14:55 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes

The Juddmonte is a Group 1 race for two year olds raced over six furlongs, and it's an excellent looking line-up.

The Aiden O'Brien trained Sioux Nation was a superb winner over five furlongs at Royal Ascot, even more so because he was in the far side group so pretty much had to go it alone. He then follows that up by winning a Group 1 at the Curragh over six furlongs. The big worry for me is that all of best form has been on much firmer ground than he will encounter today and it remains to be seen whether he can cope with this much give underfoot in such a high class of race.

The Richard Fahey trained Sands Of Mali has only had the three runs to date but he was a very easy winner of a soft ground novice stakes at Nottingham (the useful Eirene nearly four lengths back in second) before easily winning the Gimcrack (Group 2) at York last month on good ground. This Panis colt is open to plenty of improvement and he looks a really fine prospect. I expect Paul Hanagan to track the likely O'Brien pacemaker US Navy Flag and then unleash his finishing burst inside the final furlong.

Beckord, trained by Gordon Elliott, was just half a length behind Sioux Nation at Curragh and also looks a runner with a good chance. He was tried over seven furlongs last time out and was a very respectable second in heavy going, therefore, today's conditions won't pose any problems and I fancy him to reverse the form with Sioux Nation given the underfoot conditions.

 

15:35 Betfred Cambridgeshire Handicap

As ever the Cambridgeshire is a hugely tough puzzle to solve, but the one I like against the rest of the field is the Andrew Balding trained Brorocco. He needs to prove that he can act on the slightly softer conditions (which I think he will) and apart from that he looks really well suited to today's race and I am expecting a big run.

 

Today's selections

14:55 Newmarket - Sands Of Mali - 3 points @ 4/1

15:35 Newmarket - Brorocco - 1 point each way @ 14/1

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