My Pension Expert July Cup

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We’ve got tips, connections opinions and key video recaps for the My Pension Expert July Cup in Newmarket.

4.35 Newmarket – My Pension Expert July Cup

Matt Brocklebank – Art Power (each side)

The July Cup at Newmarket is a unique type of test and many horses, including Brando and Tropics, have completed the test more than once in recent years. They have done so with great chance and perhaps ARTIFICIAL POWERFourth in this race for the past two seasons, he could play a role again. He is likely to struggle to win another Group 1 in his career, but he showed he still has plenty of hunger with his efforts in the Duke Of York and when beaten by just a length at the Curragh in May this year. He could easily bounce back from a poor run at Ascot, where the ground was a little too lively for him and therefore looks too expensive.

Ben Linfoot – Mill Stream (one way)

MILL POWER seems a little underrated in the betting given that he had run a cracker in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes behind two Ascot specialists and this test on the July Course looks his best chance of top-flight glory. Six furlongs at York on good ground is another good test of speed and he handled it admirably in the 1895 Duke of York Stakes, finishing well despite a less than clear run to beat a strong field that included subsequent winners such as Shouldvebeenaring, Montassib and Khaadem.

Time Form Top Rated

IISHERIN (classification 3 lb clear)

What the connections say

Ed Crisford is confident Vandeek is back in full force and looking to revive his season in the My Pension Expert July Cup at Newmarket. The Havana Grey colt looked set to take a high position in the sprint division after an unbeaten junior year that included Group One victories in the Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes, but his three-year-old campaign has been a bumpy one so far.

Vandeek suffered a narrow defeat to Inisherin on his comeback in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock in late May and had to watch from the sidelines as the same horse crushed his rivals in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last month.

With Inisherin set to face him again on Saturday, Crisford will be well aware that his star rider will have a tough job getting back on winning track. However, the Newmarket rider will be hoping that a positive performance on the course in July will ensure a profitable second half of 2024.

Crisford, who trains Vandeek in partnership with his father Simon, said: “It was a shame we couldn’t run at Ascot because of the blood counts but he’s been in great form since then and is back to full health. I’m looking forward to getting him running, to be honest. It’s been a tough first half of the year but he just needs to get racing now. He’s had that run at Haydock on that bad ground, this is his second run and we couldn’t be happier with him for Saturday. Inisherin looked really good at Ascot and our guy needs to come and race so we’ll see how we get on.”

Inisherine‘s jockey Tom Eaves hailed the Kevin Ryan-trained colt as “the best I’ve ever sat on” ahead of his bid for back-to-back Group One victories. Eaves has won top-level sprints with the likes of Glass Slippers, who went on to win the Breeders’ Cup, Brando and Tangerine Trees, but there’s no doubt Inisherin has more class than any of those three.

“Inisherin is a very good horse. He’s the best horse I’ve ever been on, so I’m looking forward to Saturday. He’s got a very good brain and a lot of raw ability,” said the rider. “I was placed twice (in the July Cup) with Brando at quite high prices, so you’d hope Inisherin would have an even better chance as favourite, but he’s a very strong Group 1. Kevin is a very good trainer of all types of horses, not just sprinters. Look at what he did with The Grey Gatsby, for example. He treats them all individually and he leaves no stone unturned, but it’s fair to say his record with sprinters is exceptional.”

The other two three-year-olds in the field are Jasour, Clive Cox’s number three in the Commonwealth Cup, and River Tiber, Aidan O’Brien’s number eight, who was a bit of a disappointment when he finished eighth in the Jersey standings at the Royal Meeting.

Jasour won the July Stakes over this distance and course 12 months ago. Cox believes that, as long as conditions do not deteriorate, another bold attempt is in the offing.

“I’m really pleased with him and I was really pleased to walk the course (on Thursday) and see that the course still looks good despite the rain. If it stops raining I’ll be really pleased,” said the Lambourn trainer. “It’s a strong race and the three-year-olds normally have a good chance of competing against their older horses in this race. I’m looking forward to it and just hope it doesn’t rain too much – there’s no doubt he’s a better horse on faster ground.”

River Tiber finished a creditable third in the Irish 2,000 Guineas before a disappointing performance at Royal Ascot. Rider Ryan Moore will be interested to see how he fares on the return leg over six furlongs.

“Given the promise of his comeback in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, you have to say he was a long way off the mark in the Jersey Stakes last time out, but he’s a horse who has always shown plenty of pace and hopefully this test will suit him,” Moore told Betfair.

“He won Coventry and was placed in the Morny and Middle Park and he should have a fair chance here if he carries his Classic form with him. He certainly has the Group One class to come close.”

One of the older horses in the line-up with a Group 1 win to his name is Ed Bethell’s Regionalafter winning gold in the Sprint Cup at Haydock last year. A bargain from Richard Fahey’s stable for just 3,500 guineas, the six-year-old showed his versatility over five furlongs at Ascot when he finished second to Asfoora in the King Charles III Stakes.

Bethell said: “Regional has been absolutely brilliant for us. To have a horse like him for the big days is what we do it all for. He’s a legend to have around. He ran a stunning race at Ascot and to come back for six furlongs at Newmarket will be a natural fit for him.”

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