At 4.35 today at Newmarket, Charlie Hills’ Magical Memory will vie for the Darley July Cup, but in a field of eighteen runners, the competition could be just too strong. Last year Hills was the winning trainer in this race with Muhaarar, but this year the field has many contenders such as Air Force Blue, Quiet Reflection and Twilight Son.
Magical Memory should suit the fast ground today but Hills also has Cotai Glory running with an apprentice jockey, he’s hoping for a top six place for both today. Magical Memory has odds of 6/1 with Ladbrokes today and is second favourite behind Limato. Limato has odds of 11/2 with William Hill. Detorri is riding Magical Memory, which sets up the old rivalry nicely between him and Ryan Moore again, but it isn’t just a two-horse race, this is a big field.
Moving on to the other big names in the race, Quiet Reflection is third favourite with odds of 8/1 with Paddy Power this morning, we know he can do well over this distance, he’s won five out of his last five races, so maybe the going will be too fast for him today, because with a record like his I’m not sure why he isn’t favourite today. Quiet Reflection goes into the race with odds of 8/1 with Bet365.
Lastly, but by no means least Air Force Blue, the punters favourite, Aidan O’Brien’s really special horse, should love the fast track today, his odds have come down since Wednesday, but you can still get respectable odds on him this morning, that may change later today. Ryan Moore is riding him and I always say, this trainer/jockey combination has a winning formula, don’t bet against them today. Odds on Air Force Blue are 8/1 with Bet365. He will surely come good today after a few lacklustre performances, where the ground really hasn’t suited him. Today could be the chance to redeem himself and get back to winning ways; we know he has it in him.
Plenty of other racing around today with cards at Ascot, Chester, Hamilton Salisbury and York, Tipperary in Ireland, Belmont Park in the USA and lastly Hamburg in Germany.
Good Luck today.