Ascot Saturday

1:45 1711 Learning To Work Bake-Off Competition Handicap 5f

There is a fair bit of risk involved, given he’s proven hard to win with, and sports new headgear here, but Whenthedealinsdone has track and ground in his favour and can get back to winning ways in a race that is sure to be suit his style. A very impressive winner over C&D last year off just 2lb lower, Whenthedealinsdone failed to justify strong support in the Portland Handicap at Doncaster on his next outing, but ran well subsequently, and has hinted on occasion this season that he’s as good as ever.

His win here in September was a most striking one, turning what had looked a competitive sprint into a precision under a kid-gloves ride from Danny Tudhope. The truth is that he needs to be humoured into his races and can meet trouble as a result, as he did when travelling well at York in May. He has been tried over 6f, but his best efforts by some way have come at a bare 5f, and his lifetime record at today’s trip reads: 11072143472, improving to 11214372 in handicaps after a recent run. The unplaced effort there was his run at York this season when eased after meeting interference, and he was also badly hampered and squeezed out when making his effort in this contest 12 months ago. It’s clear he can make his own bad luck, but it’s easy to argue that he’s the best horse at the weights on last season’s form, and if he takes kindly to blinkers (replacing usual cheekpieces), then he ought to give supporters a huge run for their money.

2:20 - Fred Cowley MBE Memorial Summer Mile Stakes (Group 2) 7f213y

Aldaary almost certainly needed the run after a long absence when fourth in the Criterion Stakes at Newmarket a fortnight ago, certainly looking sluggish from the stalls before eventually warming to his task. He should have gained plenty of benefit from that 7f run, and the return to a mile at Ascot will suit this dual course winner. His defeat of Bounce The Blues – a subsequent Group 3 and Group 2 winner – at Haydock last spring reads really well in the context of this race, and while rain is likely to render the ground softer than ideal for some of these, the son of Territories has shown his best form on an easy surface and stands out in the conditions.

Newmarket Saturday

2:50 - Bet365 Mile Handicap 1m

Up the centre has been the place to be this week at Newmarket, and while that can change, it remains a better rule of thumb than guessing wildly about the effect of the draw. Quantum Impact is easily forgiven an unplaced effort in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot where he somewhat bizarrely ended up in the unfavoured stands’ side group despite a low draw. He had looked like taking a hand in the finish for much of that contest and is worth another chance to deliver on previous promise.

3:25 - Bet365 Superlative Stakes (Group 2) 7f

Aidan O’Brien’s surprisingly poor record at this meeting is more of a concern for favourite City of Troy than the quick turnaround after his win at the Curragh on Irish Derby weekend. He looks a high-class prospect but is going to take a large chunk of the market here, and that may create some each-way value for the exposed Haatem.

Richard Hannon’s colt blew the start when fancied for the Woodcote at Epsom before staging a strong late rally, and he again kept on well when fifth behind River Tiber in the Coventry. Bred to stay 7f well, he can improve enough for the longer trip to get in the money here, and while he lacks the scope of the market leader, he represents a value play.

4:00 - Bet365 Bunbury Cup (Heritage Handicap) 7f

Given the big field, it is more likely that riders in the Bunbury Cup will explore one or both of the rails in an attempt to find a faster strip of ground, but I’ll stick to the notion that middle is best until proven otherwise. Streets of Gold was right back to form on his second start after a breathing operation when third in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, and while that was probably not a vintage renewal, the son of Havana Gold was merely confirming the huge promise of an unbeaten juvenile campaign, and he still seems to be reasonably treated with the weight-for-age allowance meaning his BHA rating of 105 is translated into a racing weight of nine stone here.

Some will say that it’s impossible for a three-year-old to win the Bunbury Cup and indeed the last of this age group to be successful was Ho Leng in 1998. In truth, however, there has hardly been any representation of the Classic generation in this race, with just 11 runners since 2006. Of those, Sir Dancealot was second in 2017, Cardsharp (carrying a penalty) fourth in 2018 and Fundamental runner-up in 2021. In addition, in the three years where a ‘Silver’ Bunbury Cup took place, three-year-olds were responsible for two of the winners from a total of just five runners.

4:35 - Pertemps Network July Cup Stakes (Group 1) 6f

I’m not at all sure that a draw on the wing is ideal for Shaquille given his headstrong tendencies, and while he’s clearly the one to beat in the July Cup, I’m taking an each-way swing at old favourite Art Power, who has often fared badly with the draw in the big sprints here. He’s been ridden too aggressively, been badly drawn or had some other misfortune in most of his tries in Group 1 sprints at this trip, but he has still run with credit on most of those occasions, and form figures of 443454880 in those races don’t really do him justice, for all it’s fair to say that he falls just short at the highest level.

He was a luckless fourth in this race two years ago when one of two who raced on the far side from a wide draw, and he was only beaten a length and a half with the front pair on the opposite side of the track, and his sole companion on the far side finishing well down the pack.

This track should suit him ideally, but he’s never raced here since. For once, his draw looks perfect, and the rain that’s fallen will ensure the ground is as he likes it, so I can see him outrunning big odds if not perhaps breaking his Group 1 hoodoo.

York Saturday

3:10 - John Smith’s Cup Handicap 1m2f56y

Rain is sure to affect racing at York on Saturday with the track hit by heavy showers during racing on Friday, and any easing of the ground will not bother Majestic who promises to add another big pot to his Cambridgeshire win last autumn. His only poor run this season came soon enough after he’d ploughed through the mud to make the frame in the Lincoln, and he very much caught the eye at Sandown last weekend.

Shuffled back in the field as the runners turned into the straight, he only had one rival behind him at the three-furlong pole but made steady late headway to finish a close fourth and was still going on well when the race was over. He needs a long straight to be seen to best effect as he showed last term, and a strongly run race over this trip at York should suit him ideally. He does nothing quickly in his races, but can gallop relentlessly when in full flow, and should reward each-way support if avoiding the trouble spots in this contest.

Recommended:

Whenthedealinsdone 1:45 Ascot – 1pt e/w at 14/1 (SkyBet – 6 places, 5 places general)

Aldaary 2:20 Ascot – 2pts win at 4/1 (Hills, 7/2 general)

Streets Of Gold 4:00 Newmarket – 1pt e/w at 8/1 (general – 5 places)

Art Power 4:35 Newmarket – 1pt e/w at 22/1 (general)

Majestic 3:10 York – 1pt e/w at 14/1 (Hills – 6 places, Coral, Ladbrokes 5 places)