Jaysella’s and The Mandarin’s Saturday Selections for 11th July 2026

Jaysella’s Saturday Selections from Newmarket & Ascot, and The Mandarin’s York Picks.

Newmarket

Betway Bunbury Cup (Heritage Handicap) 3.25
Elarak
I reckon I’ll take a chance on Elarak for this Bunbury Cup, cos Charlie Hills’s Kingman gelding ain’t fully exposed over this sort of contests just yet. I spose you could say his record here at Newmarket is a bit in and out, but I did think he was gonna win at Ascot last time out, until Jack Channon’s favourite Mezcala collared ‘im late on in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at the Royal do. James Fanshawe’s Back In Black is sure to be on the premises, if coping with coming out of the dip, while Ian William’s 2024 winner Aalto has Will Buick booked and makes up me three. Yep, Elarak could be taking this if on song in the heat!

Boodles Superlative Stakes (Group 2) 4.00
Al Hudaiba
I’ve got this Group 2 Superlative down to a toss up between Aidan O’Brien’s Abraham Lincoln and Charlie Appleby’s Al Hudaiba. I’m leaning towards Charlie boy’s Al Hudaiba, cos he’s got a really exciting string of Juveniles just coming through now, even coming out and saying that never mind that some weren’t at Royal Ascot, he’s gets plenty of time from the Sheikh to bring them through. So with winning course form, twice, this Dark Angel colt tops my list. For all that, Aidan O’Brien’s Abraham Lincoln looked a real prospect when winning his maiden at The Curragh last month, and if Ryan Moore can actually get ‘im to run in a straight line, he’s the one to make a race of it. Al Hudaiba gets the vote, with Abraham Lincoln the big danger. Your choice!

Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup Stakes (Group 1) 4.35
Venetian Sun (nb)
Never in question for me who to follow for the July Cup, it’s gotta be Venetian Sun! Regulars will know how much I rate Karl Burke’s filly, having backed her all through 2025, and I was never really convinced that she was a miler when lining up in the 1,000 Guineas this term, where I gave you the winner, True Love, so to see her return to her best trip and take the Sandy Lane at Haydock Park and the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot’s Royal meet was my bit of confirmation bias. Through and through sprinter she is, and now it’s time to take on the older lot, but this is one helluva quality line-up with Satono Reve, Almeraq and the three year old King Charles III winner Mission Central all in this spicy soup. But Venetian Sun gets weight all round, and for me she’s the classiest sprinter out of the Spigot Lodge yard, so come on girl, do it for me one more time!!

York

John Smith’s City Walls Stakes (Listed) 3.12
Washington Heights
I can see Kevin Ryan’s Washington Heights defending his title for this Listed prize after winning the Achilles Stakes at Carlisle last time out. For all that, he hasn’t the best record at setting up a winning run, but current form is a strong enough indicator for not the strongest line-up here. Of course, an on song American Affair would be very hard to peg back if Jim Goldie’s Group One winner is back to his best, and this is quite a bit less challenging than the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, so he does look the big danger. John & Sean Quinns’ Jm Jungle is another speedster that could set the early fractions, but I’ll chance my arm with none of them catching Washington Heights when he hits top gear.

John Smith’s Cup (Heritage Handicap) 3.45
Warrant Holder
Given in this column for the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot, Warrant Holder went agonisingly close in the Royal silks until caught in the final furlong. But, redemption is at hand back here on the Knavesmire, where John & Thady Gosdens’ Frankel gelding won at the Dante meeting, and understanderbly, Warrant Holder has been topping the markets this week for this Heritage Handicap. Mark unchanged, Rob Havlin aboard, course and conditions to suit – what could possibly go wrong for a right Royal win?

John Smith’s Silver Cup Stakes (Group 3) 4.55
Mount Atlas
Andrew Balding’s Mount Atlas is a pretty solid favourite for this Group 3, and I think that’s just about right. Third in the Listed Grand Cup here last month, there was just a neck between him and the reopposing Tabletalk over that course and distance race, so it is easy to see this pair fighting it out again. I’ll add in William Haggas’s Arabian Force into the mix, but Mount Atlas surely has more wins in him, so gets the nudge.

Ascot

Juddmonte Summer Mile Stakes (Group 2) 2.27
More Thunder (nap)
Ooh, do I love this horse, More Thunder. Just like the best of boyfriends when I was was just a slip of a thing, my mother told me always take the ones that make the most effort!! Not quite sure what area that was in exactly, but huh, we’ll leave that for another day!! So – here is the theory. More Thunder is one that just can’t stop climbing the ladder, from a 10 furlong handicapper to a Group One runner-up at Royal Ascot, behind the brilliant but unfancied winner Ten Bob Tony. What’s really got me interested is that Ascot specialist, Docklands, who I tipped to win, never laid a finger on the first three, and with Karl Burke’s Zeus Olympios back in fourth reopposing here, this is one hot contest. More Thunder to carry the flame ahead of Zeus Olympios, with Harry Eustace’s Docklands the danger back on his favourite track!