THERE was lots of rain around in Ireland and Britain yesterday, pretty much everywhere, and there was more forecast last night, and there is a little bit forecast today.

Easy ground should not be a negative for Shaquille, in his bid to add the Pertemps Network July Cup to his Commonwealth Cup win, given that he coped well with soft ground when he won a three-year-olds’ handicap over six furlongs of Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course at the Guineas meeting in early May.

Julie Camacho’s horse obviously did really well to win the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last month, given that he lost about five lengths on the field when he reared at the start. Allowed time to ease his way into the race after that by Oisin Murphy, he produced an impressive turn of foot on the run to the furlong marker to hit the front with 150 yards to run, and he moved on to win by over a length in the end.

He has been a revelation this season, and he is a worthy favourite, but he is not invincible, and it is interesting that no three-year-old has won the July Cup in the last three years. Also, while they have peppered the target, no Commonwealth Cup winner has won the Newmarket sprint since the inaugural Commonwealth Cup winner Muhaarar did so in 2015.

Easy ground may not be a positive for Commonwealth Cup runner-up Little Big Bear, nor for Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Khaadem, in a race in which, these days, since the instigation of the Commonwealth Cup, the best three-year-old sprinters often take on the best of the older ones for the first time.

Kinross should appreciate a cut in the ground, especially over six furlongs, Ralph Beckett’s horse having won the Prix de le Foret over seven and the Champions Sprint over six last season, as should Azure Blue, who is on a remarkable march, winning her last four races and five of her last six, and beating the top-class Highfield Princess in winning the Group 2 Duke of York Stakes last time.

That said, the value of the race may lie with Vadream. Charlie Fellowes’ mare has plenty to find on official ratings, but she is a classy mare when she can get her toe in. She has won three times and finished third once in four runs over over five or six furlongs on soft or heavy ground.

You have to forgive her her last two runs, but you can. Both races were run over five furlongs on good ground and, in the King’s Stand Stakes last time, she raced in a group of just three down the near side, well away from the main action.

It appears that she is in the form of her life this season as a five-year-old. Her win in the Listed Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster in April was a career-best up to that point, and she stepped forward from that at Newmarket at the Guineas meeting when she won the Group 3 Palace House Stakes on soft ground.

She is going to have to step forward again if she is going to be involved today, but there is every chance that she will, especially if the rains keep falling.

The rain at York should be a positive too for Faylaq in the John Smith’s Cup. Jim Goldie’s horse is dropping back down in trip today after a fine run to finish third in the Northumberland Vase at Newcastle two weeks ago, but he doesn’t lack pace, and the easy ground should make this a test of stamina at the trip.

He put up a fine performance in the Northumberland Vase, staying on from the rear to take third place in a race in which the first two home raced prominently from flagfall. That was his first attempt at two miles, he is unexposed at staying trips, but it was just his third run for his current trainer, and he could simply be a well-handicapped horse now.

A classy horse in his younger days for William Haggas, a 107-rated performer at his peak, he goes well on easy ground and he goes well at York. On his only run there, he went down by just a head to Titian in a handicap run over today’s course and distance last October, coming from the rear and splitting two rivals who raced prominently, and racing off a mark of 85. He is just 1lb higher here on a mark of 86, and he could run well off that mark at a decent price.

Recommended

1pt each-way, Faylaq, 3.10 York, 18/1 (generally)

1pt win, Vadream, 4.35 Newmarket, 20/1 (generally)