Newmarket's three-day July Festival hurtles towards a conclusion on Saturday afternoon when a seven-race card is headlined by the July Cup itself.
A field of nine have been declared for the big Group 1 sprint, set to go off at 4.35, and it is Commonwealth Cup winner Shaquille who headed the early betting for Rossa Ryan and trainer Julie Camacho.
Also on Saturday's card will be the Group 2 Superlative Stakes (3.25) and some interesting handicaps.
Enda McElhinney assesses the big race and some of the supporting contests at Newmarket.
4.35 July Cup
All eyes on Rossa Ryan after he picked up the plum ride on July Cup favourite Shaquille, winner of the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot three weeks ago.
He's one of two three-year-olds in the field with re-opposing Ascot second Little Big Bear joining him, and their connections will be buoyed by the fact that four of the last eight July Cup winners have been 3YOs.
Shaquille is a deserving favourite. He's won six of his seven career starts with the only setback coming when he refused to settle in the Acomb Stakes at York last season.
He's climbed the ladder this season, winning a Newmarket handicap on soft ground, a Newbury Listed event on good and then the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot on good-to-firm.
He now moves into an open-age Group 1 company, the final step on his journey, and will have Ryan on board for the first time because Ascot-winning pilot Oisin Murphy is suspended and James Doyle (on board for his first two wins this term) is required by Godolphin at Ascot.
It must not be forgotten that Shaquille made a desperately slow start at the Royal meeting and did remarkably well to win in the circumstances, with Murphy ice-cool on board.
On that evidence, and given Aidan O'Brien reported a minor setback with Little Big Bear since, the form from Ascot should be upheld.
Khaadem was an 80/1 winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes last time out at Royal Ascot for Charlie Hills. Jamie Spencer gave him a peach there and it's no slight on Rob Hornby to suggest his absence now is a negative. Not since 1938 has a seven-year-old landed this prize.
KINROSS was only seventh in that same contest three weeks ago and he's bidding to become the oldest July Cup winner since Les Arcs in 2006.
He typically needs a run and the Jubilee was his first outing since November so he's entitled to come forward. Of course, Frankie Dettori misses this final chance to win a July Cup, the missing piece of his Group 1 jigsaw, but champion jockey William Buick is an able deputy and the Ralph Beckett team are in fine fettle just now.
Kinross ended last season in sparkling form, winning the Champions Sprint at Ascot over this trip, and his proven stamina over 7f won't be a hindrance.
Still-improving Azure Blue won a handicap here last summer off a handicap mark of 85 and has three more Newmarket wins and a strong York Group 2 in May under her belt since. She cannot be dismissed.
2.50 – bet365 Mile Handicap
Last-time-out winners Tafreej, Havana Blue and Bluelight Bay are all contenders once more. The Clive Cox-trained Havana Blue has landed back-to-back Newmarket wins over 7f and while he's 6lb higher in the weights now, he promises to be well suited by the step up to a mile and has the assistance of Ryan Moore for the first time.
Tafreej won a four-runner Yarmouth event a fortnight ago and William Haggas's charge has more to do from this mark in this company while Bluelight Bay similarly faces his toughest challenge here for Eve Johnson-Houghton.
SNIPER'S EYE was runner-up behind an odds-on and unbeaten Godolphin charge here recently and David Simcock's son of Expert Eye could be capable of better now as he turns his focus to handicaps.
3.25 - bet365 Superlative Stakes (Group 2, 7f)
City Of Troy only won his maiden at the Curragh a fortnight ago and it has to be noted that Aidan O'Brien sends him quickly across the Irish Sea to take on this rise in class for a race the trainer last won with Gustav Klimt in 2017.
The form of Iberian's win last month at Newbury isn't working out too well, albeit the Charlie Hills-trained colt won with lots in hand. Richard Hannon's Son, on the other hand, beat a next-time-out winner at that same track earlier in June, while York maiden winner Cuban Thunder found the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot a step too far on his third start but could do better now.
Dubawi colt GREAT TRUTH really knew his job in his winning debut at Leicester at the end of June and with the Charlie Appleby's juveniles starting to find their feet now – and the yard generally flying – William Buick's mount may be the one to take this step up in class in his stride.
