Thursday Racing Tips - July 9, 2026

Newmarket July Festival 2026 Tips: Race-by-Race Guide for Day 1

Jon Vine

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Last updated: Wed 08 Jul 2026 15:57

Jon Vine 1 hour ago

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Newmarket July Festival 2026 opens with 4 Pattern races & top handicaps
Key tips: Morris Dancer, Point Of Law, Hickory Lad & Pilu (each-way)
Fast ground and form analysis highlight top win & value betting opportunities

Day 1 of the Newmarket July Festival features a quality card on the July Course. (Getty)

Newmarket Racecourse takes centre stage on Thursday as the prestigious three-day July Festival gets underway.

Newmarket July Festival 2026 - Day 1 Preview
Race 1 - Bahrain Trophy Stakes Tips
Race 2 - Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes Tips
Race 3 - Betway Handicap Tips
Race 4 - Princess Of Wales's Stakes Tips
Race 5 - Maiden Fillies' Stakes Tips
Race 6 - Sir Henry Cecil Stakes Tips
Race 7 - Debenhams Handicap Tips

The opening card on the July Course features an excellent afternoon of racing, headlined by four Pattern contests and two competitive handicaps.

Our race-by-race preview for day one of the 2026 Newmarket July Festival can be found below, while Live Racing & Sports Updates delivers the latest previews, analysis and coverage across all major sporting codes.

Newmarket July Festival 2026 - Day 1 Preview

Race 1 - Bahrain Trophy Stakes Tips

The top three in the market for Thursday's opener all met in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot. 5. Point Of Law endured the worst passage through that Group 2 and still finished third behind Del Maro, and I fancy the pace set-up on Thursday could suit the Royal runner.

Second to Del Maro on debut at Yarmouth in April, Point Of Law quickened up smartly to open his account in a 10-furlong maiden at Newbury. James Doyle's mount was slowly away in the Queen's Vase and was forced widest of all to challenge. Del Maro was better suited by switching to the inside rail, while Galiyan struggled after racing wide throughout. Point Of Law, on the other hand, rattled home to finish just a length behind the runner-up.

With no obvious front-runners in this small field, the race could turn into a sprint over the final two or three furlongs. Point Of Law has shown a smart turn of foot on all three starts, and fast ground will suit this blue-blooded son of Frankel.

Race 2 - Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes Tips

Just four runners line up in this Group 2 contest, and it's Charlie Appleby's once-raced juvenile Inner City Blues who heads the market. 2. Hickory Lad looks overpriced after an impressive victory in the valuable Woodcote Stakes on Epsom Derby Day.

Phil Makin's youngster won nicely at Musselburgh on his second start before producing a fine effort behind the speedy Adonius in the Lily Agnes at Chester. Sam James gave Hickory Lad a confident front-running ride in the Woodcote, stacking the field up turning out of Tattenham Corner before sprinting three lengths clear of the chasing pack.

Hickory Lad seemed to improve markedly for the step up to six furlongs that day, and I doubt quicker ground will pose too many problems. He's over the odds.

Race 3 - Betway Handicap Tips

Nine of the last 10 winners of this three-year-old sprint handicap have carried 8-12 or less, while eight of those winners were drawn in stall eight or higher. 10. Pilu ticks both boxes, and I'm convinced there's much more to come from Roger Teal's sprinter.

Pilu won his first two starts last August before finishing fourth in a high-quality conditions race at Salisbury. Teal's gelding played up before the start when sixth on his reappearance at Newmarket, then bumped into the progressive Jazl at Leicester in May.

Marco Ghiani's mount made the running that day and effectively set the race up for Jazl, who broke the course record over six furlongs. Pilu stuck on well to finish second ahead of several highly rated rivals, and Roger Teal appears to have had this race in mind for some time.

Race 4 - Princess Of Wales's Stakes Tips

Convergent is still a progressive horse to follow over a mile-and-a-half, but I don't think the conditions will suit Karl Burke's star, who was a non-runner on the only other occasion he was due to race on fast ground. Almeric is another who has done his winning on a softer surface, while Tenability has plenty of catching up to do in terms of both form and ratings.

In short, I'm finding it hard to look beyond 1. Rebel's Romance. Charlie Appleby will be eager for a fast start to the July Festival after a fairly quiet first half of the season, and this remarkable eight-year-old remains one of his stable's biggest stars.

Rebel's Romance is an expert over a mile-and-a-half and relishes fast ground. William Buick's mount added two more Group 1 victories to his incredible international haul last season, having already won the Yorkshire Cup and the Hardwicke Stakes earlier in the campaign.

The market leader has a three-pound penalty to carry for those top-level successes, but he's undoubtedly the horse best suited by the conditions. He's the only course winner in the field, and his fresh record is excellent.

Race 5 - Maiden Fillies' Stakes Tips

Peaceful Charm is long odds-on to make a winning debut in this seven-furlong maiden. At the prices, I'll roll the dice with 8. Sexy Chick, who was touched off on her debut over six furlongs here on the July Course a fortnight ago.

Richard Spencer's grey faced just two rivals that day and didn't seem suited by the slow early pace. George Wood angled his mount towards the centre of the track when the leaders kicked for home, and Sexy Chick responded well, going down by just a neck to War Banner.

The step up to seven furlongs looks ideal, and Sexy Chick should have a more even tempo to aim at from stall one. She certainly has each-way claims.

Race 6 - Sir Henry Cecil Stakes Tips

At the start of the Flat season, I highlighted 5. Morris Dancer as a colt to follow with the 2000 Guineas in mind. Unfortunately, John and Thady Gosden couldn't get him ready in time for the spring, and Morris Dancer only made his seasonal reappearance in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Expecting he would need that belated return to action, I sided with Colori Forever each-way in the Jersey. Marco Botti's colt failed to fire, but I was delighted with what I saw from Morris Dancer, who travelled strongly throughout before sprinting home to finish a clear third behind Thesecretadversary.

Morris Dancer was touched off by Zavateri in the Vintage Stakes last season before going on to trounce some useful rivals at Listed level. There's no doubt William Buick's mount is a stakes-class performer, and I fancy he'll prove too classy for his rivals in this Listed contest.

Race 7 - Debenhams Handicap Tips

Plenty will fancy their chances in this high-quality handicap, which rounds off a strong opening day to the meeting. I like the chances of 8. Shafdar, especially after Ian Williams secured the services of William Buick.

This lightly raced gelding won on the all-weather for Williams over the winter before looking even better when scoring at Epsom in April, beating future two-time winner Sweet Reward with plenty left in hand. Shafdar was slowly away and hampered in the Victoria Cup over seven furlongs, then didn't seem to handle Sandown particularly well when finishing sixth behind Beagle Bay last month.

Shafdar still emerged with plenty of credit that day in a race which looks sure to work out well. Buick will be happy enough with a central draw in stall six, and Williams' charge still has plenty of scope from his current handicap mark.

Verdict

Newmarket July Festival 2026 - Day 1 Preview

Our best and value bets for Newmarket July Festival Day 1 are:

Morris Dancer

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Point Of Law

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Hickory Lad

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$8.50 - 5 Units

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