The Debenhams July Festival: nine horses to follow

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien. Race: 1.50 - Bahrain Trophy Stakes. Best odds available: 6-1 with bet 365. 

There was plenty to like about the way this colt tenaciously hung in there in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot last month. He stuck on stoutly out wide after looking like he might drop away. 

He ended up being beaten only a length and a half, and looks overpriced to turn the tables on Furthur, the runner-up, who simply had a much better trip through the race. 

The one niggle about getting involved at the tempting 6-1 on offer is that Aidan O’Brien, his trainer, also has Galveston entered in this, with the bookmakers making him only 3-1 after his third in the King Edward VII Stakes. If you want a safety blanket, wait until final declarations at 10am on Tuesday. 

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien. Race: 2.25 - Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes. Best odds: general 7-2. 

This handsome son of Wootton Bassett was a standout in the paddock before his debut at The Curragh in late May and showed he’s got ability to match his looks, getting on top close home to win with something to spare. The pair who chased him home have done their bit for the form, too, with subsequent wins. 

O’Brien described him as “massive, powerful, babyish” in the immediate aftermath and a trip to Royal Ascot was resisted. He had landed the same race with Henri Matisse the previous year, when a similarly cautious approach was taken. 

The Curragh contest was steadily run until halfway but Brussels, bred to get 7f and more, showed plenty of pace to seal matters in the final two furlongs. His 10.49sec penultimate furlong, when he clocked 42.48mph, flashed his potential, comparing favourably with the quickest furlong that Field Of Gold managed (10.76sec, hitting 41.82mph) in a similarly steadily run Irish 2000 Guineas later on the card. 

Others in the field have more experience and have achieved more, but Brussels can improve past them. 

Trainer: Simon & Ed Crisford. Race: 3.00 - Bet Boost At bet365 Handicap. Best odds available: 8-1. 

This six-furlong handicap, exclusively for three-year-olds, invariably features a Group horse in disguise and Tawasol is fancied to strike before going on to better things. 

The grey made a mockery of his opening handicap mark (82) when making all on his handicap bow at Doncaster in May, in another race confined to the Classic generation. He had everything off the bridle more than two furlongs out and kept powering on to win by four lengths without being anything like fully extended. 

Tawasol was on a different plane to his rivals and the clock backed up the visual impression. His winning time was far superior to the two other 6f races on the card, won by horses rated 90 and 86, albeit they carried a bit more weight. 

The RaceiQ Time Index average for the meeting was 6.3, with Tawasol being awarded an 8.2. That summed up a commanding display. 

Connections have given him time to catch his breath and an 11lb rise, to a mark of 93, may not be enough to anchor him. He would have little chance of making the cut for the Stewards’ Cup off his present mark, but a 6lb penalty (for winning here) would make it a different story. Dancing Star pulled off the double in 2016. Tawasol is available at 20-1.

Trainer: John & Thady Gosden. Race: 3.35 - Princess Of Wales's Stakes.  Best odds available: 4-1. 

Ghostwriter heads the ante-post betting, but I’m still not convinced he wants a mile and a half, for all he kept on well enough when third in the Hardwicke Stakes last month. That was run at something of a married man’s gallop and the ground was very fast, putting the emphasis more on speed. 

There’s no guarantee this will be run at an end-to-end gallop, either, but I still prefer the prospects of Military Academy, who missed the Royal Meeting and has presumably been put by for this. 

It was still less than a year ago that he made his debut and he’s progressed well, running as well as ever when touched off by Hamish in the Tapster Stakes at Goodwood last time, with Palladium, who he may meet again, a head back in third. 

Palladium has since finished a fair fourth in the Hardwicke – finishing a length or so behind Ghostwriter - but he’s 3lb worse off with Military Academy. I hope he's given a positive ride, as he is a strong stayer at the trip.

Trainer: Ralph Beckett. Race: 1.50 - bet365 Handicap Best odds available: 5-1. 

