International runners too good at Newmarket?

 

July Cup
Newmarket
TIME: 3.50pm, C4 and RUK

LANTERN TURNED OFF

As much as I wanted Sky Lantern to win yesterday, even I would have said it would have been harsh on Elusive Kate if she’d have lost the Falmouth Stakes in the stewards room.

In the end it was disappointing that she wasn’t good enough to win it, fair and square, and unfortunately it looks as though the three-year-old fillies, like the colts, are not an exceptional bunch.

All eyes are still on Newmarket today for their feature race of the week – the Darley July Cup worth £283,550 to the winner and the race has attracted a superb international line up from Australia, America, South Africa and Ireland.

You’d fancy the international runners coupled. It’s just trying to sort out the right one that is the problem.

The Mike De Kock trained Shea Shea looks the one for me. He was unfortunate in the King’s Stand Stakes when pipped by Sole Power and can gain his revenge over the extra furlong. Whilst five furlongs is acknowledged as his best trip – he does have winning form over seven so the six furlonmg trip here should prove fine.

Gale Force Ten was a game winner at Royal Ascot but steps back in distance and tries blinkers for the first time. He is rated the biggest danger.

STAR FORECAST
(stake between 0.5 and 10 points)
5 point win SHEA SHEA (3.50 Newmarket)
2 point win GALE FORCE TEN (3.50 Newmarket)

(-10 points Friday)

GET YOUR TYPEWRITERS OUT THE LOFT

The Kremlin’s security agency is buying up typewriters to avoid damaging leaks in a move said to be motivated by recent US surveillance scandals.

Russia’s Federal Protective Service, the KGB’s successor in charge of protecting President Vladimir Putin and his officials, placed an order for 20 typewriters, according to the state procurement website

The agency, known by its Russian acronym FSO, is ready to pay £500 each for them, the Kremlin-connected newspaper Izvestia reported.

It said the FSO believed it was necessary to expand the use of typewriters after American Edward Snowden reportedly used a simple flash drive to reveal the extent of the US government’s phone and internet surveillance programmes.