Creative Force the major July Cup mover and now as short as 4-1

Your one-stop shop for July festival news on Saturday morning

Creative Force is as short as 4-1 (from 7) for this afternoon's Darley July Cup (4.25) as support gathers for the in-form Godolphin runner, with little to choose between the four most prominent in the market.

The mount of William Buick has improved rapidly since being gelded and has progressed from winning a Newmarket handicap off a mark of 89 in April to triumphing in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out to earn a new rating of 114.

ITV Racing tips: one key runner from each of the 11 races on ITV this Saturday

Meanwhile, last year's winner Oxted is heading in the opposite direction and is now as big as 6-1 with bet365 and Paddy Power having been 4-1 joint-favourite in places last night.

The July Cup headlines a bumper 11 races being broadcast on ITV on what has been billed ‘Super Saturday’, and The Ed Walker-trained Starman is edging favouritism for the 6f sprint at a general 7-2, with Commonwealth Cup runner-up Dragon Symbol alongside Creative Force at a general 9-2.

Of the outsiders, the Ken Condon-trained Miss Amulet has come in for support and has shortened to 22-1 with some firms while still being as big as 40-1 with others, while last year's Middle Park winner Supremacy has been a major drifter and is now 28-1 (from 16).

Paddy Power market movers

Newmarket
2.05 Riknnah 11-2 (from 6)
2.40 Qaader 4-1 (from 9-2)
3.15 Native Trail (5-2 from 11-4)
3.50 Motakhayyel 8-1 (from 9)
4.25 Miss Amulet 22 (from 40)

York

1.45 Lexington Knight 10-1 (from 16)
2.20 Quickthorn 15-2 (from 8)
4.05 Surrey Pride 5-1 (from 13-2)
4.40 Bedford Flyer 40 (from 80)

Ascot

3.00 Top Rank 9-2 (from 11-2)
3.35 Tis Marvellous 13-2 (from 15-2)

In the Group 2 bet365 Superlative Stakes (3.15), Dhabab is a solid 2-1 favourite, although Godolphin duo Native Trail (9-4 from 11-4) and Private Signal (17-2 from 14) have both been backed.

The William Haggas-trained Ametist (9-2 from 8) has been well-supported this morning in the bet365 Bunbury Cup (3.50) and is rivalling Perotto for favourite status, while last year's winner Motakhayyel has shortened to 11-2 (from 9) with Sky Bet to repeat his success.

At York, there is a new favourite for the feature John Smith's Cup (4.05) with money coming for course-and-distance-winner Surrey Pride. The Joseph Tuite-trained four-year-old was available at 8-1 last night but is now 4-1 with most firms with Royal Hunt Cup runner-up Astro King pushed out to 5-1.

Ilaraab is a notable non-runner in the Group 3 John Smith's Silver Cup Stakes (2.20). The William Haggas-trained runner had been a 7-1 shot but misses out due to the going, which was changed to good, good to soft in places (from good) after some light rain overnight and on Saturday morning.

Newmarket 'lucky' to avoid intense thunderstorms

A smattering of overnight rain has caused a slight going change at Newmarket for the final day of the July festival, although clerk of the course Michael Prosser said this morning the track was "lucky" to avoid a spate of late-night thunderstorms which could have drastically changed conditions.

Although no rain was recorded at the winning line, 3mm had fallen at the 1m4f rain gauge and the ground is now described as good to firm, good in places having been good to firm on Thursday and Friday.

Prosser said: “We had thunderstorms all around us after the last race yesterday. There were three storms encroaching upon us. It was extraordinary because I had one member of staff driving home who told me they got flooded in Moulton, which is just the other side of Warren Hill.

"I went back through the country lanes and Cheveley was flooded which isn’t a million miles away either. The storms were extremely intense and we got lucky that somehow the racecourse has survived."

Saturday's free tipping:

Paul Kealy's Saturday banker at York

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Saturday's free racing tips: six horses to consider putting in your multiples

US racing tips: Tom Collins with his fancies for the Belmont Derby and Oaks

"We had no measurable rainfall at the winning line rain gauge, but 3mm at the 12f rain gauge so I have changed the ground to good to firm, good in places.

"The forecast for this morning is to be pleasant, albeit overcast. There is a little bit of light rain forecast, no more than 1mm and then it will brighten up from lunchtime. I don’t think the rainfall this morning will be enough for us to deviate from the current going."

Non-runners

Newmarket
1.30 8 Salve Japan
2.40 5 Seasett
3.50 2 Raising Sand
5.00 7 Love Is Golden, 8 Gold Souk

Ascot
2.15 6 Year Of The Dragon, 2 Zoffarelli
3.00 3 Duke Of Hazzard
3.35 9 Mulzim
4.35 6 Semser

York
1.45 4 Hortzador, 17 Irreverent
2.20 4 Ilaraab
2.55 11 Proton 16 Nataleena
3.30 5 Makalu
4.05 21 Data Protection

Saturday's race previews:

3.00 Ascot: Century Dream and Top Rank clash again with new jockeys in Summer Mile

3.15 Newmarket: History suggests you should favour unexposed juveniles over Ascot also-rans

3.35 Ascot: Hurricane Ivor out to gain first British win after Sandown farce

3.50 Newmarket: Is Britannia hero Perotto a handicap blot? Graeme Rodway gives his verdict

4.05 York: What could go wrong for Astro King? Graeme Rodway reckons he has found something

4.25 Newmarket: Cieren Fallon bids to follow in legendary July Cup footsteps with Oxted

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