Newmarket July Festival: Shabeeb among Thursday tips

The Richard Hannon trained colt looked a very exciting prospect when winning his first two starts at Chester and Newbury, showing a smart turn of foot on both occasions.

Mehmas than ran very well to finish runner-up in the National Stakes at Sandown, before chasing home Caravaggio in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot when last seen in action.

The two year-old travelled strongly in the latter in the hands of Frankie Dettori before keeping on well to go down by 2 1/4 lengths to a colt that looks something special.

That form is the strongest in the line-up, and with Dettori once again in the saddle Mehmas can get back to winning ways.

Projection weighted to go well

In the 6f handicap (15.45), Projection looks on potentially handy mark and decent each-way value in a wide-open contest.

The Roger Charlton trained son of Acclamation won two of his five starts at a juvenile, and in the last of those posted an improved effort when beating Tabarrak by a neck in a conditions contest at Salisbury.

Projection hung right after taking up the lead a furlong from home, but ran on strongly to score with a bit more in hand than the winning margin suggests.

The runner-up has since progressed well to be rated 105, and that makes Projection’s opening handicap mark of 99 look exploitable.

He also now starts off the campaign having been gelded and looks the type who may have more to offer, and another plus is that Projection hails from a yard in good form at present.

Thursday tips

14.10: Shabeeb (NAP)
14.40: Mehmas (NB)
15.15: Exosphere
15.45: Projection (E/W)
16.20: Oh So Terrible
16.55: Tropical Rock
17.30: Crazy Horse
18.05: Soie D’leau

Related

You’ll find more Newmarket July Cup meeting throughout the build-up and event in Coral’s horse racing section.