Day one of the 2025 July Festival at Newmarket takes place on Thursday, with a host of competitive action for punters and race fans to get into, including two Group 2 contests.
Here are our betting tips for day 1, as well as the best betting sites available to use ahead of the Festival, with £100+ in free bets on offer.
Newmarket July Festival Free bets & Betting Offers
The Newmarket July Festival is a great time to sign up with betting sites as it means that you can have free bets for three days of big races. Here are some of our recommended betting sites and the free bets they have available.
| UK Betting Sites | Newmarket July Festival Day 1 Free Bets |
| William Hill | Get £40 in free bets when you deposit £10 |
| Tote | Bet £10 get £30 in free bets & 20 free spins |
| Highbet | Bet £10 get £20 in free bets |
| Unibet | Bet £10 get £40 in bonuses |
| Betzone | Bet £10 get £20 in free bets |
Newmarket July Festival betting offers & free bets – Key T&Cs
- William Hill: 18+. Play Safe. Online only. For new UK register customers using promo code G40. Deposit & place £10 cash single bet (min odds 1/2) on sportsbook (excl. Virtuals). Get £40 in Free Bets (4x£10), valid for sportsbook (excl. Virtuals), 7 days expiry, must use in full (£10 each). Not valid with deposits via PayPal, Neosurf, Paysafe, Apple Pay, NETELLER, Skrill, ecoPayz, Kalibra/Postpay or WH PLUS Card. One per customer. Full T&Cs apply.. www.begambleaware.org #ad
- Tote: New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. One welcome offer per customer. Bet a minimum of £10 at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £10 Win + £10 Place) within 7 days of registration to qualify. Receive £20 Tote Credit, £10 sports Free Bet and 20 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. Qualifying bet is the first racing pool or sports bet added to the bet slip. 7-day expiry. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org.
- Highbet: 18+. New verified customers. UK residents. Customers must first opt-in to this promotion before making the qualifying bet within 7 days of registration. Min. stake amount: £10 with real money with you first ever bet within 7 days of your registration. Free bets must be claimed within the promotion section of the website. Free bets are non-withdrawable. Free bet amount: £20 (1x£20). Min. odds: 3/2 (2.5). Maximum withdrawable winnings from free bet per player: £100. Period to activate: 7 days after the qualifying bet is placed. Full TC’s Apply. GambleAware.org
- Unibet: 18+. GambleAware.org. New GB customers only. Min £10 debit card deposit. Place a £10+ bet on sportsbook at min odds 1/1 (2.0) each leg. Receive 2 x £10 free bets within 24 hours of bet settlement, and further 2 x £10 casino bonus the next day. T&C’s apply.
- Betzone: 18+ | New Customers Only | Promo Code: WELCOME10 | Place a single £10 bet within 3 calendar days of registration. Bet must settle on the same day of placement | Min odds Evens (2.00) | Free Bets valid for 7 days | Max win £250 | T&Cs apply | Ends 31/07/25 | GB residents only | Gamble responsibly
Newmarket July Festival Day 1 Betting Tips
Amo Racing’s Ghostwriter heads the market in the feature race of the day as he looks to justify his large price tag and build upon his solid third at Royal Ascot last month.
George Bonds has a trio of selections on the card, including one against Amo Racing’s charge in the Princess of Wales’s stakes, one in the Group 3 opener, and another in the other Group 2 contest on the card.
- 1.50 Newmarket – Scandinavia @ 5/4 with William Hill
- 2.25 Newmarket – Maximized @ 6/4 with Tote
- 3.35 Newmarket – Wimbledon Hawkeye @ 4/1 with bet365
1.50 Newmarket – Scandinavia
This year’s July festival kicks off with one for the three-year-old stayers in the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy Stakes. The field may be small but competition is fierce.
Andrew Balding’s Furthur put in a valiant effort when finishing second in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot and should not be discounted in this contest. However, the selection is Aidan O’Brien’s Scandinavia, who finished fifth at Ascot but looks poised to reverse the form.
Looking back at the Queen’s Vase, Balding’s charge had the far easier run next to the rail. That was not the case for Scandinavia, who raced wide throughout and was outpaced for much of the race. With a smaller field and Ryan Moore booked to take over from Wayne Lordan, Coolmore’s three-year-old can do much better now.
- Newmarket Festival Day 1 Tip 1: 1.50 Newmarket – Scandinavia @ 5/4 with William Hill
- Best Odds Guaranteed starts as early as 8am each day
- Boosted winnings on Bet Builders and Accumulators
2.25 Newmarket – Maximized
The second race of the day is the Kingdom of Bahrain July Stakes, a Group 2 contest for juveniles. A lot of these horses come off the back of strong showings and warrant respect, but Godolphin’s Maximized can justify market support and make it three wins from as many starts.
The son of Mehmas was purchased for £720,000 in April and made a good impression when winning at Haydock on his debut, claiming victory over his stablemate and the odds-on favourite Time To Turn. He was then able to keep his unbeaten record when scoring at Epsom and that form has been franked since with the runner-up Havana Hurricane going on to land the Windsor Castle Stakes. He proved he is versatile in terms of going conditions when winning there and has been found a good opportunity to continue his winning run.
- Newmarket Festival Day 1 Tip 2: 2.25 Newmarket – Maximized @ 6/4 with Tote
- Brand new sportsbook launched, offering far more than just horse racing
- Benefit from the unique Tote dividend as an alternative to normal fixed odds betting
3.35 Newmarket – Wimbledon Hawkeye
As previously mentioned, the feature of the first day of the July festival is the Princess of Wales’s Stakes. The field features Amo Racing’s new purchase Ghostwriter and last year’s German Derby winner Palladium, but the selection is the James Owen-trained Wimbledon Hawkeye.
The winner of last year’s Group 2 Royal Lodge, Wimbledon Hawkeye has looked like he is capable of more this campaign by placing in some decent races. He usually does his best work late on, which suggests a strong showing may be on the horizon.
He was keen throughout in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot last time but still kept on well in the final furlong to finish fourth. He receives 12lb from the remainder of this field and, if settling better, can be a big danger to his older rivals.
- Newmarket Festival Day 1 Tip 3: 3.35 Newmarket – Wimbledon Hawkeye @ 4/1 with bet365
- Tons of free-to-play games offering free bets & huge cash prizes
- Super Boosts & Boosted Bet Builders guarantee attractive odds daily
