Newmarket tips: Five star names to note ahead of July Festival including Alcohol Free

STOWELL

• Trainer: John Gosden
• Bahrain Trophy Stakes (Group 3) – 1.50 Thursday

STOWELL's Lingfield debut sparked a 21-day ban for jockey Rab Havlin and while the colt's subsequent maiden win at Ascot (click for FREE video replays) on May 7 was something of a formality, it was his Queen's Vase third that really marked him down as a horse going places.

Drawn 12 (the first, second and fourth came from stalls 3, 5 and 7 respectively), third home Stowell was ridden patiently by Frankie Dettori and was a few lengths adrift of the field through the first couple of furlongs.

He crept a bit closer on the run to the bend but was still one from last turning in as winner Kemari got first run down towards the inside. Dettori's charge responded really well approaching the final furlong and a half but lugged left a little into Wordsworth (third in Irish Derby since), after which his rider wasn't overly hard on him.

His stamina for a mile and three-quarters wasn't guaranteed at all but Stowell looks a true stayer alright and whether it's this week, the Great Voltigeur at York, or both, it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see the son of Zoffany book his ticket for the Cazoo St Leger before the final Classic comes onto the horizon.

AL AASY

• Trainer: William Haggas
• Princess Of Wales’s Tattersalls Stakes (Group 2) – 3.35 Thursday

AL AASY's participation appears to hang in the balance, especially with Hukum also set to line up for Shadwell, but he'd be a real draw for the meeting if taking in this event ahead of a shot at the King George.

The son of Sea The Stars has really graduated to the top table this season and, via a couple of silky-smooth wins at Newbury, was involved in one of the races of the year so far when beaten a neck by Pyledriver in Epsom's Group One Coronation Cup.

His only previous outing on the July Course here at HQ resulted in a comfortable victory in the Bahrain Trophy last summer and the thought of going into Ascot next month on the back of a confidence-boosting success must be quite tempting for trainer William Haggas and connections.

SANDRINE

• Trainer: Andrew Balding
• Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2) – 2.25 Friday

The last three Albany winners have all tried to follow up in the Duchess Of Cambridge at Newmarket and although Dandalla was the only one to pull off the double, there seems very little reason to oppose SANDRINE this time.

Not too many of Andrew Balding's horses win first time out, which was a pretty decent pointer in hindsight, but the daughter of Bobby's Kitten showed a good attitude to get the job done on debut at Kempton on May 19.

She was 16/1 at Royal Ascot and defied the market unease with another really professional performance under David Probert.

The mixed forecast for the week at Newmarket won't be giving her connections any headaches as it was really soft at Ascot and it'll be interesting to see if Albany second and third - namely Hello You and Oscula - take her on again.

The potential fly in the ointment could turn out to be Flotus, sent off favourite for the Albany on account of her exceptional Goodwood debut but clearly not in love with the heavy conditions at the Royal meeting.

ALCOHOL FREE

• Trainer: Andrew Balding
• Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (Group 1) – 3.35 Friday

QIPCO 1000 Guineas fifth ALCOHOL FREE still had to prove her ability to stay the trip going into the Coronation Stakes but blew away the doubters with a teak-tough display in pretty atrocious conditions.

It's unlikely to be heavy going on the July Course this week and one would imagine getting back on a sounder surface will only prove beneficial for the daughter of No Nay Never.

Richard Hannon is making all the right noises about his Coronation runner-up Snow Lantern, whose dam was second in the Falmouth in 2013, while Alcohol Free could also face serious opposition from Lady Bowthorpe.

But conceding 9lb to a red-hot Alcohol Free looks a tall order for any older horse at present and it could be another red-letter day for Andrew Balding if all goes well for Sandrine as well.

OXTED

• Trainer: Roger Teal
• Darley July Cup (Group 1) – 4.25 Saturday

It feels like OXTED has undergone a bit of a rebuilding process since winning last year's July Cup and it's not all been plain-sailing.

He had a breathing operation during a 98-day hiatus after beating Sceptical here last summer, before finding the deep ground too taxing in the Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot in October.

An unsuccessful trip to Riyadh followed at the start of 2021 but Roger Teal and the team deserve huge credit for bringing their stable star back to the boil for the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.

The million-dollar question now is 'can he be equally effective back over six furlongs, having seemingly loved being produced late and fast off a seriously strong gallop over the minimum trip last time?'

The proof of the pudding will be in the sprinting this weekend, but his revised rating of 119 suggests he's right back to his best form-wise and connections can take heart from the fact there have been six July Cup winners aged five or above since the turn of the millennium (Agnes World, Continent, Frizzante, Les Arcs, Marchand D'or and Slade Power).

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