You know how punters get lost in too much data or bet blindly? I break down the stats and trends so you can feel confident you’re betting with more than just gut instinct.
2026 July Cup Preview
Established in 1876, the July Cup is a Group 1 flat race run at the Newmarket July course during the July Festival. The race is open to runners aged three years old or older and is run over a straight six furlongs. The race is considered by many as the best sprint race in Britain, with the winner known as the champion sprinter of Europe.
For sponsorship purposes, the 2026 renewal of the July Cup will hold the title of 'Al Basti Equiworld Dubai July Cup Stakes'.
July Cup Information:
Our dedicated Newmarket tips page will not only bring you predictions from the OLBG racing tipsters for the upcoming card that includes the July Cup, but will also have predictions for each meeting at Newmarket throughout the season, so be sure to head over there. You may also be interested in other preview blogs that we have packed full of information. Head down to the Other Principal races during the Newmarket July Festival section for links to these.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2026
How competitive is the July Cup market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2023, when the race had an over-round of 111%. The race in 2016 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 128%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the July Cup, the over-round has been 121%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £121 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2026 July Cup Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the July Cup Trend Analysis. With the field now finalised, we have the 2026 July Cup Runners & Shortlist, which is created using the listed trends.
These are the top three quickest-run July Cup races over the last 20 renewals:
- Lethal Force (1:09.11) in 2013
- Ten Sovereigns (1:09.31) in 2019
- Muhaarar (1:09.34) in 2015
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the July Cup next time out, then you would have backed a total of 3 winners. Backing all 20 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of -12.60. Remember to use the racing predictions along with the information on this page to find a bet on the 2026 July Cup.
The runner that holds the record over the past 20 renewals for the slowest time in the race was set in the 2012 renewal when Mayson from Richard Fahey under the guidance of Paul Hanagan, won in a time of 1:15.90, whilst at the other end of the spectrum, Lethal Force, trained by Clive Cox and ridden by Adam Kirby set the quickest time of 1:09.11 in the 2013 renewal.
What the expert says...
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
July Cup Past Winners
Here are the July Cup past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the race year, the winning horse, and the horse's age & weight. Also detailed is the stall from which the horse came and the total number of runners in the race. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the July Cup are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse (Drawn) | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 1:11.18 | No Half Measures (GB) 4yo 9-5 (15 of 14) 66/1 | Neil Callan Richard Hughes (GB) |
| 2024 1:10.90 | Mill Stream (IRE) 4yo 9-8 (11 of 11) 11/1 | William Buick Jane Chapple-Hyam (GB) |
| 2023 1:11.68 | Shaquille (GB) 3yo 9-2 (9 of 8) 5/2F | Rossa Ryan Julie Camacho (GB) |
| 2022 1:09.47 | Alcohol Free (IRE) 4yo 9-5 (14 of 13) 14/1 | Rob Hornby Andrew Balding (GB) |
| 2021 1:10.11 | Starman (GB) 4yo 9-6 (4 of 19) 9/2 | Tom Marquand Ed Walker (GB) |
| 2020 1:09.59 | Oxted (GB) 4yo 9-6 (9 of 12) 12/1 | Cieren Fallon Roger Teal (GB) |
| 2019 1:09.31 | Ten Sovereigns (IRE) 3yo 9-0 (12 of 12) 9/2 | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2018 1:11.32 | U S Navy Flag (USA) 3yo 9-0 (12 of 13) 8/1 | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2017 1:11.25 | Harry Angel (IRE) 3yo 9-0 (6 of 10) 9/2 | Adam Kirby Clive Cox (GB) |
| 2016 1:09.97 | Limato (IRE) 4yo 9-6 (16 of 18) 9/2F | Harry Bentley Henry Candy (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the July Cup have been based:
- GB: 15 winners with an additional 32 placings from 195 runners
- IRE: 4 winners with an additional 5 placings from 40 runners
- FR: 1 winner with an additional 0 placings from 6 runners
- AUS: 0 winners with an additional 2 placings from 12 runners
- USA: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 5 runners
- SAF: 0 winners with an additional 1 placing from 3 runners
- GER: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 3 runners
- SIN: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 2 runners
- SPA: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 1 runner
- JPN: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 1 runner
- HK: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 1 runner
2025 July Cup Replay
July Cup Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the July Cup over the last 20 renewals is A P O'Brien, who has won the race three times, with those three winners coming from Starspangledbanner (2010), U S Navy Flag (2018) and Ten Sovereigns (2019). The only other trainer to have recorded multiple wins in the July Cup is Clive Cox (2 wins).
