July Festival

Seemingly banging his head against the wall over a mile and a quarter, Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) is back at the Derby trip and back into his comfort zone in Thursday's four-runner G2 Princess of Wales's S. on day one of Newmarket's July Festival. Not seen at 12 furlongs since following his Blue Riband triumph with another in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. two years ago, Godolphin's heavyweight has given no indication in two reverses in the G1 Champion S. and G1 Prince of Wales's S....

Friday's Newmarket card features arguably the July Festival's leading light as Cheveley Park Stud's Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has what appears to be a facile task in the G1 Tattersalls Falmouth S. Racegoers have the pleasure of getting up close to the latest filly star in the firmament and, while it would be insulting to say this amounts to little more than a glorified exercise gallop given the manner of her performance in the G1 Coronation S., her cramped odds say it all. Royal Ascot's explosive return to the limelight...

With the skies free of cloud, Newmarket begins its three-day July Festival on Thursday which for many afficionados of the turf is their highlight of the year. The feature on day one is the G2 Princess Of Wales's Close Brothers S., which sees Godolphin's international bigwig Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) face off against Shadwell's still-improving Mostahdaf (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Yibir may have slipped a little of late, with a surprise second to Living Legend (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the Rowley Mile's G2 Jockey Club S. presaging another disappointing reversal when...