Racing Tips – Top Tipster Steve Mullen’s best racing selections for Saturday, July 15
Steve Mullen guides you through Saturday's racing from Newmarket, York, Ascot, Chester, Salisbury and Hamilton
SATURDAY’S TV RACES
1.55 YORK
FIRNAS has very few miles on the clock and it’s interesting to see him dropped in distance for this.
He won a Newmarket maiden pulling a bus in May but hasn’t really fired since then, although he wasn’t beaten far last time. The chance in trip could unlock his undoubted potential.
2.10 ASCOT
DANZENO drops in trip for Ascot’s big sprint and it could do him the world of good.
Michael Appleby’s speedster has been a Group 1 performer in the past and looked somewhere near his best when running a cracker in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot last time.
He finished fifth of the 27 there despite being the first one to go for home. He showed lots of pace and his staying power over 6f will be an asset in the slightly soft ground here.
He’s dropped nicely down the weights and Silvestre De Sousa should be an ideal jockey for him. There’ll be no messing about, just full throttle from the off.
2.30 YORK
BARSANTI almost carried off the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot last time so this drop to Listed level should see him succeed.
He was staying on strongly over the 1m4f trip there so should relish stepping up in distance here. The ground looks ideal and the others have quite a bit to find.
2.50 NEWMARKET
CITY OF JOY was blocked off when making an eyecatching run in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out.
You can’t say he would have won but he’d have finished a lot closer than tenth. His best form has come over this distance and he landed three wins in four starts before heading to the Royal meeting.
MOST READ
3.05 YORK
VICTORY BOND looks just the type for this competitive handicap and has been aimed at the race for some time by canny trainer William Haggas.
This four-year-old has very few miles on the clock and was coming back from 11 months off when finishing a very respectable third in a big handicap on the Knavesmire in May.
That was over a mile and it looked as though the trip was on the short side as he finished with plenty of petrol left in the tank.
And he wasn’t helped by not getting the clearest passage through the race, meaning the first two home were able to challenge earlier.
That wasn’t his first good run at York. He was sixth in the Dante as a three-year-old when Haggas thought he might be a Derby contender. That wasn’t to be but he still has time to develop into more than a handicapper.
There’s also a strong case for a small interest in Big Country. He was our pick for the Old Newton Cup last week at Haydock.
At first glance it was a disappointing effort to be beaten just shy of five lengths. But most of that ground was lost inside the final half-furlong as he ran out of gas over 1m4f.
He’s back to the course and distance that saw him win a decent handicap here last month.
Majeed is another with a big chance after his excellent second in the Wolferton Handicap at Royal Ascot last time.
He’s off the same mark as when beaten a neck there after a troubled run. He loves this trip and won’t be far away.
3.25 NEWMARKET
TASHWEEQ ran a cracker to finish a close-up third in the Royal Hunt Cup last time and has every chance in the Bunbury Cup.
Jim Crowley’s mount will have no problem dropping back a furlong and he’s arguably better over this trip anyway.
He missed his three-year-old season after putting in some classy efforts as a juvenile. He won a Doncaster Listed race and then performed with credit in a couple of Group 1s.
The Hunt Cup was just his second run after more than 18 months off and underlined his quality.
He goes from the same mark as that near-miss at the Royal meeting and his best form has come in a big field.
3.50 ASCOT
MUTAKAYYEF has been running with credit at Group 1 level, including when second in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out.
He won this race 12 months ago and he certainly hasn’t gone backwards since then.
4.00 NEWMARKET
GUSTAV KLIMT won a hot maiden pretty much as he liked at The Curragh last time and looks destined for bigger and better things.
As you would expect from a Ballydoyle colt, he is bred to be a champion and Aidan O’Brien has been patient with him. You would expect him to take another step forward here.
4.15 YORK
JUDICIAL has quite a bit more on his plate than when winning against just two rivals at Beverley last time out. But he broke the track record in landing his third win on the bounce.
The ground will suit and she deserves to take this hike in grade.
Out Do won this a couple of years ago and drops in distance after winning the Wokingham last time, while Take Cover is another previous winner who cannot be ruled out.
4.35 NEWMARKET
THE TIN MAN will have to up his game to beat Caravaggio but he’s capable of giving the Irish superstar a good run for his money.
James Fanshawe’s flyer came right back to his best when winning the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out.
He’ll get his favoured strong pace to come off and should be right on the premises again.
ASCOT
1.40 Jack Regan
2.10 Danzeno
3.15 Tirania
3.50 Mutakayyef
4.25 Christopher Wood
5.00 Melting Dew
5.35 Until Midnight
NEWMARKET
1.45 Juliet Capulet
2.15 On Her Toes
2.50 City Of Joy
3.25 Tashweeq
4.00 Gustav Klimt
4.35 The Tin Man
5.05 Batts Rock
CHESTER
1.50 W G Grace
2.25 Queen In Waiting
3.00 Breakable
3.35 Hochfeld
4.10 The Amber Fort
4.40 Suitor
5.10 Right Action
YORK
1.55 Firnas
2.30 Barasanti
3.05 Victory Bond
3.40 Encrypted
4.15 Judicial
4.45 Gabrial's Star
5.15 Jim Rockford
SALISBURY
5.50 Strategic
6.20 Whitecrest
6.50 Island Of Life
7.20 Zamalight
7.50 Twenty Times
8.20 Estrellada
8.50 Prosper
HAMILTON
6.05 Villa Tora
6.35 Salvatore Fury
7.05 Kenny The Captain
7.35 Northwest Frontier
8.05 Schmooze
8.35 Let Right Be Done
9.05 Forever A Lady