Perfect Power now 9-4 as punters latch on to 'Power double' after £20,000 bet

StarSports have laid £20,000 at 11-4 on Perfect Power in the Darley July Cup Stakes (4.25) as Richard Fahey's Commonwealth Cup winner remains a strong favourite for the Group 1 highlight.

Perfect Power is 9-4 (from 11-4) for back-to-back top-level triumphs although there has been some support for Naval Crown who is 4-1 in some places.

Punters are doubling up the July Cup market leader with Winter Power in the John Smith's City Walls Stakes (4.40) at York with the latter returning to the Knavesmire for the first time since winning last season's Nunthorpe.

Jordan Cox, horse racing trader at StarSports said: "The July Cup is where we’ve seen the biggest bet for this afternoon's racing. Perfect Power is really popular there. We’ve laid £20k at 11-4. Artorius, we haven’t been able to lay so that’s been quite friendless in the market.

"At York the talking horse is obviously Winter Power. We’ve laid £8k on Winter Power at 11-4 and the power double is very popular with punters as well. In the John Smith’s Cup we’ve laid a couple of four-figure bets on Anmaat at 10-1 so that’s by far our biggest loser there."

Alcohol Free 12-1 (from 20) for July Cup as punters back in-form Rob Hornby

Rob Hornby and Ralph Beckett combined with Prosperous Voyage to stun Inspiral in the Falmouth Stakes on Friday and punters are hoping that the pair can strike again on Saturday.

Jimi Hendrix, who finished third in the Britannia on just his second handicap start last month, has been backed into clear favouritism for the prolific duo in the bet365 Mile Handicap (2.40).

The three-year-old is up 5lb for his Royal Ascot exertions and is 11-4 from 3-1 with overnight favourite Bay Of Honour drifting out to as big as 4-1 with some firms.

As well as Prosperous Voyage's Group 1 success, Beckett saddled a winning debutante on Thursday and a 20-1 second on Friday on the July course and could complete a superb few days work here if Jimi Hendrix obliges.

Rob Hornby: backed for more big-race success at Newmarket on SaturdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Hornby also rides Alcohol Free in the Darley July Cup and the four-year-old filly has been steadily backed throughout the morning.

The three-time Group 1 winner is a general 12-1 chance having been 20-1 with bet365 overnight. Alcohol Free was a beaten favourite in the Falmouth at this meeting last year but could fare better over this shorter trip.

Only 13 will line up in the July Cup after Michael Dods took his outsider Blackrod out of the £600,000 feature sprint due to unsuitably fast ground.

Lord Rapscallion, who finished sixth at the track on Friday, and Tommy De Vito have been taken out of the bet365 Bunbury Cup (3.50) leaving 18 left in the £120,000 handicap.

Market movers

Ascot 2.25: Berkshire Breeze 3-1 (from 4-1)
Newmarket 2.40: Jimi Hendrix 11-4 (from 3-1)
York 2.55: Ghadbbaan 7-2 (from 11-2)
Newmarket 3.15: Isaac Shelby 11-4 (from 100-30)
Newmarket 4.25: Alcohol Free 12-1 (from 20-1)
Salisbury 6.45: Ollys Folly 12-1 (from 33-1)

No change in ground at Newmarket

Just as it was for the first the two days of the meeting, the going on the July course is good to firm, good in places.

Clerk of the course Michael Prosser said: "We're good to firm, good in places. The whole course after racing on Friday, we applied six millimetres. The going stick reading is 7.3 this morning.

"The forecast today is dry with sunny spells, not as warm as yesterday, 23 to 24 degrees with some sunny spells, a lovely summer's day.

"The track's in grand order and we're looking forward to today. It's a fantastic renewal of the July Cup with the international contingent which is exactly what we aspire to do and we're looking forward to the competition."

Modern News ruled out of Summer Mile with knocked joint

Modern News, who had been vying for second favouritism in the Fred Cowley MBE Memorial Summer Mile Stakes (3.35) at Ascot, will not run due to a knocked joint.

Modern News: will not run in the Summer MileCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

The four-year-old gelding was set for a first crack at Group 2 level after finishing second in a Group 3 and a Listed contest last month but has been taken out of the race by trainer Charlie Appleby. The withdrawal leaves six in the Summer Mile.

Chindit, who has run well behind Baaeed in top-level company on his last two starts, has firmed up at the top of the market as a result and is 6-4 having been 9-4 before the omission of Modern News.

Non-runners

Ascot
1.50 6 Indian Dream
2.25 1 Gold Maze
3.35 3 Modern News

Chester
1.58 4 Liangel Hope
3.08 7 Favourite Child
4.18 1 Mugader
4:53 7 True Jem

Hamilton
7.30 5 Diocletian

Newmarket
3.50 18 Tommy De Vito, 20 Lord Rapscallion
4.25 2 Blackrod

Salisbury
7.45 6 Niamh And Oonagh

Saturday's race previews:

3.00 Ascot: 'This summer she's blossomed' - Boughey fields transformed filly in hot handicap

3.15 Newmarket: 'You don't do what he did unless you're special' - Superlative Stakes lowdown

3.35 Ascot: Can Chindit make it a terrific ten straight winning favourites in Summer Mile?

3.50 Newmarket: Can Samburu end long three-year-old drought in the Bunbury Cup for the Gosdens?

4.05 York: Does William Haggas hold the Cup key again with lightly raced Mahrajaan?

4.25 York: 'Special horse' Perfect Power bids for fourth Group 1 success

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