Romance should be in the air at Newmarket

Globetrotting star Rebel’s Romance is difficult to oppose on his return to home turf in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday.

Charlie Appleby’s charge needs little introduction at this stage of his career, having won 21 of his 31 career starts including big-race victories in Dubai, America, Hong Kong, Qatar and Germany, as well as in Britain.

While he has come up slightly short in Group One races at home and is not getting any younger at the age of eight, there is nothing to suggest Rebel’s Romance’s powers are on the wane and the only real question mark hangs over his fitness on what will be his first start since winning in Dubai in February.

However, Appleby is unlikely to have left his stable stalwart short for this Group Two assignment and he should be too good for these rivals.

Appleby invariably does well at the July Festival and he will also have high hopes for Inner City Blues in the Kingdom of Bahrain July Stakes.

The world and his wife seemed to know this son of Blue Point was working the house down prior to his racecourse introduction at York last month and while his inexperience was obvious, he overcame that to reward odds-on backers without being fully extended.

That form looks solid with both the runner-up Stardom Glory and the third home Conciliate winning since and while Inner City Blues has significantly more on his plate against the likes of Coventry Stakes runner-up Adaay Of Scarlett, he might just be a bit special.

A chance is taken on Joseph O’Brien’s Irish raider Nil Bua Gan Dua in the curtain-raising Bahrain Trophy.

Although the three-year-old has a bit to find on ratings with Derby fifth Alderman and the Queen’s Vase second and fourth Del Maro and and Point Of Law, there was plenty of encouragement to be taken from his fourth place finish in the Golden Gates Handicap at the Royal meeting.

He has not yet raced over further than 2000m, so it is not impossible this step up to a 2600m could bring about huge improvement.

The booking of Ryan Moore and the very fact he lines up in a race like this is significant and the hint should be taken.

Ten Carat Harry should go well despite the burden of top-weight in the £100,000 Betway Handicap.

Six from nine on the all-weather, Jamie Osborne’s sprinter has carried that excellent form onto the turf, winning a valuable prize at Newmarket in the spring and most recently placing third behind the rapid American challenger Bacio in the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Handicap at Royal Ascot.

Running off the same mark of 101 back over 1200m, Ten Carat Harry looks sure to be involved in the finish.

Count Bezukhov catches the eye as O’Brien’s only runner of the afternoon at Doncaster.

An eyecatching third on his Leopardstown debut, the Wootton Bassett colt confirmed that promise when obliging as an odds-on favourite on his second start at the Curragh a fortnight later.

He carries a 6lb penalty for that win, but he is not heading across the Irish Sea for the South Yorkshire sunshine and can add to his tally under Billy Loughnane in the Betfred St Leger Trial Novice Stakes.

Bella Angelina looked a winner in waiting when third on her Doncaster debut and can open her account in the Racing TV Novice Stakes at Carlisle, while a step up in trip can see Queen’s Companion raise her game in the Pump Technology Services Keeping You Flowing Handicap at Newbury. – Press Association

TAB is betting on 5 UK meetings on Thursdsay. Here are the tips.

NEWMARKET: Race 1: 14.50 Nil Bua Gan Dua, Race 2: 15.25 Inner City Blues, Race 3: 16.00 Ten Carat Harry, Race 4: 16.35 REBEL’S ROMANCE (NAP), Race 5: 17.10 Madam Secretary, Race 6: 17.45 Conclave, Race 7: 18.20 Spanish Voice.

CARLISLE: Race 1: 15.00 Bella Angelina, Race 2: 15.35 Mohaymenah, Race 3: 16.10 Ottoman, Race 4: 16.45 Bay Breeze, Race 5: 17.20 Cotai Belle, Race 6: 17.55 Homestrait.

DONCASTER: Race 1: 15.10 Amir Lehbab, Race 2: 15.45 Count Bezukhov, Race 3: 16.20 Twilight Safari, Race 4: 16.55 Room Fourteen, Race 5: 17.30 Okiru, Race 6: 18.05 King’s School, Race 7: 18.40 Donald.

NEWBURY: Race 1: 18.13 Miss You Nights, Race 2: 18.45 Ennerdale Water, Race 3: 19.17 Banged Up, Race 4: 19.52 Strike, Race 5: 20.27 The Third Star, Race 6: 21.02 Queen’s Companion, Race 7: 21.37 Barrister.

EPSOM: Race 1: 19.05 Celestarak, Race 2: 19.40 Eabha, Race 3: 20.15 Jersey Maverick, Race 4: 20.50 King Of Chaos, Race 5: 21.22 Play Me, Race 6: 21.52 Living In Hope.

ALL TO COME: Inner City Blues and Rebel’s Romance (Newmarket, Races 2 and 4).