Here are the July Cup trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals for trainers who have entries in the 2026 renewal; those not listed have not had a runner. (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| A P O'Brien | 27-3-6 | -9.50 | -7.35 |
| Clive Cox | 9-2-3 | +2.00 | -0.90 |
| Andrew Balding | 5-1-1 | +10.00 | +4.40 |
| K R Burke | 4-0-2 | -4.00 | -0.80 |
| William Haggas | 4-0-0 | -4.00 | -4.00 |
| Michael Appleby | 3-0-1 | -3.00 | -1.30 |
July Cup Jockey Statistics
The leading jockey in the July Cup over the last 20 renewals is Ryan Moore, who has won the race twice, with those two winners coming from U S Navy Flag (2018) and Ten Sovereigns (2019). There is one jockey who has not had the best of times in the July Cup; James Doyle has ridden 10 runners in the race without recording any wins.
Here are the July Cup jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals for jockeys who have rides in the 2026 renewal; those not listed have not had a runner. (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Moore (Mission Central) | 15-2-4 | -0.50 | -2.75 |
| William Buick (Big Mojo) | 11-1-3 | +1.00 | -0.80 |
| Tom Marquand (Almeraq) | 2-1-2 | +3.50 | +2.95 |
| James Doyle (Division) | 10-0-2 | -10.00 | -8.20 |
| Oisin Murphy (Double Rush) | 5-0-1 | -5.00 | -4.50 |
| Billy Loughnane (Comanche Brave) | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Pat Dobbs (Prince Of India) | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Clifford Lee (Venetian Sun) | 1-0-1 | -1.00 | +1.70 |
| Saffie Osborne (Coppull) | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
2026 July Cup Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 7, 6, 1, 10, 1, 10, 3, 4, 1, (1, 7), 1, 4, 7, 2, 3, 2, 7, (1, 8), 5, 5
The percentage shown is the proportion of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (72%) - Achieved a TS of 85+ (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (76%) - Ran in 5 - 18 races (Non-Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (77%) - Achieved an RPR of 112+ (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Ran in 2 - 15 races (Trip)
- 20 / 20 (84%) - Achieved a TS of 68+ (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - Not in a Cl2-5 (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Achieved an RPR of 110+ (Last 3)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Had 3 - 13 placings (Non-Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Achieved a TS of 94+ (Non-Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Carried 126 - 134lbs (LTO)
- 19 / 20 (88%) - Placed within last 3 starts
- 18 / 20 (55%) - Achieved an RPR of 117+ (Career)
- 18 / 20 (73%) - Achieved a TS of 97+ (Trip)
- 17 / 20 (43%) - No bigger than 12/1
- 17 / 20 (53%) - Achieved an RPR of 116+ (Trip)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Newmarket racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the July Cup. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the July Cup by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
2026 July Cup Runners & Shortlist
Newmarket will host the 2026 renewal of the July Cup, which will be run at 4:35 pm on Saturday, 11th July 2026, and these are the runners who perform best based on the trends, along with the trainer, jockey and their record in the race (Runs-Wins-Places Win LSP / EW LSP):
- 15/15 Almeraq (5/1)
- William Haggas (4-0-0 -4.00 / -4.00)
- Tom Marquand (2-1-2 +3.50 / +2.95)
Others: Comanche Brave (14/15), Mission Central (14/15), Big Mojo (14/15), Venetian Sun (14/15), Satono Reve (12/15), Division (10/15), Double Rush (10/15), Coppull (9/15), Prince Of India (7/15) and Quinault (6/15).
