Nick Luck’s blog: Day 1 of the July Meeting looks a day to be Brave

The first day of the July Meeting at Newmarket gets underway on Thursday and our in-form tipster Nick Luck is here with his best bets.

Newmarket

MASAKELA gets the nod at 9/4 in the opening Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket on Wednesday (1.50pm). Although this looks the upper limit of his stamina, you feel he might have finished even closer if better positioned in the Derby, and his rider knows him now. His two-year-old form was really strong, and his best run came when making Native Trail pull out all the stops.

BRAVE NATION might be a little bit of value at 9/1 in the July Stakes (2.25pm). Everyone could see he was unlucky in the controversial Norfolk Stakes, but he might easily improve for a step up to a sharp six furlongs and I don’t think he’ll mind how fast the ground gets. The impression he left on his debut remains one of the most striking of the season.

INGRA TOR must be the bet at 7/1 in the Heritage handicap (3.00pm). He had danced all over his subsequent York conqueror Harry Three on the Rowley Mile the previous time and, with nothing coming to light, can only assume that he didn’t enjoy the Knavesmire. If you can forgive one blow out, he remains a very smart prospect and a pretty appealing each-way price into the bargain.

NEW MANDATE is worth chancing at a huge 20/1 in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes (3.35pm). This is a pretty bold call to think he’ll get 12 furlongs, but his trainer doesn’t get it wrong very often and he actually ran pretty respectably at Royal Ascot when never really threatening. Fast ground is a plus, while his shorter priced rivals are hardly bombproof – Yibir is certainly not to be trusted in a small field, while Mostahdaf’s form has taken a couple of notable knocks this week.

Carlisle

EY UP ITS MAGGIE can win the TV race at Carlisle (2.45pm) at 6/1. There’s an unexposed one at the top of the market, but she’ll have to be okay to beat Tony Coyle’s filly, who has been running really well in better company and will appreciate a return to this grade.