Confirmed runners and riders for the July Cup at Newmarket on Saturday - plus a tip and free bet

Shaquille: Commonwealth Cup winner 'even stronger' ahead of Newmarket

Shaquille: extraordinary Commonwealth Cup winner is favourite for Saturday's July CupCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Rossa Ryan will receive the leg up aboard the remarkable Commonwealth Cup winner Shaquille when the three-year-old steps into open company for the first time in Saturday's Pertemps Network July Cup (4.35), in which he will face eight rivals.

It will be a major shot at a first Group 1 win for the 23-year-old, who is on board the Julie Camacho-trained sprinter as his Royal Ascot-winning rider Oisin Murphy is suspended. James Doyle, who had ridden the colt to his previous two successes this season, is in action for his retained owner Godolphin at Ascot.

New partnerships will be a common theme in this year's July Cup as two of the Group 1-winning older horses will be partnered by new jockeys, with Rob Hornby booked for the shock Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee winner Khaadem and William Buick confirmed for Kinross.

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Shaquille, the 15-8 favourite, will renew his rivalry with Ascot second Little Big Bear, who will line up after overcoming a minor setback. He will be Ballydoyle's sole representative after Meditate was taken out of the race.

Bookmakers consider Azure Blue as Shaquille's biggest threat in the market at 11-4, with connections opting to run after concerns about the ground subsided. The improving four-year-old filly was last seen defeating Highfield Princess in the Duke of York Stakes in May.

Neil Callan and Kevin Ryan pulled off an upset when Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's Triple Time scooped the Queen Anne and they will bid to repeat the feat with the 2021 Sprint Cup winner Emaraaty Ana after the owner's other entry Cold Case was not declared. Lezoo, Royal Aclaim and Brad The Brief were the others not confirmed.

Four-time Group winner Art Power and Run To Freedom complete the line-up.

Coral: 2 Shaquille, 10-3 Azure Blue, 4 Little Big Bear, 9-2 Kinross, 11 Khaadem, 22 Art Power, Run To Freedom, 25 Vadream, 28 Emaraaty Ana

July Cup: tip and 1-2-3 prediction

By Stuart Redding, tipster

1 Azure Blue
2 Little Big Bear
3 Shaquille

Azure Blue16:35 Newmarket (July)

View Racecard

Jky: Paul Mulrennan Tnr: Michael Dods

This time last year Azure Blue was running in ordinary handicaps but she has made tremendous progress and confirmed she is a very talented sprinter when winning at York in May.

The second and fourth, Highfield Princess and Annaf, went on to pick up minor honours in the King’s Stand Stakes so that is smart form.

This content was first published in Wednesday's Racing Post Weekender. Read more from star Weekender contributors such as leading tipsters Tom Segal and Paul Kealy and exclusive columnist Ed Walker every week

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