Saturday Racing Tips: Kevin Blake backs two at Newmarket including 9/1 Bluelight Bay

• Little Big Bear in action but not strong enough to tip

• Bluelight Bay's mile trip excites me

• City Of Troy's speed toward the end makes him strong

The July meeting at Newmarket is well underway by the time you'll be reading this and we have Group 1 action to look forward to at it live on ITV Racing on Saturday. The big race looks particularly tricky and while I would be prepared to give Little Big Bear another chance, I don't feel strongly enough to make him one of my selections in this column.

Newmarket - 14:50 - Back Bluelight Bay

For that, the first race of interest is the Bet365 Mile Handicap (14:50) and the one I like is the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained Bluelight Bay. The son of Exceed And Excel looked a bright prospect when winning a maiden at Windsor last year, but didn't quite make the jump up to stakes company at the time.

Gelded after a disappointing return at Newmarket in April, he shaped with a bit more promise in a valuable seven-furlong handicap at Epsom on his penultimate start.

It was after that his connections decided to try him at a mile for the first time in a handicap at Salisbury and it was his performance there that makes him of interest in this contest.

Held up after being somewhat squeezed out at the start, Bluelight Bay was ridden with patience, but began to make stealthy headway in amongst horses until being pulled out to launch a challenge a furlong out.

Despite stepping into unknown territory regarding his stamina, he was at his strongest inside the final 100 yards and drew clear close home.

Now that his connections know that he has the stamina for this trip, he might well be able to belatedly fulfil the promise that he showed early in his career. This race looks like it will set up well for him, conditions will suit and another big run looks likely to be forthcoming from him.

Newmarket - 15:25 - Back City Of Troy

The Bet365 Superlative Stakes (15:25) brings together a really exciting field of juveniles and it could well have a serious impact on the markets for the Classics next season. There are any number of well-bred and promising youngsters on show, but the one that stands out for me is the Aidan O'Brien-trained City Of Troy.

City Of Troy is a colt from the second crop of the Triple Crown winner Justify that is out of the Fillies' Mile winner Together Forever and is a full-brother to the progressive three-year-old Bertinelli.

Originally declared to make his debut in a six-furlong maiden on Irish Guineas weekend, he was sent off at 6/4 for a seven-furlong maiden at the Curragh a fortnight ago.

Given a positive ride by Moore, he disputed the lead soon after the start and travelled kindly at what was a steady tempo. He was asked to go through the gears from before the three-furlong pole, but it wasn't until the final furlong that he really began to open up.

He powered to the line and indeed well beyond it, with Moore having to apply the full brakes to City Of Troy as he was still travelling at a fair speed as he approached the fence at the end of the pull-up area. That speaks volumes for just how much running the horse had left to give.

It is a surprise to see City Of Troy turned out again quite so quickly, but that doesn't serve to dampen enthusiasm levels for him. He is a very exciting prospect and while his price is relatively short, it will be disappointing if he doesn't get the job done.

Find Tony Calvin's four tips on Saturday here from York and Newmarket!

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