Nick Luck’s Blog: Bolster your winning claims at Newmarket and York

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck casts his expert eye over day two of the July Festival from Newmarket, as well as some high-class racing from York.

Newmarket, Friday

BOLSTER is taken to bounce back at a biggish price of 10/1 in Friday’s opener on the July course (1.50pm). Very impressive on his seasonal return at Windsor, he was quietly fancied for a warm Hampton Court at Ascot, and his effort can be upgraded as he saw a little too much of the early action and was hampered late on as well. Eased in grade here, he can readily be given another chance to confirm his promise for a yard going okay.

WOODHAY WONDER might just be worth a tiny investment to upset the favourite in the Duchess Of Cambridge (2.25pm) at 14/1. She needs a big step forward, but looks full of potential judged on her Newbury effort, impressing with her stride and turn of foot. Tom Marquand takes over, and the yard has really turned a corner of late.

BERKSHIRE ROCCO is a speculative pick in the stayers’ handicap (3.00pm) at 12/1. It’s fair to deduce that he’s not quite the force of old, but he’s no busted flush either. He hasn’t really had the ideal set up ground/trip-wise this season, but this is much more like it, he’s in calmer waters and his mark has taken enough of a nosedive to make him quite interesting in what isn’t the strongest of editions.

RANDOM HARVEST has enough in her favour to upset the applecart in the Falmouth (3.35pm) at 12/1. She has improved hugely this season, appearing to enjoy front running tactics the last twice under clever rides. That approach could be really well suited to the straight mile here, and I can’t see her getting too much company on the sharp end. With Via Sistina and Nashwa both potentially vulnerable at this trip, this could pan out nicely.

York, Friday

BOPEDRO looks to have been found a nice spot in the first of the William Hill sponsored TV races at York (2.05pm) at 11/2. This is a race that has come up a bit light, and I’m not sure the selection needs to do much more than either of his latest two starts to be right in the mix, and he’s priced very fairly.

JULIET SIERRA is well worth another chance in the William Hill Summer Stakes (2.40pm) at 11/1. Ralph Beckett was purring over this filly’s prospects after her excellent effort in the Cheveley Park, but she was slow to come to hand and then patently failed to stay at a mile on her seasonal debut. Back to six furlongs, she ought to show what she’s capable of here.