Meade delighted to have red-hot Dettori again for Advertise in July Cup bid

Frankie Dettori's stunning summer already has some bookmakers on the ropes, but one man hoping the run continues for at least a few more days is Martyn Meade, who has secured the services of the world's most recognisable jockey once again for Advertise in Saturday's Darley July Cup Stakes at Newmarket.

While it has been multiple bets involving the Italian that bookmakers fear most – so much so that on Saturday Coral did not allow punters to take early prices about his last two Sandown mounts in five and six-folds – even more eyecatching than Dettori's treble there and his four-timer at Royal Ascot on Saturday is his recent record in Group 1 races.

Sunday's Prix Jean Prat win on Too Darn Hot was Dettori's seventh in a Group 1 since his Investec Oaks win on Anapurna, a magnificent seven that includes a good win in Royal Ascot's Commonwealth Cup on Advertise, on whom he has also enjoyed success in the Group 2 July Stakes 12 months ago, as well as in Ireland's Group 1 Phoenix Stakes.

Meade, who was thrilled when Advertise bounced back to his two-year-old best at Royal Ascot in first-time blinkers after a disappointing effort in the 2,000 Guineas, said: "I'm very pleased to have Frankie on board again as it's a combination which works well. Frankie rode Advertise at the July meeting last year so let's hope we get the same result."

The only time Dettori has been beaten on Advertise was in the 2,000 Guineas, over a trip quite possibly too far, and when the stable was not in form.

Meade said: "I'm not sure you'd say they have a special relationship yet, and I don't suppose Frankie would have stuck with Advertise if Too Darn Hot had been running, but they clearly get on very well and it's great to have that consistency. It gives the horse confidence and it gives all of us confidence too."

While many will attribute Advertise's return to form in part at least to the application of headgear, Meade has yet to decide if the colt will wear blinkers again.

He said: "We put the blinkers on in the Commonwealth Cup as we'd trained him to run a mile and we thought we maybe needed to sharpen him up a bit dropping to six. He runs perfectly well without them, though, and our dilemma now is whether to leave them on or take them off.

"It was important for us to win that particular race and the blinkers paid off, but I don't think they're essential and whether we declare them again remains to be seen. They were specifically to get him tuned up for that race."

Martyn Meade embraces Frankie Dettori after Advertise's Commonwealth Cup successCredit: Edward Whitaker

Advertise, who does his last bit of work on Tuesday morning, has pleased since Ascot. Meade said: "He ran as expected at Ascot and it didn't take too much out of him. He was quite convincing, and there might have been a bit more there too.

"He's matured and come on dramatically since he was beaten only by Calyx and Too Darn Hot as a two-year-old, and he really gets his head down and gets on with it. I've every hope for him on Saturday."

Advertise is as short as 9-4 in several lists but he is available at 7-2 with William Hill, who are alone in making Sir Michael Stoute's Dream Of Dreams favourite at 3-1, after he failed by only a head to deny Blue Point a rare Royal Ascot double in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

The pair head the betting ahead of Wokingham winner Cape Byron and disappointing Commonwealth Cup fourth Ten Sovereigns, but two potentially dangerous July Cup veterans lie in wait for all four among the race's 15 acceptors.

Limato will be making his fourth appearance in the race, having won in 2016 and been second in 2017 before finishing down the field 12 months ago, while Brando will be appearing in the race for a third successive time, having been third in 2017 and second last year, having not been entered at Royal Ascot to ensure he would arrive here fresh.

Paul Jacobs had been considering keeping Limato's sights a little lower after his recent win in Newmarket's Group 3 Criterion Stakes, but the seven-year-old has been in such good form since then that the owner has had second thoughts.

He said: "We were thinking of keeping Limato in Group 2 seven-furlong races for the rest of the season, but he's literally bouncing, and tugging his lad's arms out.

"He seems in rattling form, and in light of that we've confirmed the entry. If he continues in the same form and he gets his ground we are pretty keen on the idea."

Harry Bentley and Limato return victorious after the 2016 July CupCredit: Edward Whitaker

Jacobs believes Limato found himself in front much too soon in the Criterion and points out he kicked again when joined and that he was conceding a 5lb penalty. He said: "Realistically he's not going to win the July Cup again against improving younger sprinters as a seven-year-old, but it's only fair that he takes his chance, and if he runs his race he'll give them something to think about."

The positioning of Saturday's big race on what is traditionally an exceptionally busy Saturday has become something of a movable feast in, but a 4.40 start is not unusually late by recent standards. While it was off at 2.15 12 months ago it had a 4.35 start in 2016 and 2017.

The World Cup quarter-finals were responsible for last year's unusually early start and Newmarket clerk of the course Michael Prosser confirmed that the timings have again been driven by accommodating ITV's requirements.

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