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ITV Racing Preview for 12 July – Top Tracks Newmarket, York & Ascot All Feature

11 July 2025
Michael Lee
Michael Lee
Michael Lee
Betting Expert
Michael has worked in the sports betting industry for many years. Following football, horse racing and track and field athletics, he has covered the last three Olympic Games, World Cups and other major sporting events.
All posts by Michael Lee
Betting Expert

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ITV racing preview for 12 July

A bumper ITV Racing broadcast on Saturday, 12th July features action from Ascot, Newmarket and York. The July Festival reaches its climax at Headquarters with the Group 1 July Cup the headline event.

Down in Berkshire, meanwhile, the Group 2 Summer Mile takes centre stage. Up on the Knavesmire, where course officials have relaxed the dress code in light of the hot weather and there’s no jacket required for gentlemen, the John Smith’s Cup is the historic handicap acting as the feature.

It’s a rare thing for three top tracks to all have meetings on the same day like this. There are other Heritage Handicaps from Ascot and Newmarket with the latter serving up the Bunbury Cup to punters.

This busy ITV Racing broadcast won’t have much time to pause for breath as a dozen races including a maiden from Headquarters gets three hours of coverage underway. We’ve been working our horse racing experts hard, then!

Form study for the three Group 1 racecourses is a big ask, but they’re equal to it. After looking through the prices with horse racing bookmakers online, their conclusions are free for all to see below.

On a day like this, there’s something for everyone. From sprint handicaps to the long-distance Silver Cup over a mile-and-three-quarters, check out our experts’ views here.

ITV Racing Preview for Saturday, 12th July from Newmarket, York & Ascot

2:00 York – 7f 192y Class 2 John Smith’s Racing Handicap (0-105)

Amiloc silks Blue For You seeks a hat-trick in the opening race from York on ITV Racing off 1lb lower than when retaining his crown 12 months ago. He may well confound us all and come alive once again at this meeting for David O’Meara.

OLD COCK impressed, however, in the Hambleton Handicap here over course and distance during the Dante Festival. Ed Bethell’s four-year-old is up 4lb for that success and worse off at the weights with re-opposing second and third Sisyphean and La Trinidad, but looks open to more progress than either.

While Thirsk Hunt Cup hero Flight Plan frames the handicap and O’Meara has another runner in Bopedro, lurking off bottom weight is handicap debutant Remmooz for Owen Burrows. He wasn’t disgraced in the Jersey Stakes when fourth at Royal Ascot and now gets a handy 9lb weight for age.

2:12 Newmarket – 7f Class 2 Fillies’ Handicap (0-100)

MISS INFORMATION has won twice on ITV Racing already this season at major meetings. She stays a mile as we saw in the Kensington Palace Stakes during the Royal meeting last time. Earlier in the campaign, however, she scored over this shorter trip on the other Newmarket course.

Topweight translating to 10st 2lb is a big ask, but Miss Information only needs to produce her last run to follow-up here. Miss Nightfall may have been unlucky in her own Royal Ascot run, meanwhile, and looks clear best of the three-year-old contingent.

Raneenn looks well-weighted and worth another try over this extra furlong, meanwhile. Punters should consider forgiving her a disappointing display at York as she now has Tom Marquand taking the ride. Royal Velvet has run well at Headquarters this season, so also makes the shortlist.

2:22 Ascot – 7f 213y Group 2 Summer Mile

Eldar Eldarov silks A cracking renewal where half the field has a rating of 113 or higher. Most have won on ITV Racing before, but if there’s one from the Royal meeting who looked like a Group horse masquerading as a handicapper, it could be MY CLOUD. Roger Varian immediately nominated this race on the Round Mile after his Royal Hunt Cup success.

My Cloud will need to improve as the field contains last year’s winner Quddwah, who needs to bounce back, and the no less impressive Buckingham Palace Stakes scorer Never So Brave. A 10lb rise for his strong running on performance over 7f here last month earns Andrew Balding’s charge a 10lb rise.

