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How To Bet £20 on Saturday: Crown fits bill in July Cup

Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023

Naval Crown didn’t get the credit he deserved when winning the Platinum Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last month and can prove the point by following up in the Darley July Cup at Newmarket on Saturday.

The Charlie Appleby-trained colt was having only his second race over six furlongs and had to do things the hard way at the Royal Meeting, as he ended isolated on the stands’ side with the bulk of the action unfolding down the middle to far side.

You could have ended up throwing a blanket over the first 11 home but the next horse in his group, a reliable yardstick in Kings Lynn, the Temple Stakes winner, finished more than four lengths adrift.

Finished: 2ndSP: 4/1

The 6-1 chance is unraced on the July Course but his effectiveness on just about every track he’s raced on points to his versatility. James Doyle gave him a bold ride at Ascot and stall 13 makes life pretty easy for him on this occasion: attack down the centre of the track, which in any case has looked to be the place to race on the first two days of the meeting.

You don’t get too many July Cup winners from off the pace when the ground is riding fast and a lively surface seems certain, albeit with more overnight watering taking place.

William Buick is understandably staying loyal to his old ally, Creative Force, who finished just a neck behind Naval Crown at Ascot, having been drawn on the opposite flank. However, his very best efforts have been at that track and he got going a bit too late when fifth in last year’s July Cup.

The speedier nature of Newmarket – the July Course’s standard time over 6f is a whole two seconds quicker than Ascot – is also a negative for the Australian challenger, Artorius, who was doing all his best work late on when third to Naval Crown at Ascot.

Commonwealth Cup winner Perfect Power demands respect, although this will be his first mission outside his own age group and, while time comparisons are not straightforward, Naval Crown was clearly superior to him on the clock at Ascot.

Christophe Soumillon, the rider of Perfect Power, has a good warm-up ride in Jumby in the bet365 Bunbury Cup but the one who looks seriously underestimated in the market for one of the best 7f handcaps of the summer is Il Bandito, a general 14-1 chance.

Finished: 16thSP: 14/1

He’s looked a different horse since switching to James Horton this season, winning at Redcar and York over the 7f trip before confirming himself in fine fettle when a staying-on third in a big field over 6f at Pontefract last time. The winner, Ghathanfar, gave the form a timely boost when following up in emphatic style off a 5lb higher mark at York on Friday.

II Bandito will be well served by returning to 7f and remains at the right end of the weights, with Shane Gray being 1/1 for Horton. The trainer’s first-season stats are most impressive, with 23 of his 42 runners making the first three and nine of them winning.

The John Smith’s Cup is always a great spectacle at York and features a horse, Rogue Bear, who has already teased me this campaign with narrow defeats in similarly competitive handicaps at Doncaster (the Lincoln), Newbury (Spring Cup) and York (same course and distance).

Finished: 18thSP: 9/1

He’s in danger of becoming a “cliff horse” for me but the fact he almost won last time despite doing loads wrong before and during the race keeps me interested. One day it’s all going to click and I wouldn’t worry he’s been absent two months as Tom Clover, enjoying a fine season, has almost certainly had this valuable contest in mind for a while.

I’m surprised he’s available at 13-2 given the solidity of the form and the potential of more to come.

Korker is more risky in the John Smith’s City Walls Stakes because he can be slow away, as he was in the 5f handicap at Royal Ascot last month. He surrendered all chance at the gates that day and, in the circumstances, performed wonders to be beaten just three lengths off his mark of 104. Had he broken on terms, he might well have won.

Finished: 3rdSP: 5/1

Korker had previously won in fine style from off the pace at York and is worth another chance, especially in a race where Winter Power (well below-par in her two races this season) and Royal Acclaim (taking a hefty jump in class) are at the head of the betting. He wouldn’t be 11-2 if he were guaranteed a decent break.

Finally, my head was turned by the 11-1 that Sky Bet and Willam Hill offer about Mountain Peak in the Betfred Heritage Handicap at Ascot.

Finished: 1stSP: 11/1

Ed Walker’s dual course winner showed he retains plenty of zest when touched off in the Dash at Epsom last time and, given the front pair pulled clear, a 4lb rise looks fair enough. Tom Marquand continues the partnership, which is a bonus on a hectic Saturday featuring some unusual trainer-jockey combinations.

OPTION ONE

3.00 Ascot: Mountain Peak £1 each-way at 11-1 with Sky Bet and William Hill (both offer seven places)

3.50 Newmarket: Il Bandito £1 win and £1.50 each-way at 14-1 (several firms offer six places)

4.05 York Rogue Bear £2 win and £3 each-way at 6-1 with William Hill (seven places)

4.25 Newmarket: £4 win Naval Crown at 6-1 with Coral

4.40 Korker £2 win at 11-2 with BetVictor and William Hill

OPTION TWO

£1 Win Patent

3.50 Newmarket: Il Bandito

4.05 York Rogue Bear

4.25 Newmarket: Naval Crown

25p Each-Way Super Yankee, above trio plus

3.00 Ascot: Mountain Peak

4.40 Korker

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