Nick Luck’s blog: Giavellotto can Point the way on the July Course

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck puts forward his best bets on the opening day of Newmarket’s July Festival.

Newmarket, Thursday

SPACE LEGEND can get us off to winning start at 15/8 in the opening race of Newmarket’s July Festival, The Bahrain Trophy (1:50pm). He has been put through the grades quite quickly by William Haggas’ standards suggesting that the trainer believes him to be a genuine St Leger horse. There wasn’t much wrong with his Royal Ascot run behind a runaway winner and there are plenty of clues in his pedigree to suggest he will stay. I’m inclined to oppose Ancient Wisdom on his two rather uninspiring efforts this season.

AOMORI CITY might upset the Ascot horses in the July Stakes (2:25pm) at good odds of 15/2. The times suggest that the Ascot juvenile colts were rather a disappointing bunch on the whole and the selection made quite a striking impact on his debut at Nottingham when drawing well clear with a well-regarded rival. Charlie Appleby has enjoyed great success with two year olds at this track and his last stakes winning progeny of this stallion was none other than Native Trail.

ZABRISKIE POINT might be worth having each way at 12/1 in the valuable sprint handicap (3:00pm). Charlie Hills pulled off a minor miracle the other day with Cicero’s Gift and he might repeat the dose here. Although he won at seven furlongs last year, his best form was over six and he does not look harshly treated based on his excellent fourth at the Ebor meeting.

GIAVELLOTTO must be the play at 5/1 in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes (3:35pm). Although this is as sharp a test as he’d want, I suggest it will be a sternly run 12 furlongs. He has very little to find with Hamish on ratings and although he has to concede a penalty, there might well be a bit more in the locker. Outbox is likely to make the running, you can guarantee that Arrest won’t be too far away and Oisin Murphy will be supremely confident to set sail as early as he wants on the selection.