Perhaps the classiest horse in the race, however, is Wolferton winner Haatem. He’s not opposed lightly for Wathnan Racing and the Richard Hannon stable, but his mile-and-a-quarter win last time suggests he might find this a little on the sharp side now, for all he’s a strong stayer over the trip.

2:35 York – Listed 5f City Walls Stakes

Jm Jungle silks Despite three-year-old Star Of Mehmas receiving 10lb weight for age from the older males and 5lb from the girls, course regular JM JUNGLE is usually there or thereabouts in handicaps. He runs consistently well for the local Quinn stable and could gain another deserved victory on ITV Racing here.

Jm Jungle is a few pounds behind Kevin Ryan pair Grand Grey and Washington Heights, but won the Epsom Dash and doesn’t mind the quick ground. The former, trained at Sutton Bank, would prefer some cut. Washington Heights, meanwhile, is an obvious threat in calmer waters than his Group assignments.

The concern with Star Of Mehmas, for all the race terms favour him, is he hasn’t finished off his races this season. Paul Mulrennan’s mount Apollo One is one in the twilight zone between Pattern performer and top-end handicapper. As for the others, they need improvement.

2:50 Newmarket – 7f Bunbury Cup Heritage Handicap

Akkadian Thunder silks A couple of well-in horses that finished runners-up on ITV Racing at Ascot last month are the ones to focus on. William Buick rides AKKADIAN THUNDER for O’Meara and that’s a significant jockey booking. Let in 4lb light on subsequent runs, his Buckingham Palace Stakes second suggests no stamina doubts.

Similarly named More Thunder is a huge threat off 3lb well-in following his narrow Wokingham Stakes second, however. Akkadian Thunder crucially receives 3lb from one of his main market rivals, however, and that is just enough to swing the vote at the prices.

Topweight Ten Pounds could also go well from 2lb well-in for Harry Charlton. Past course and distance scorers including last year’s winner Aalto must recapture their best form, but Dark Thirty is in good heart at present.

3:10 York – 1m 2f 56y John Smith’s Cup Heritage Handicap

Cheveley Park Stud silks The eye is drawn to recent course winner ARCHIVIST in the big betting race from the Knavesmire on ITV Racing. William Haggas has won this valuable middle-distance handicap more than once before and his runner could be thrown in despite a 5lb penalty.

Archivist needed most of a mile to get on top here a fortnight ago, and he’s 2lb well-in on future assignments. Receiving 10lb weight for age from all but one rival, this three-year-old looks hard to beat off second to bottom of the handicap.

Opposition comes largely from those with course and distance form. Topweight Thunder Run has a 4lb higher mark for his Dante Festival success here, but should confirm form with re-opposing third Have Secret, seventh Austrian Theory and eighth Brioni, who has won since.

See That Storm and Paddy The Squire are knocking on the door, meanwhile, and placed over course and distance ahead of Jim Goldie veteran Faylaq on that occasion. Stepping Royal Ascot handicappers Naqeeb down and Fox Legacy back up in trip look smart decisions.

The former, trained by Julie Camacho, could go well despite being just 1lb behind Thunder Run. If a seven-day turnaround isn’t too much to ask, then Ancient Rome isn’t out of this on the pick of his form either.

3:25 Newmarket – 1m Class 2 Mile Handicap (0-100)

Godolphin first colours Charlie Appleby has won this in three of the last four seasons, but Bedouin Prince might find even the Bunbury Mile on the sharp side now. He’s won over a mile-and-a-quarter, then his Rowley Mile novice success is a mixed piece of form.

Godolphin run three in all and Britannia Stakes seventh FIFTH COLUMN could well give the Gosden stable a winner in receipt of 8lb. There is no reason why he shouldn’t beat Raafedd again as the pair had similar draws against the bias last time. Fifth Column’s prior Sandown success reads well too.

Although old rivals Secret Theory and Mister Winston meet on much better terms for the latter, the former isn’t anything like as exposed. After just three starts, a break and gelding operation, Godolphin’s apparent third string could outrun his odds and do better.

