Newmarket July Festival days one and two rides

THURSDAY

 FRANKELLA – 1.20 Newmarket

She doesn’t stay seven at this stage and she’s coming back to six again in the opening fillies’ maiden on Thursday. She’s beautifully bred and she’s been a little bit disappointing but hopefully she can show herself in a better light at Newmarket and we’ll know where we are after she’s run.

THE ORGANISER – 2.25 Newmarket

He was a bit hot and keen at Royal Ascot in the Coventry Stakes but won very well at York before that and his work has always been smart. I’m a big fan of the horse and I just hope he relaxes in the race as I think he can be there or thereabouts. He is a very relaxed horse at home. Ebro River is a strong contender, he ran better than his finishing position in the Coventry and Asymmetric is a lovely horse. He could go well at a decent price.

POPMASTER – 3.00 Newmarket

I haven’t done this sort of weight (8st 5lb) since I was in Japan, it’s tough work. I do feel if you forgot his Ascot run he’d be favourite for this race, so hopefully he’s worth doing the weight for. It’s obviously very competitive and dangers are everywhere, including Jumby and Blackrod. I rode the latter last time out and he’s got a great chance, he’s just 1lb too light for me, and I do think he could be even better over seven.

LEGENDARY DAY – 4.45 Newmarket

This is a progressive horse and I really liked him when I rode him at Windsor and then at Nottingham. He’s still got more to offer and I hope he’s still on the right side of the handicapper after going up 6lb for his latest win. It’s the toughest race he’s run in and a drop of rain would do him no harm, either. He’s probably best on good ground or slower.

FRIDAY

PRINCE OF REBELS – 1.15 Newmarket

A newcomer for Andrew Balding but I’ve not sat on this fellow at home. He’s a half-brother to Pogo who won a nursery at this track as a juvenile. It’s a competitive race and we’ll see how he gets on. Noble Truth is a €1.1million son of Kingman and might take a bit of beating.

KING OF CLUBS – 1.50 Newmarket

I thought this horse ran well at Sandown. I thought he’d win, but it was a bit of a messy race and he’s only gone up 1lb for that. The ground will be fine for him whatever happens with the weather. Foxes Tales, who I won on at Royal Ascot, is obviously the standout. He’s better than a handicapper. Hopefully my horse has each-way claims and is bang there at the business end.

DESERT DREAMER – 2.25 Newmarket

She should’ve won at Newmarket the other day. I was held up and then she made a big run, but didn’t really see the other horse challenge away from her. This is tougher and she takes on some good fillies in Sandrine and Flotus. The latter was good at Goodwood on debut and Sandrine is a star, probably still improving and deserves to be favourite.

LIVE YOUR DREAM – 3.00 Newmarket

This horse has got a decent profile and it’s amazing how well he stays. He’s the right type of horse for this race and his handicap mark is now 94 after going up 10lb for winning at Wolverhampton. I really like him. He’s not over big but he’s a tough little horse and I expect a bold show from him here.

ALCOHOL FREE – 3.35 Newmarket

I’ve sat on her since Royal Ascot and she’s in great form ahead of the Group One Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes. Interestingly there doesn’t look to be a lot of pace in the race. It’s very hard to know who will go forward, most of these like to sit midfield or further back. That could be a conundrum, but my filly is very versatile when it comes to how I ride her. She’s relatively uncomplicated. She just doesn’t want to get in a fight with me. She proved herself over a mile in the Coronation Stakes and I hope and think she can uphold that form here.

LA MAQUINA – 4.10 Newmarket

This horse returned from a break at Lingfield last time and will have to come on from that to get involved here. He has won at Goodwood and Kempton and finished second over this course and distance two years ago, so hopefully he can win off a mark in the mid-80s for the first time. Inveigle looks the one we all have to beat.

NIBRAS AGAIN – 4.45 Newmarket

He’s a pretty straightforward horse, he likes to travel and I rode him into second at this track last time. Hopefully we can go one better but it’s a competitive race with Twilight Calls the likely favourite, he looks like an improving three-year-old with the ideal profile.