten in a novice at Leicester, but that horse was whizzed past effortlessly with a bit of aesthetic curation, and he certainly was strong at the end. His final two furlongs were clocked at 11.46 and 12.94 - in comparison to the runner up's 11.83 and 13.74.

He's a son of Kingman, so it makes sense Hills sticks to the mile for the rise in class, but on the evidence of Newmarket will get 1m2f I am sure.

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Friday, Newmarket - 13:50: Back Alpine Trail @ 6/17.00

Pride Of Arras' recent efforts continue to dent the Dante form. The winner has been stuffed, the second stuffed and the third at least ran with credit at Royal Ascot in Wimbledon Hawkeye.

The fourth Nightwalker was another in the "stuffed" category, but at least the Dante fifth The Lion In Winter ran a fine third in the Prix Jean Prat over the weekend.

It leads us to Charlie Appleby's Alpine Trail as he drops into handicap company with a mark of 104.

He ran a shocker in the Dante, but he'd looked the part in three wins from three starts prior and the 6/17.00 is attractive enough for him as the top weight.

The mini-spree stared in February winning by three lengths at Wolverhampton, and this turf season has added Yarmouth and Newmarket victories both by three lengths.

His latest was at Listed level, again form that looks far from elite, but crucially he made all and found a big surge in and out of the Dip. Apparently not a sharp horse in his work at home and a big frame, and Appleby mentioned the Lingfield Derby Trial post-Newmarket.

He opted for York - which ended in disaster. But a 1m2f, quick ground for a handicap run, he's one of the more interesting players in the race.

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Falmouth Stakes looks difficult on Friday

The Group 1 Falmouth Stakes seems to hold horses I've backed without joy. Former 1,000 Guineas winner Elmalka (no I didn't back her then) continues to disappoint me.

Saeed bin Suroor's Elwateen is another. I put her up as a fairly big price for this year's 1,000, and while it was a fair run in fourth, it was far from convincing, and she ran a nothing race in the Oaks at Epsom.

At least she's back down to 1m.

Running Lion looks beatable, while Cindrella's Dream was one of my Royal Ascot picks in the column for the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge, but I thought she was given a poor ride with too much to do.

What are we left with?

Aidan O'Brien has three in entries stage with January, Exactly and Bedtime Story, and as ever with Ballydoyle, predicting anything with jockeys, tactics or even who runs is a waste of time.

January was third in the Group 1 Coronation behind Cercene, and that's form I don't trust. But on her juvenile form against Desert Flower she could have a big say.

James Fanshawe's Pina Solada did no more than expected to win at Leicester at silly odds, and while rated just 94, looks a filly with ability, but the 33s on the Sportsbook tells the story.

Cinderella's Dream heads the Sportsbook at 5/23.50, and with doubts about the ground for a couple of other contenders, this race looks too much of an awkward race.

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Saturday, Newmarket - 14:50: Back Myal E/W @ 16/117.00

William Haggas could have a live one in the Bunbury Cup - as Wokingham runner-up More Thunder will be looking for some compensation for his backers as the ante-post favourite for Saturday's big 7f Handicap, but at 5/23.50, there's some value surely to be had elsewhere.

One of those is the Steph Hollinshead-trained Myal, and he's enjoying a terrific campaign in some hot handicaps.

He was third at Doncaster in the Spring Mile off 90 in March, and has backed it up with run after run by beating Gorak (in here too) at Haydock, five lengths behind in the Victoria Cup soon after, a win at Chester (ahead of Holguin) off 95, and a superb fourth at Royal Ascot in the Buckingham Palace.

Myal has been a credit to his trainer and off 100, he needs to pull out more, but he's a 7f specialist that likes summer ground and he looks far too big at 16/117.00.

The four-year-old is dead straight-forward as he is ridden prominently, and he runs from the same mark and is unchanged from Ascot.

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Saturday, Newmarket - 16:35: Back Notable Speech @ 7/24.50

To say I am looking forward to Notable Speech running in the Group 1 July Cup on Saturday would underplay my excitement. I've always loved the horse with his push-button acceleration and potent turn of foot, and hopefully Charlie Appleby won't be the wronged party in this after supplementing the horse, nor me.

He has shades of Delegator - a former 1m winner at Royal Ascot who was subsequently purchased by Godolphin back in the dark days but went on to win a Duke Of York down at 6f under a certain Frankie Dettori.

Has Notable Speech got the pace for 6f? I think so.

Has he got the class? He's rated 118 down from 122.

In both of his runs this year at Ascot and Newbury in the Queen Anne and Lockinge he hasn't quite got home, nor seen his race out having been too keen. It was notable at Ascot he was still travelling well over the far side when he made his move, but there wasn't an awful lot left.

Maybe he's been a pre-ordained sprinter all along and his waspish pace has been misused - although a Classic win and a Group 1 Sussex Stakes would be the counter-argument against that.

In short, the sprinters can all beat each-other, and if Notable Speech still possesses the mettle to race hard in quicker waters, I think he is the bet here at 7/24.50.

Either way, it's super sub-plot for a terrific meeting.

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