3:45 York – 1m 5f 188y Group 3 John Smith’s Silver Cup

Nick Bradley Racing silks Looks a match on paper between AL QAREEM and last season’s Melrose winner Tabletalk down in grade. Preference is for the former, who toughed things out in the Grand Cup nicely over course and distance.

Karl Burke has placed Al Qareem really well and he’s no stranger to winning in front of the ITV Racing cameras. He’s a straightforward frontrunning ride for Clifford Lee and can follow-up with yet more Knavesmire success.

Tom Clover’s Tabletalk has much less on his plate here than the Hardwicke, meanwhile, and will appreciate going back up in trip. Of the others, Subsequent lacks a recent run and will surely need it against race-fit rivals.

4:00 Newmarket – 7f Group 2 Superlative Stakes

Godolphin first colours Italy crosses the Irish Sea with a big reputation, but Appleby’s impressive record of five wins in this since 2016 cannot be ignored. He runs two and Buick rides SOBA DESERT. Like the odds-on favourite for this ITV Racing juvenile event, it’s one run and win for the colt by Dubawi.

Scoring at Sandown means Soba Desert knows all about running uphill. He will definitely get further in time as well. Godolphin’s other entry Wild Desert did nothing wrong but fail to win here over course and distance last time, losing by a head to owner-stable companion Pacific Avenue.

Venetian Lace ran fourth in the Chesham, so this Charlie Johnston filly will add some context to the form. The others are more exposed, but Coventry seventh and eighth Raakeb and Bourbon Blues again provide form markers.

4:35 Newmarket – 6f Group 1 July Cup

Godolphin red cap The feature contest on ITV Racing from Headquarters found its market plunged into chaos by the surprise supplementing of Notable Speech and presumed pacemaker Spy Chief by Godolphin in the week. As a 2000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes winner from last season, the former clearly wants further.

A plan might be in the offing, however. If run at a furious gallop, then stamina may win the day. Ironically, the boys in blue have an improving type in the race already in SYMBOL OF HONOUR, who looks perfectly capable of going well if continuing his progress.

After winning a handicap, Listed and Group 2 races, there’s nowhere else for him to go but have a crack at the highest level. Buick has to ride Notable Speech, so Oisin Murphy now takes over on Symbol Of Honour.

First-time cheekpieces go on Inisherin and, if they have the desired effect, he should go well here. Ryan’s runner needed most of this trip at York to master Flora Of Bermuda, who is a great advert for fillies sprinting. Fellow female Believing looks to bow out with victory and will find the extra furlong more suitable.

Whistlejacket is again the pick of the Aidan O’Brien pair, but his winning form is with cut in the ground. It’ll be something of an upset if the July Cup doesn’t go to one of the speedsters with a rating of 110+.

4:50 Ascot – 5f Heritage Handicap

Jasour silks A top-heavy handicap to conclude the ITV Racing broadcast on 12 July with 16 of the 18 runners covered by just 11lb. REDORANGE should be topweight, but now receives a 5lb three-year-old allowance from all but one in the line-up. He ran a blinder against the draw bias when a length third in the Palace Of Holyrood House Stakes over course and distance last time.

Cylive Cox returns to Ascot with Redorange off a 4lb higher mark, but that doesn’t look insurmountable by any means for this progressive sprinter. Older horses pose the biggest dangers to the selection with Holkham Bay one who likes it here. William Knight’s runner won his group when fourth in the Wokingham over further and did well in the circumstances.

Fellow topweight Alzahir seeks a hat-trick for Jennie Candlish, meanwhile. Woodhay Wonder has two placed efforts over course and distance from last season that give hope he can run well again. Lower in the weights is Blue Day, who scored here in April but has a 7lb higher mark to contend with. Cases can be made for any number of others on their best form.

Michael Lee
Michael Lee
Betting Expert
Michael Lee
Betting Expert

Michael has worked in the sports betting industry for many years. Following football, horse racing and track and field athletics, he has covered the last three Olympic Games, World Cups and other major sporting events.

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