Horse Racing Tips
Newmarket July Festival Tips Day 1: Thursday’s Best Bets At HQ
William Hill News bring you a comprehensive preview ahead of Day 1 of the 2026 Newmarket July Festival, with tips for each race on Thursday’s exciting card.
Beyond the glamour of Ladies Day, the Newmarket July Course hosts a cracking seven-race card headlined by the prestigious Group Two Princess of Wales’s Stakes.
Newmarket Tips Thursday:
- 1.50 – Galiyan (NAP)
- 2.25 – Inner City Blues
- 3.00 – Red Spells Danger
- 3.35 – Rebel’s Romance (NB)
- 4.10 – Peaceful Charm
- 4.45 – Morris Dancer
- 5.20 – Lion Of Alba
This iconic mile-and-a-half race is sure to be a hotly contested affair once again. Our horse racing expert Steven Mullington takes a look through the potential movers and shakers on Day One:
1.50 – 1m5f Bahrain Trophy Stakes (Group 3)
GALIYAN’S (NAP) dam side is renowned for producing top-class stayers and unsurprisingly his stamina came to the fore in his explosive performance at Chester’s May Meeting, where despite showing signs of greenness, he romped home over an extended mile-and-a-half.
The long, galloping nature of Newmarket’s July Course should be right up his street and he can put the Queen’s Vase dissapointment swiftly behind him.
2.25 – 6f July Stakes (Group 2)
The Charlie Appleby-trained INNER CITY BLUES looks to build on an impressive debut victory at York on 13 June.
He showed immense strength and acceleration in the latter part of that race and is sure to have come on a bundle for the experience.
3.00 – 6f Handicap (Class 2)
It’s the first of several large handicaps over the next three days, and my each-way play here goes with the Tim Easterby-trained RED SPELLS DANGER.
Never out of the top two this season, and only just beaten by half a length in a big Saturday handicap at York last time, this horse is the percentage call.
3.35 – 1m4f Princess Of Wales’s Stakes (Group 2)
Trained by Charlie Appleby, the eight-year-old gelding REBEL’S ROMANCE (NB) skipped Royal Ascot to target this 1m4f feature and will take all the beating.
Currently priced at 5/4 in our horse racing betting, this Godolphin runner is going to take some stopping in this small field.
4.10 – 7f Maiden Fillies’ Stakes
On breeding PEACEFUL CHARM ticks a lot of boxes here. The filly is a sister to French winner Parachutiste and closely related to Group-placed 1m winner Skydance.
I suspect all her Dubawi qualities will come to the fore too on her debut.
4.45 – 1m Sir Henry Cecil Stakes (Listed Race)
MORRIS DANCER ran a huge race on his first outing for 311 days when finishing third in the Grade 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot and he should strip fitter for his reappearance.
The step back up to a mile should be right up his street and William Buick has chosen him over the Charlie Appleby-trained Wild Desert, which may be a tip in itself.
5.20 – 1m Handicap (Class 3)
LION OF ALBA recorded his first win as a two-year-old at Chester, taking a Class 2 novice stakes race over 7½ furlongs. Ridden by Jason Hart, he comfortably defeated Prime Success by five lengths.
At around 8/1 in our sports betting, he’s showing all the signs of a podium finish in this contest.
*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*
