It’s day two of the July Festival at Newmarket, and that means Falmouth Stakes Day. I’m casting my net a little wider than Newmarket for my Friday horse racing tips though, with my best bets today also coming from Ascot and York. It’s a busy one, and I’m getting stuck into six of them up and down the country.
Friday Horse Racing Tips: Best Bets Today at Newmarket, Ascot, and York
| Bet Type | Horse | Race | Odds | Bookie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Bet | Princling | 1:50 Newmarket | 9/4 | William Hill |
| Next Best | Blue Bolt | 3:35 Newmarket | 11/4 | Betfred |
| Strong Bet | Mysterious Times | 2:35 Ascot | BOG | Betfred |
| Value Bet | Valedictory | 3:00 Newmarket | 3/1 | Betfred |
| Value Bet | Spectical | 3:55 York | 6/1 | William Hill |
| Value Bet | Kahin | 4:30 York | BOG | William Hill |
Odds correct at 14:50 BST on 09/07/26. Odds subject to change.
The racing nap today has to be Princling, but I’ve been down this road before with him! I’m playing in three July Festival day 2 events, with today’s horse racing tips priced up by Betfred and William Hill, two of the best horse racing bookmakers.
With no early prices available, the advice is to join now, claim your bonus, and then back Mysterious Times and Kahin from 8:00am. That way, you get Best Odds Guaranteed.
No Expiry Date
My Friday Best Bet of the Day
Princling – 1:50 Newmarket
The opening contest on the July Course is this ten-furlong heritage handicap for the three-year-olds. My nap of the day runs in this, Princling, and he’s getting one last chance from me because I’m in danger of going off a cliff with him.
Having loved the company he was keeping last season, I waited for him with interest in 2026. He started off by winning at Wetherby, but he was unbackable that day at 1/4. I then backed him in the Silver Bowl at Carlisle, but in truth he looked as though he needed more than the mile there, and I’m not sure the change of venue suited him (the race is usually run at Haydock).
William Haggas’ colt was then well fancied at Royal Ascot in the Golden Gates, but he was unlucky in running. I’m not quite at the point where I’ve done my brains on this horse, but I reckon he owes me one.
I handicap each and every race thoroughly to come up with my Friday racing tips, and Princling genuinely comes out about 5lbs clear of the rest on my ratings. I’m going in again.
Why I’m Backing Princling
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Has ideal conditions now – perhaps for the first time
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Ahead of the handicapper and his rivals
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Favourites with no apparent weaknesses should be backed
Friday Racing Tips – Next Best Bet
Blue Bolt – 3:35 Newmarket
This is the Falmouth Stakes, one of two Group 1 races at the 2026 July Festival.
I backed this horse on both of her starts this season – when she won at Goodwood, and when she scored in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot. She’s a smart one, and I’m siding with her again, even though a lot of horse racing tips today will surround the favourite, Precise.
Blue Bolt has to give weight to Precise as she is an older filly, but she’s at a higher level in my view, and her profile suggests that she can improve even faster than the younger horse. She won well at Ascot, she deserves a Group 1, and conditions are ideal.
Why I’m Backing Blue Bolt
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High-class filly who won well at Royal Ascot
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Clearly handles fast ground over a mile
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By Blue Point out of Whipper – pedigree just screams Group 1
A Strong Friday Bet
Mysterious Times – 2:35 Ascot
Ascot betting tips could go under the radar a tad today, but not with me. I love the look of Mysterious Times here, a youngster trained by Newmarket’s top man Charlie Appleby who had an extracurricular winner at Doncaster on Thursday.
This is a six-furlong conditions event for the two-year-olds, one in which three of Mysterious Times’ main rivals have to concede weight. That could be crucial.
With their respective penalties taken into account, I expect Persazz, Flann Sunna, and Peaceful Warrior to run to levels somewhere between the high 70’s and mid-80’s. That’s not a level I expect any Charlie Appleby colt to be unable to outdo given racing experience, which he now has.
Why I’m Backing Mysterious Times
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Unlucky in running last time – upgrade his performance
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Improving with each run and not penalised here
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By Night Of Thunder – the sire of the moment
July Festival Day 2 Betting Tips – Value Bet
Valedictory – 3:00 Newmarket
I’m going against another favourite here, this time Wine Dark Sea who was backed on these pages when he won the Cumberland Plate. Instead of siding with him, my Newmarket betting tips are rounded off by Valedictory, a Godolphin four-year-old trained by John & Thady Gosden.
It was a close call in truth. I get Valedictory just a pound ahead of his main rival, mostly due to the promise he has. I think he had more in the tank when he won over this one-mile, six-furlong trip at Goodwood, and he’s had lots of time to recover and improve.
Valedictory has an entry in the Ebor Handicap, another huge race I’ll be covering on my regular Saturday horse racing tips page. The July Cup will be the main focus this week, along with the John Smith’s Cup at York.
Why I’m Backing Valedictory
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Was entered in a conditions race at Royal Ascot – trainer thinks a lot of him
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Went to a new level when upped to this 1m6f trip at Goodwood
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Lightly raced with lots of improvement to come
Big Value Bet for Friday
Spectical – 3:55 York
And speaking of York betting tips, I’m sneaking over to the Knavesmire for a couple on Friday. Spectical, trained by Andrew Balding and ridden by James Doyle, could just be very well in at the weights here.
Having previously been trained in Ireland, this is just his second run for Balding, his first in blinkers, first in a handicap, and his first on fast ground. I think he’ll improve no end for all that, and he gets in off a rating of only 75.
Why I’m Backing Spectical
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Should improve plenty for racing on fast ground
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Was very well backed on his debut for Andrew Balding
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Has the right jockey on board in James Doyle
Final Value Bet for Friday
Kahin – 4:30 York
The last of my horse racing tips today also comes from York, this time Kahin in the mile and a quarter handicap. William Haggas does very well at this track, and I think he has the right contender
There’s decent competition for the last-time-out winner, but most of them aren’t well handicapped right now. I saw noticeable improvement from Kahin when he finally got to race on fast ground when last seen at Hamilton, and I think he had plenty to spare there. He can prove to be very well in for his first handicap run.
Why I’m Backing Kahin
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Impeccably bred by Kingman out of a Galileo mare
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Trainer gets lots of winners at York
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Looks like being so much better than an 82 horse
Over 36% ROI in June
Last month was outstanding, both for the regular horse racing previews, and for the Saturday racing tips page. Selections, which included 25/1 shot Almeraq, Qirat (advised at 14/1), and Royal Ascot winner Opportunity (6/1) helped to rake in a return on investment of over 36%. Here’s to a big July.
