Alan Alger: My 4 To Win tips for day one of the July Festival
Our expert reveals his picks for winning a jackpot of £10,000 in our free-to-play prediction game, plus his best bets from Thursday's racecard.
4 To Win is Betway's free-to-play prediction game running throughout the July Festival at Newmarket.
Simply guess the winner from four chosen races for your chance to win a jackpot of £10,000.
Here are Alan Alger's top tips to get you started...
14.25
TOP PICK: LEGENDS OF WAR
Second choice: Konchek
This is mainly a race for lightly-raced, juvenile male horses in their first season of racing, so there’s not that much form to go on.
Martyn Meade’s Advertise is likely to start as favourite, but was beaten last time out in a similar level of race at Royal Ascot.
That looked a good run on balance, but more may be required here and he’s opposable.
We have to factor in Irish raider Van Beethoven from the all-conquering Aidan O’Brien stable.
His defeat over five furlongs at Royal Ascot in the Listed Windsor Castle probably showed that he’s just below this prize, though.
John Gosden’s LEGENDS OF WAR was a winner on debut at Yarmouth and looked way above the level of that Novice Stakes at the seaside track.
A four-length winner that day, he looks the best pick here.
15.00
TOP PICK: EMBOUR
Second choice: Buridan
This is a tough handicap with a big field where prices will start around 7/1, exposing the wide-open nature of the race.
There hasn’t been a winning favourite of this race in the last decade, with two victors returning in that time at 33/1.
A high-to-middle draw seems favoured historically, while only one of the last 10 winners carried more than 9st 2lb.
Despite some trainers trying to use apprentice jockeys to take some weight off, it’s worth noting that only one claiming pilot took this race in the last 10 years.
The Hannon stable often does well at this meeting and I like both of their entries here.
My preference is for EMBOUR, who landed a hat-trick last time out.
He’s back up to six furlongs here, but can land this at the expense of stablemate Buridan.
16.10
TOP PICK: LOVER'S KNOT
Second choice: Handmaiden
Here we have a very tricky juvenile fillies race with a number of debutants or horses that have only seen a racecourse once.
In fact, four of the last five winners were visiting a racecourse for the very first time.
Godolphin have a good record in this contest and it’s worth chancing their LOVER’S KNOT, who was second here a few weeks ago.
17.20
TOP PICK: DUKE OF FIRENZE
Second choice: Leo Minor
No winner of this race during the last decade has returned at over 12/1, so it could be worth focusing on those at the head of the market.
DUKE OF FIRENZE is a veteran of these type of races at the ripe old age of nine.
His venture to Ireland to race at the Curragh last time out ended in the ignominy of last place of 17 runners, but he can make amends here with conditions to suit after a break of two weeks.
THURSDAY'S TIPS
13.50
GLOBAL GIANT was fifth at Royal Ascot last time but showed that this distance was within his reach as he stayed on towards the end of the Hampton Court Stakes.
This is possibly weaker and he could nick a place at a big price.
15.35
MUNTAHAA comes back up in trip and is very capable of laying a part at the finish.
He’s clearly John Gosden’s second string in the race, but can at least place at a double-figure price.
Click here to visit Betway's horse racing betting page.
