PLAY THIS HAND IN BUNBURY CUP

A proper day of competitive racing for punters served up by Newmarket and Ascot. The July Cup is the main race of the day but we target the last race on the Newmarket card with all of 18 runners declared.

Tomfre as a three year old gets a huge 8lbs from his elders leaving him carrying just 8-6 despite his rating of 98. He beat a listed winner (Milltown Star) over course and distance last season on soft ground. This season he ran too freely first time up at Linfield before going very close at Sandown beaten a short head over 7f on good ground. He flew home at Sandown having had his run checked somewhat a couple of furlongs from the finish. Harry Bentley is riding very well and is as stylish a jockey you will see riding presently. Ralph Beckett has kept Tomfre fresh for this assignment which looks to have been a well thought out plan. Tomfre is drawn in stall 9 leaving his jockey the option to choose his side.

Cardsharp has dropped to a handicap mark of 103 having won last season at York when rated 4lbs higher off 107. He is a classy horse for handicaps having won the Group 2 July Stakes on this course as a juvenile. Last season he seemed to run well every second race winning twice over the full season. This season he started well in a very hot listed race at Haydock when finishing just 4l behind Space Blues and Safe Voyage. Ignore this Ascot run as he has never run near his best at that course. A mile stretches Cardsharp’s stamina and he didn’t get home over a mile at Windsor last time out. Well drawn in stall 19 over a course and trip that he enjoys, it is worth backing Cardsharp to bounce back to his best under James Doyle. Mark Johnston won this race with Vale of Kent last season so knows what is required and of the pair I believe Cardsharp is better handicapped this time round.