Steve Ryder previews the July Cup at Newmarket and picks out his best bet.
The July Cup is a Group 1 run over 6f at Newmarket. This year it will be run on Saturday 11th July at 4:35 for which there are currently 13 entries.
July Cup 2026 Winners, Trends & Stats
Sundridge won this race three years in a row between 1902, 1903 and 1904 but there hasn’t been a two-time winner of this contest since Right Boy in 1958 and 1959.
- 12 of the previous 12 winners had already won a Group race
- 11 of the previous 12 winners were aged 3 or 4
- 11 of the previous 12 winners were rated 112 or higher
- 10 of the previous 12 winners had their last run within the previous 42 days
- 9 of the previous 12 winners had at least 1 previous run at Newmarket
July Cup 2026 Odds
July Cup 2026 Runners Guide
VENETIAN SUN
Karl Burke trained filly who recorded her second Royal Ascot success last month winning the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup. She is unbeaten at sprint trips in her career and won the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at this meeting last season. She holds leading claims in receipt of weight from all of her rivals.
ALMERAQ
Progressive four-year-old Shadwell colt who has won both of his starts this season having been off 258 days having clipped heels at York last year. He won a listed race at Salisbury on his reappearance before defying odds of 25/1 to win the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last time.
MISSION CENTRAL
A rare gelding trained by Aidan O’Brien who has won all three of his starts this season over 5f. He did win at Ascot on Champions Day over this 6f trip and stayed on strongly over 5f at Royal Ascot to win the King Charles III Stakes by a head.
SATONO REVE
Japanese raider who finished runner-up in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot for a second year in a row. He won the Grade 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen prior to finishing 2nd behind star sprinter Ka Ying Rising at Sha Tin on his next start. He has used the July course for racecourse gallops previously so does have some experience of the track.
DIVISION
William Haggas trained colt who has placed on all three of his starts this season. He finished an unlucky 3rd at Ascot on his reappearance and has chased home Venetian Sun on his previous two starts including when beaten less than a length in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
DOUBLE RUSH
Unbeaten in his three starts this season since joining Andrew Balding from Charlie Hills. He won handicaps at Newmarket over this 6f trip on the Rowley Mile course on his first two starts before winning the Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot off a lofty rating of 105. He is worthy of taking his chance in this Group 1 contest with a revised rating of 110.
July Cup 2026 Trainers & Jockeys to Watch
Aidan O’Brien has won this race five times with Stravinsky (1999), Mozart (2001), Starspangledbanner (2010), U S Navy Flag (2018) and Ten Sovereigns (2019).
Ryan Moore has won this race twice in recent years with U S Navy Flag (2018) and Ten Sovereigns (2019).
July Cup 2026 Betting Tips
Both Venetian Sun and BIG MOJO (best priced at 16/1) hit all of the five trends highlighted above and it looks worth taking a chance on last year’s runner-up. The Mick Appleby trained four-year-old has run better than his form figures suggest on his two starts this season and was only beaten 2 ¼ lengths by Mission Central over 5f at Royal Ascot.
Big Mojo finished a neck 2nd in this race last season having finished 7th at Royal Ascot on his prior run so he has had a similar preparation and he looks overpriced with William Buick, who rode him to win the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock last season, taking back over on board.
