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IT IS THE start of the summer series of horse racing festivals and the Newmarket July meeting, which ends today, precedes the King George at Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and of course, the York Ebor Festival on the Knavesmire.

The July Cup Stakes is the feature event on this famous summer course and it has been quite a long time since we managed to witness an all-conquering sprint champion over five and six furlongs, but I just wonder whether MISSION CENTRAL (4.35) could be the next sprinting superstar on the block.

A three-year-old taking on the older horses, he was dropped in trip this season after landing the Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh and Champion Two-Year-Old Conditions event at Ascot in 2025. For both of those wins, he showed plenty of early pace, but he had to lay up behind the field in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot before running through the whole field and seeing off the French raider Rayevka in the final stride by a head.

The extra furlong should suit him perfectly and, from stall seven, Ryan Moore has an ideal draw, with the likely front-runner Quinault set to blaze the trail from four stalls away. 

I make Division a bigger danger to the selection following a closing third to Venetian Sun in the Commonwealth Cup. I don’t think we have yet seen the best of this son of Kingman, but he may just fall short of the selection who is taken to give the remarkable Aidan O’Brien a sixth win in this famous event, his last victory having come courtesy of Ten Sovereigns way back in 2019.

The major handicap of the day at Headquarters is the Bunbury Cup, a seven furlong event due off at 3.25 with a field of 15 runners thundering up the home stretch across the undulations before the final three parts of a furlong sends you uphill to the line.

Former winner Aalto looks set to start favourite, having won this race in 2024 off a mark of 88 before being beaten a nose by the well-handicapped More Thunder last year off 92. Back down to a rating of 87 and off a cracking second to Dark Tornado over the course and distance, his chance with William Buick on board is clear to see. 

However, the price has shortened since the opening show last week about this six-year-old and there is much better each-way value further down the betting lists. Great Acclaim has been running consistently well in the big seven furlong handicaps this season, including closing placed efforts in the Victoria Cup and Buckingham Palace, both at Ascot, but I just wonder whether the handicapper will need to relinquish his grip before he lands a deserved first prize of the season and for that reason, I prefer the claims of the well-handicapped TWO TRIBES.

Richard Spencer has booked Oisin Murphy for this five-year-old, who last won off 102 over six furlongs at Meydan in January. All his subsequent runs in Dubai came in Listed or Group events before a late running 11th in the Wokingham Handicap over six furlongs at Royal Ascot. But seven furlongs on fast ground is his optimum set-up and he can bounce back here at a double-figure price.

Of the other races on the card, I like the look of favourite ABRAHAM LINCOLN (4.00) in the Superlative Stakes with the seventh furlong a big asset having won over six furlongs at the Curragh on his debut. My other interest at a bigger price will be CAPE FEAR (5.45) on the finale, a class-four handicap over a mile-and-a-half. A clear-cut winner of a novice event at Lingfield last month, his opening handicap mark of 78 looks very fair and the chestnut colt could get the better of the consistent Wonder.

On a tremendous day of racing, York offers us the Magnet Cup over an extended mile-and-a-quarter with a maximum field of 22, as the unexposed four-year-olds take on the battle-hardened older handicappers. 

Of the latter category, Castle Stuart may well hit the frame with the extended place terms on offer from many of the bookmakers. But for win purposes, I am rather sweet on the claims of RAAMMEE (3.45) who gets weight from the market leaders Respond, Warrant Holder and Yabher. 

Of that trio, the last named is the one that I fear most, having made all and thrashed City of Delighted by six lengths at Goodwood. The handicapper has reacted by raising him 12lb, but he has a lovely midfield draw in stall 13, allowing Jason Hart to position him wherever he wishes in the early stages of this competitive contest.

The rest of the card looks devilishly difficult and Mister Sox should run well in the six-furlong handicap finale, following a good effort at Thirsk last time out. He looks a major player, but at the prices I just like the claims of top weight and course and distance winner Yes Im Mali and ALMARADA PRINCE (5.30). He has twice run well over the course and distance this season and off 78 looks very nicely treated, with perhaps the only slight negative being the quickening of the ground with all the fine weather around.

EPIC POET (4.55) wasn’t given the best of rides in the Henry II Stakes two outings back and then ran well below par in the Listed Grand Cup Stakes over the course and distance and if he bounces back to his very best form, he should be able to deal with Mount Atlas.

It will be rattling fast ground at Ascot this afternoon and that should suit the 2025 Windsor Castle Stakes winner HAVANA HURRICANE (1.55). He looks sure to hold up in midfield behind the trail blazers as he was when he won here at the Royal meeting and I expect him to overpower his older rivals up the final climb.

JONQUIL (2.27) gets the vote over Docklands and More Thunder in the Group Two Summer Mile Stakes, while FIREBLADE (3.34) looks sure to be given a positive ride back over a mile-and-a-half.