Insights from those involved: Newmarket July Festival Day 1

Adayar Set to Return to Ideal Trip in Princess of Wales’s Stakes

The highly anticipated Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday will see Adayar, the bay son of Frankel, return to his “ideal trip”. After winning both the Derby and King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2021, Adayar recently finished third behind surprise winner Mostahdaf in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot. Trainer Charlie Appleby had initially aimed for a Group One victory over 10 furlongs for Adayar but has now opted for a drop back to mile and a half distance and Group Two company at Newmarket.

Jockey William Buick will join forces with the five-year-old again, expressing confidence that the longer distance will play into his strengths. Despite finishing third at Ascot, Buick believes there is still plenty left in Adayar and hopes this race can serve as a stepping stone towards future targets.

John and Thady Gosden Hopeful for Israr

Trainers John and Thady Gosden have high hopes for Israr if rain arrives in time. Owned by Shadwell, Israr has been unsuccessful in his two outings this season after narrowly missing out on victory against Haskoy at Aston Park and struggling when upped to a mile and three-quarters against Quickthorn at York. The Gosdens are pleased with Israr’s performance so far this year but believe he would benefit from softer ground. With an ideal trip of one mile-six furlongs ahead, they remain cautious yet optimistic about Israr’s chances.

Rain Dance Required for Grand Alliance

Charlie Fellowes is keeping his fingers crossed for rain as Grand Alliance prepares for the Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes. Following a win in the John Porter at Newbury, Grand Alliance faced a challenging race against Pyledriver in the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot. Fellowes had hoped for rain to soften the ground at Newmarket but has been disappointed so far. If the ground remains quick, Grand Alliance is unlikely to run as he performs best on softer surfaces.

Maximum Impact Aims to Bounce Back

Havana Grey colt Maximum Impact, owned by Amo Racing, aims to answer some lingering questions after his lackluster performance at Royal Ascot. Despite being unbeaten prior to the Windsor Castle Stakes with wins at Leicester and over course and distance, Maximum Impact struggled during that race. Equipped with a tongue-tie this time around, hopes are high for an improved showing from Maximum Impact under Alice Haynes’ guidance.

Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes Brings Nine Horses Together

The Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes will see nine horses line up for this exciting Group Two contest. Among them are several talented contenders vying for victory in what promises to be an exhilarating event.