Free horse racing selections for Saturday July 6
David Clough makes Magical his best Saturday bet and he has a tip for every race in the UK and Ireland.
NAP: Magical 3.35 Sandown
Next best: Falcon Eight 4.45 Sandown
Magical has a golden opportunity to lower Enable's colours in the much-anticipated Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.
Aidan O'Brien's filly racked up three early home wins with the minimum of fuss this season and approaches her latest rematch with the brilliant Enable on the back of an honourable second at Royal Ascot last month.
By contrast, as John Gosden exercises the patience most easily reserved for true champions with the likely odds-on favourite, Enable has not seen a racecourse since proving three-quarters of a length too strong for Magical at the Breeders' Cup eight months ago.
Magical's natural progression since is offset by the absence of the 4lb she received from the dual Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner on that last meeting at Churchill Downs.
Gosden, and jockey Frankie Dettori, will of course be loath to give up Enable's nine-race unbeaten sequence easily - especially in this coveted Group One.
On the other hand, one date counts above all for her - and that is at ParisLongchamp in October, in pursuit of a record-breaking third Arc victory, with Sandown in July merely a high-profile staging post.
Factor in qualms expressed by connections about Enable's liking for ground quite this firm, her restrictive odds compared to those of Magical, and the betting proposition becomes clear.
How Ballydoyle would prize just one verdict over Enable for their filly, who has her chance in a lifetime on a surface that should suit her better than rain-softened Ascot in the Prince of Wales' Stakes.
Others in a select field merit obvious mention as Telecaster seeks to put his deflating Epsom Derby run behind him and Regal Reality bids to consolidate his improvement.
But each, on balance, appears to have too big a gulf to bridge - and with a filly-and-mare one-two instead the likeliest outcome, with so much in her favour perhaps for one race only the younger protagonist gets the nod.
There is more to Sandown than the Eclipse this weekend, and the Coral Marathon provides Falcon Eight with the stage to prove he is a coming force in the staying ranks.
Dermot Weld understandably resisted the temptation of the Ascot Gold Cup with the well-related but inexperienced four-year-old.
It speaks volumes that was even in the equation after just four career outings, as does the engagement of Dettori here as Falcon Eight - with cheekpieces deployed for the first time - bids to go one better than a fine Listed second on his seasonal return at Leopardstown in May.
Elsewhere on a high-class card, Encapsulation catches the eye in the Coral Distaff on the back of her very strong Listed form in Ireland as she makes her debut for Andrew Balding.
Petrus will be back on a more suitable surface, having struggled in the Ascot mud last time, and has a shout at a big price in the Coral Challenge.
Pocket Dynamo has been highly-tried of late but should not be underestimated for sprint king Robert Cowell in the Group Three Coral Charge.
Haydock stages the Group Two bet365 Lancashire Oaks, in which Enbihaar is likely to shade favouritism and ought to justify her market position.
Gosden's filly was outstayed by the reopposing Dramatic Queen at York in May, but should be more at home back over this mile-and-a-half trip.
The same trainer's First Eleven may be graduating to a higher level soon if he continues the progression he showed on his return at York - and on this quick ground, he appears capable of defying top weight in the historic bet365 Old Newton Cup Handicap.
Sporting Life tips:
BELLEWSTOWN: 4.40 Silk And Sand, 5.15 Pakie's Dream, 5.50 Keble , 6.20 Ming Dynasty, 6.50 Count Simon, 7.20 Dona Katharina, 7.50 Wings Of Destiny.
BEVERLEY: 2.00 King's Caper, 2.35 Point Of Order, 3.10 Seen The Lyte, 3.45 Bighearted, 4.20 Miss Mumtaz, 4.55 Ivory Charm, 5.30 Dream Of Honour.
CARLISLE: 6.00 Extrasolar, 6.30 Cruising, 7.00 Black Salt, 7.30 Red Seeker, 8.00 Abushamah, 8.30 Enough Already, 9.00 Dante's View.
CHELMSFORD: 1.40 Bettys Hope, 2.15 Celtic Manor, 2.50 Fields Of Athenry, 3.25 Specialise, 4.00 Fly The Flag, 4.35 Orliko, 5.10 Maid For Life.
HAYDOCK: 2.05 Mind The Crack, 2.40 Enbihaar, 3.15 First Eleven, 3.50 Keep Busy, 4.25 Danzeno, 5.00 Equiano Springs, 5.35 Mutaraffa.
LEICESTER: 1.55 Nostrovia, 2.30 Dorchester Dom, 3.05 Innocent, 3.40 Monsieur Noir, 4.15 Desert Land, 4.50 Cambric, 5.25 Princess Way.
NAAS: 1.35 Mythologic, 2.10 Punita Arora, 2.45 Little Clarinet, 3.20 Arabeska, 3.55 Empire State, 4.30 Finding Nemo, 5.05 Spelga.
NOTTINGHAM: 5.40 Dutch Artist, 6.10 Exclusively, 6.40 Stewardess, 7.10 Goscote, 7.40 Chance, 8.10 Fragrant Dawn, 8.40 Kings Royal Hussar.
SANDOWN: 1.50 Pocket Dynamo, 2.25 Petrus, 3.00 Encapsulation, 3.35 MAGICAL (NAP), 4.10 Moraawed, 4.45 Falcon Eight , 5.20 Amjaady.
DOUBLE: Magical and Falcon Eight.
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