Thursday Racing Cheat Sheet: Best bets for Newmarket July Meeting Day 1

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Thursday horse racing tips and insight - Newmarket

13:50 Newmarket - Sam Turner says: Scandinavia to prove a class above in opener

Less than a length separated Futhur and Scandinavia when the duo met at Royal Ascot in the Queen's Vase and this test looks sure to see them both well matched once more.

Furthur has already run to the level required to win this event having emerged with credit from the Chester Vase which obviously featured two-time Derby hero Lambourn as well as Epsom and Curragh placed Lazy Griff.

Just for good measure, third-home Convergent was also narrowly beaten in a Derby, the German version, on Sunday and with Thrice also scoring having finished sixth at Chester, the form looks rock solid.

In contrast, Scandinavia's first taste of Group glory came three weeks ago at the Royal meeting and he still looked a little raw that day, struggling to quicken with the main protagonists turning for home, before galloping on strongly at the line.

The cheekpieces which have been added today should help concentrate the mind and, given he is the chose one from multiple Ballydoyle entres, his handler must be happy with his progress since Ascot so he is taken to reverse the placings.

14:25 Newmarket - Mark Milligan says: Brussels to down favourite Maximized

Unbeaten in two starts, Maximized looks sure to be popular as he goes in search of the hat-trick in the 6f Group 2 July Stakes for two-year-olds.

Charlie Appleby's expensive breeze-up purchase was an impressive winner of a novice contest at Haydock on debut and then followed up tidily in the Woodcote at Epsom, getting the better of one who subsequently went on to land the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot.

That's clearly strong form and his chance is respected, but Aidan O'Brien can do little wrong with his juveniles this season and he has another promising type in opposition in the shape of Brussels.

This son of Wootton Bassett created a good impression when getting the better of stablemate Kansas in a maiden at the Curragh on his sole start and the form was franked by that one and the third both going in subsequently.

The timefigure was also good for a maiden and there should be plenty more to come from this one.

15:00 Newmarket - Sam Turner says: Double Rush one of two E/W plays in the race

The draw served to conspire against Double Rush last time at York and he is worth another chance to confirm the impression that he is a sprinter on the up.

A little marooned in stall 20, rider Shane Foley was stuck on the wing towards the stands' side rail for much of the feature Macmillan Sprint Handicap on the Knavesmire which, given the first two home were drawn 10 and five, and raced middle to far side, was a sizeable disadvantage.

The front-running winner that day, Hucklesbrook, reopposes here from stall 17 so there should be no little pace for the selection to run at with American Style (14), Tawasol (12) and Crestofdistinction (9) all in close proximity to tow him into the race.

That early-season win on the Rowley Mile off a mark of 85 under Jason Watson (2-2 on him) suggested the Blue Point colt ought to be highly competititve off his current rating and he looks to have the ideal set up to endorse that view.

15:35 Newmarket - Timeform says: Ghostwriter to justify big money buy in Princess Of Wales's Stakes

Newmarket's Princess of Wales's Stakes looks a good opportunity for Clive Cox's Ghostwriter to get his head in front for the first time since he ended his unbeaten two-year-old season with victory in the Royal Lodge Stakes on the Rowley Mile.

Campaigned exclusively at Group 1 level since until his most recent start, Ghostwriter twice finished third behind Derby winner City of Troy last year, in the Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International, and this looks an easier Group 2 assignment than the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot he ran in last time when third again behind high-class gelding Rebel's Romance.

That was also Ghostwriter's first try at a mile and a half and he saw it out well, staying on to finish a place in front of Palladium who looks his main danger here. 5 lb clear in the Timeform ratings, he can win back a bit more of the £2 million Amo Racing paid for him just before his latest start.

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