Timeform highlight a ratings banker, a big improver and a Flag to note on the first day of Newmarket's July Festival.
The Ratings Banker
Yibir – 15:35 Newmarket
Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Yibir stands out as the class act in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes. The Godolphin gelding’s three-year-old season turned a corner when he won the Bahrain Trophy on this card 12 months ago and he gained further wins in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York and the Jockey Club Derby at Belmont on the way to recording his biggest success at Del Mar when beating European Group One winners Broome, Teona and Japan.
Yibir has yet to get his head in front this season but returned with a good second in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan when finding only the high-class Japanese colt Shahryar a neck too good. Since then, Yibir has suffered a shock defeat to Living Legend in the Jockey Club Stakes on Newmarket’s other course, but meets that rival on better terms here, and he had excuses on his latest outing back in the States when third to Highland Chief in the Man O’War Stakes at Belmont after a very slow start.
The Big Improver
Little Big Bear – 14:25 Newmarket
All bar one of the eight runners in the July Stakes was last in action at Royal Ascot last month and the one who fared best there was Aidan O’Brien’s colt Little Big Bear. Despite facing 23 rivals in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes, he was sent off the 6/5 favourite and duly delivered with a neck success over Rocket Rodney once edging ahead a furlong out. The runner-up has done his bit for the form by winning in Listed company at Sandown last week and other winners have come out of the race.
As his odds at Ascot suggest, Little Big Bear already set a high standard in the Windsor Castle having run out an easy winner of a maiden at Naas on his previous start and he didn’t need to improve on that upped in grade. However, one of the better types on looks in the field at Royal Ascot, Little Big Bear very much remains open to improvement, particularly now that he returns to six furlongs, having been beaten only narrowly over that trip on his debut.
The Timeform Flag
Mighty Ulysses – 16.10 Newmarket
Timeform Top rated, Hot Trainer
The Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes looks a good opportunity for Mighty Ulysses, representing the in-form team of John & Thady Gosden, to resume winning ways. Since making a successful debut at Yarmouth last year he has improved with each run this season and recorded his other win on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket in May when quickening clear in really taking fashion to land the odds in a novice.
His two defeats since have only been narrow ones and have come in better company. Mighty Ulysses finished well clear of the rest when coming up against another progressive sort in Whoputfiftyinyou in the Silver Bowl Handicap at Haydock, beaten half a length, and was then beaten a similar margin in a tight finish to the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, travelling well despite the marked step up in grade to Group One company and keeping on for fifth behind the 2000 Guineas winner Coroebus. He looks well up to making the most of this drop in class.
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