Those who backed Seraph Gabriel down to 11-4 favourite for the Golden Gates Handicap at Royal Ascot last month must have been on good terms with themselves when he powered into the lead a furlong from home. He looked sure to win (traded 1.12 in-running on Betfair) but the pouncer then got pounced on, with Quai De Bethune grabbing him in the final stride to win by a nose. 

The form of that true-run race looks rock solid, with the first three home pulling clear. 

A 6lb rise will heighten Seraph Gabriel’s task, and he will be up against other improvers, but that is offset by the fact he’s available at 5-1. 

Ralph Beckett also has him engaged in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes on Thursday, but he would be dropping back to a mile and would likely meet several rivals on unfavourable terms. Moreover, this contest is worth more cash. 

Trainer: Karl Burke. Race: Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes. Best odds available: 11-10. 

Karl Burke was bubbling about Venetian Sun after her impressive victory in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot last month. 

“I think Venetian Sun is a very special filly,” he said. “I haven't had a two-year-old filly work like her. She's kicking older Group horses out the way at home. I'm talking 110-rated horses.” 

It was quite a revelation and put some more meat on the bones of an already taking display. 

The handicapper reckons she’s got 6lb in hand of Flowerhead, the Queen Mary runner-up, and the others with ratings have 11lb and more to find with her. 

Aidan O’Brien could be represented by Composing, winner of a Curragh maiden a fortnight ago after a debut defeat, but Venetian Sun clearly sets a high standard. Her profile is not dissimilar to Dandalla, who won this for Burke in 2020, having taken the Albany on her previous outing. 

Trainer: Charlie Appleby. Race: Weatherbys British EBF Maiden Stakes . Best odds available: --. 

Charlie Appleby runners at the July Meeting all demand a second look and it will be interesting if he unleashes Distant Storm in this 7f maiden. 

The Night Of Thunder colt made quite an impression at the Arqana May Breeze-Up and Godolphin had to pay €1,900,000 to acquire his services, fending off Coolmore. 

Cormac Farrell was the man celebrating that sale as he had picked up the colt for 90,000gns at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. He described it as “the stuff of dreams”. 

Of course, dreams can quickly fade when it comes to horses, but Distant Storm is in the right hands to realise his potential. Appleby has landed this race three times since 2017, while the outstanding Field Of Gold took last year’s edition. 

Trainers: William Haggas & Richard Spencer Race: bet365 Bunbury Cup. Best odds available: 4-1 and 16-1. 

I suggested following this pair in a Royal Ascot eye-catchers column last month. It’s a bit of a nuisance that they look like crossing swords, but I’m not inclined to leave either unbacked. 

The progressive More Thunder looked most unfortunate not to land the Wokingham, coming from well off the pace to be a keeping-on second despite Tom Marquand getting his Pro Cush tangled in his reins in the closing stages. 

The winning time was only a smidgeon slower than Lazzat recorded in the Group One Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Stakes over the same trip earlier in the afternoon. Reverting to 7f looks logical and he’s only 3lb higher. 

I put up Run Boy Run as an ante-post for this at 40-1 after he had finished ninth in the Buckingham Palace Stakes. 

The first six home were drawn 28, 29, 32, 30, 25 and 31, and he was effectively beaten before the gates opened from stall 2. 

He was one of only four horses that raced on his part of the track and he showed bright speed, comfortably winning his own battle, only to be beaten more than seven lengths because he was swimming against the tide. 

This at least shows he remains in good heart, having previously run well in defeat in his four races over 6f this year, including behind More Thunder – 6lb better off for a half-length defeat - at Newmarket on 2000 Guineas Day. 

Run Boy Run has run on the July Course four times, always over 7f, and is building quite a portfolio at the track. He won there twice in August last year, having been runner-up at the July Meeting the previous month, when first home in his group. And in 2023, he had chased home Ghostwriter in a maiden at the track.