Newmarket racecourse's highlight of the summer starts on Thursday, as the three-day July Festival gets underway.
Attendees on day one can look forward to a quality afternoon of action on the July Course, with four pattern races and a couple of lively handicaps featuring on the schedule. Here are my best betting tips for every race on the opening day of the July Festival.
July Festival 2026 Day 1 Schedule
| Time | Title |
|---|---|
| 1:50pm | Bahrain Trophy Stakes (Group 3) 1m5f |
| 2:25pm | Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes (Group 2) 6f |
| 3:00pm | Betway Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 6f |
| 3:35pm | Princess Of Wales's Stakes (Sponsored By The Kingdom Of Bahrain) (Group 2) 1m4f |
| 4:10pm | British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes (Class 2) 7f |
| 4:45pm | Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil Stakes (Listed Race) 1m |
| 5:20pm | Debenhams Handicap (Class 3) 1m |
Newmarket July Festival Tips - Thursday 9th July 2026
1:50pm Newmarket - Bahrain Trophy Stakes Tips
The top three in the market for Thursday's opener all met in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot. POINT OF LAW (11/4) endured the worst passage through that Group Two and still finished third behind Del Maro, and I fancy the pace set-up on Thursday could suit the Royal runner.
Second to Del Maro on debut at Yarmouth in April, Point Of Law quickened up smartly to open his account in a ten-furlong maiden at Newbury. James Doyle's mount was slowly away in the Queen's Vase and was forced widest of all to challenge. Del Maro was better suited by switching to the inside rail, while Galiyan struggled after racing wide throughout. Point Of Law, on the other hand, rattled home to finish just a length behind the runner-up.
With no obvious front-runners in this small field, the race could turn into a sprint over the final two or three furlongs. Point Of Law has shown a smart turn of foot on all three starts, and fast ground will suit this blue-blooded son of Frankel.
2:25pm Newmarket - Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes Tips
Just four runners line up in this Group Two, and it's Charlie Appleby's once-raced juvenile Inner City Blues who heads the market. HICKORY LAD (15/2) looks overpriced after an impressive victory in the valuable Woodcote Stakes on Epsom Derby day.
Phil Makin's youngster won nicely at Musselburgh on his second start before a fine effort behind the speedy Adonius in the Lily Agnes at Chester. Sam James gave Hickory Lad a confident front-running ride in the Woodcote, stacking the field up turning out of Tattenham Corner before sprinting three lengths clear of the chasing pack.
Hickory Lad seemed to improve massively for the step up to six furlongs that day, and I doubt quicker ground will pose too many problems. At 15/2, he looks far too big a price.
3:00pm Newmarket - Betway Handicap Tips
Nine of the last ten winners of this three-year-old sprint handicap have carried 8-12 or less, while eight of those nine winners were drawn in stall eight or higher. PILU (16/1) ticks both boxes, and I'm convinced there's much more to come from Roger Teal's sprinter.
Pilu won his first two starts last August before finishing fourth in a high-quality conditions race at Salisbury. Teal's gelding played up before the start when sixth on his reappearance at Newmarket, then bumped into the progressive Jazl at Leicester in May.
Marco Ghiani's mount made the running that day and effectively set the race up for Jazl, who broke the course record over six furlongs. Pilu stuck on well to finish second ahead of several highly rated rivals, and local trainer Roger Teal appears to have had this race in mind for some time.
3:35pm Newmarket - Princess Of Wales's Stakes Tips
Take a look at our full guide to the 2026 Princess Of Wales's Stakes to find out who we've backed in Thursday's feature.
Visit our Princess Of Wales's Stakes Live Stream page if you want to watch any race from Newmarket live via a mobile or tablet.
4:10pm Newmarket - Maiden Fillies' Stakes Tips
Peaceful Charm is long odds-on to make a winning debut in this seven-furlong maiden. At the prices, I'll roll the dice with SEXY CHICK (12/1), who was touched off on her debut over six furlongs here on the July Course two weeks ago.
Richard Spencer's grey faced just two rivals that day and didn't seem suited by the slow early pace. George Wood angled his mount towards the centre of the track when the leaders kicked for home, and Sexy Chick responded well, going down by just a neck to War Banner.
I like this step up to seven furlongs, and Sexy Chick should have a more even pace to aim at from stall one. She certainly has each-way claims.
4:45pm Newmarket - Sir Henry Cecil Stakes Tips
At the start of the Flat season, I highlighted MORRIS DANCER (11/8) as a colt to follow with the 2000 Guineas in mind. Unfortunately, John and Thady Gosden couldn't get him ready in time for the spring, and Morris Dancer only made his seasonal reappearance in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Expecting he would need that belated return to action, I sided with Colori Forever each-way in the Jersey. Marco Botti's colt failed to fire, but I was delighted with what I saw from Morris Dancer, who travelled strongly throughout before sprinting home to finish a clear third behind Thesecretadversary.
Morris Dancer was touched off by Zavateri in the Vintage Stakes last season before going on to trounce some useful rivals at Listed level. There's no doubt William Buick's mount is a stakes-level performer, and I fancy he'll prove too classy for his rivals in this Listed contest.
5:20pm Newmarket - Debenhams Handicap Tips
Plenty will fancy their chances in this high-quality handicap, which rounds off a strong opening day to the meeting. I like the chances of SHAFDAR (11/1), especially after Ian Williams secured the services of William Buick.
This lightly raced gelding won on the all-weather for Williams over the winter, but looked even better when scoring at Epsom in April, beating future two-time winner Sweet Reward with plenty left in hand. Shafdar was slowly away and hampered in the Victoria Cup over seven furlongs, and didn't seem to handle Sandown particularly well when finishing sixth behind Beagle Bay last month.
Shafdar still emerged with plenty of credit that day in a race which looks sure to work out well. Buick will be happy with a central draw in stall six, and Williams' charge still has plenty of scope from his current handicap mark.