Horse Racing Tips: Central can complete his July Cup Mission on Saturday

We have top-class racing coming out of our ears on Saturday and there’s an intriguing mix of Group race and fiercely competitive handicap action on offer across the afternoon. Newmarket provides the best of the entertainment and their feature race is the Group 1 July Cup. York hosts the £200k John Smith’s Cup, whilst the Summer Mile takes centre stage at Ascot. They also race at Chester, Navan, Limerick, Hamilton and Salisbury.

Amongst my Saturday Horse Racing Tips is a rapidly improving Aidan O’Brien runner in the July Cup who landed a Group 1 at Royal Ascot and is set to step forward again now back up in trip. 

14:27 Ascot - More Thunder @ 6/4

Ascot’s best race of the day is the Group 2 Summer Mile and Newmarket-based trainer William Haggas looks well set to come out on top with MORE THUNDER, who has proved himself already in a higher grade than this earlier in the season.

More Thunder began his four-year-old campaign as a fair handicapper but took his form to the next level when progressing throughout the season. He won the Hungerford Stakes, a Group 2 over 7f, before finishing a respectable fourth at Longchamp on Arc day.

Stepping up to a mile last season, he shaped as if the extra furlong would suit and he ran a cracker to finish second behind multiple Group 1 winner Notable Speech in the Lockinge.

The five-year-old was only just denied in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot last month and a similar effort will be more than enough here, especially in this lower grade.

15:45 York - Warrant Holder @ 4/1

John & Thady Gosden combined with the King and Queen to land the opening race at Newmarket on Thursday and the same combination can strike in the very valuable John Smith’s Cup. We haven’t seen the best of WARRANT HOLDER just yet.

The son of Frankel was an impressive winner of a Newcastle novice on his second start in March 2025 and the second, Rahiebb, went on to be runner-up behind Scandinavia in the St Leger. He also won a Newcastle handicap off a mark of 90 on his final start of the campaign.

Victorious over course and distance first time out this season, he ran well against a well handicapped horse at Royal Ascot after that, finishing second and well clear of the third. This could be a group horse in a handicap and don’t be surprised if he defies a hefty mark of 111.

Horse Racing Odds

16:35 Newmarket - Mission Central @ 5/1

Aidan O’Brien landed the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot for the first time ever this year, completing the clean sweep of every Group 1 at the royal meeting. The massively progressive young sprinter MISSION CENTRAL is the horse who got the job done for Ballydoyle.

Needing every yard of the 5f trip on that occasion, he should be well suited by the return to 6f here and there should be even more to come. Mission Central is unbeaten in three starts so far this year and he looks well set to maintain that unblemished record.

Promising as a two-year-old, he won a valuable conditions race for juveniles on Champions’ Day at Ascot and had also landed a Group 3 over this trip at the Curragh in August.

He goes up against two fellow Royal Ascot winners here in Wokingham winner Double Rush and Commonwealth Cup scorer Venetian Sun and he can continue on an upward trajectory.

Check out our NAPs Table daily to find a list of the experts' best bets