With a busy and high-quality day of action ahead, our horse racing tipster offers his best bets from Saturday at the July Festival at Newmarket.
Columnist (3:25pm, Superlative Stakes)
Colt out of Ardad, Columnist was sold for only 8,000 guineas (£8,400) as a yearling. However, the superb development was clear and obvious as he sold for £170,000 as a two-year-old before he ever ran.
Since that purchase, he has justified his price tag somewhat. He won impressively on debut at Chester and despite it being a fairly valuable novice race, he was massively unfancied for his next run in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Sent off at 50/1, he was prominent throughout, losing second on the line in a bob of heads. That race was slightly more difficult than this and any further improvement will see him win.
Inisherin (4:35pm, July Cup)
Three-year-old colt Inisherin was second on his sole run last year to Bellum Justum. He won on his reappearance at Newcastle fairly impressively back in March.
However, the real turning point to his fortunes came after the 2,000 Guineas race here in May. He weakened poorly after initially being prominent and the decision was made to drop him from a mile to 6f.
That decision had an immediate effect, with Inisherin winning a Group 2 race at Haydock in commanding fashion. Following that race, the decision was made to supplement him for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, at a cost of £46,000.
The gamble by the connections well and truly paid off however as he won comfortably again. That race was a fairly weak renewal and this looks slightly more difficult, so he will have to be on top form. However, he still should have no problem winning again.
Wonder Kid (5:10pm, Trust A Trader Handicap)
Disappointing as a two-year-old, the now three-year-old gelding Wonder Kid improved massively for the increase in distance to 1m4f he has received this season. He landed a quick-fire double in handicaps last month at Newbury and here at Newmarket, with the latter win coming under a six-pound penalty.
Now racing off a mark 8lbs higher than his last success and 14lbs higher than his Newbury victory, he will need to improve further. However, on both occasions he won comfortably – proving there is plenty of room for further improvement.
It is likely he still remains slightly unexposed at this distance but is capable of snagging another victory here.