*Trainer & Jockey numbers are Runs-Wins-Places Win LSP / EW LSP, Runners, Odds and Trends Passed/Failed correct at the time of posting (12:07 pm Thursday 9th July 2026); if no odds were available at the time of posting, then forecasted odds are used.
Almeraq won the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes last time out, and 4 previous winners of that race from 15 runners went on to win next time out; backing them all would have returned an LSP of -2.65.
Double Rush won the Wokingham Stakes last time out, and 2 previous winners of that race from 17 runners went on to win next time out; backing them all would have returned an LSP of -10.00.
Mission Central won the King Charles III Stakes last time out, and 4 previous winners of that race from 19 runners went on to win next time out; backing them all would have returned an LSP of -9.06.
Venetian Sun won the Commonwealth Cup last time out, and 2 previous winners of that race from 11 runners went on to win next time out; backing them all would have returned an LSP of -4.50.
July Cup Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +26.25, is when the runner's last place was 1 start ago.
❌ The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners ran on Soft ground last time out, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-33.
Here are the most recent winning draws, along with the further placings in brackets:
- 2025: Winner in 15 (9,13) [14 Runners]
- 2024: Winner in 11 (7,5) [11 Runners]
- 2023: Winner in 9 (3,7) [8 Runners]
- 2022: Winner in 14 (13,12) [13 Runners]
- 2021: Winner in 4 (6,16) [19 Runners]
The course which has produced the most winners of the July Cup is Ascot; there have been a total of 14 winners of this race who ran at Ascot last time out.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 17 winners from a total of 242 runners, while female runners have produced 3 winners from a total of 27 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the July Cup:
- Dark Angel (2 Wins)
- Dutch Art (2 Wins)
- Invincible Spirit (2 Wins)
- No Nay Never (2 Wins)
These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the July Cup despite multiple attempts:
- Pivotal (0 Wins from 8 runners)
- Dubawi (0 Wins from 7 runners)
- Shamardal (0 Wins from 7 runners)
- Acclamation (0 Wins from 5 runners)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was No Half Measures in 2025, winning for Richard Hughes at odds of 66/1 under the guidance of Neil Callan. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 6 winning favourites in the race. Remember to use the best racing tipsters along with the information on this page to find a bet on the 2026 July Cup.
Route to the July Cup
Many trainers target races as preparation for the July Cup. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2025 - No Half Measures Haydock - 2nd of 8 (10/3) | Betfred "The |
| 2024 - Mill Stream Ascot - 3rd of 13 (9/2) | Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes |
| 2023 - Shaquille Ascot - 1st of 13 (9/1) | Commonwealth Cup |
| 2022 - Alcohol Free Ascot - 9th of 24 (18/1) | Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes |
| 2021 - Starman York - 1st of 12 (5/1) | Minster Stakes |
| 2020 - Oxted Newmarket (Rowley) - 1st of 7 (7/2) | Abernant Stakes |
| 2019 - Ten Sovereigns Ascot - 4th of 9 (1/1) | Commonwealth Cup |
| 2018 - U S Navy Flag Ascot - 9th of 10 (5/1) | St James's Palace Stakes |
| 2017 - Harry Angel Ascot - 2nd of 12 (11/4) | Commonwealth Cup |
| 2016 - Limato Newbury - 4th of 12 (3/1) | Lockinge Stakes |
Other Principal races during the Newmarket July Festival
Remember to head to the Newmarket predictions page to see which runner the racing tipsters support in the July Cup. Below are the other principal races that we cover during the July Festival, with links to each race blog as well as information for last year's winners.
Thursday at the July Festival
The highlight on Thursday, known as Ladies Day, is the Princess of Wales's Stakes, a Group 2 contest over one mile and four furlongs.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:50 Newmarket Bahrain Trophy Stakes | Scandinavia (USA) 3yo - 11/8 | A P O'Brien Ryan Moore |
| 14:25 Newmarket July Stakes | Zavateri (IRE) 2yo - 18/1 | Eve Johnson Houghton Charles Bishop |
| 15:00 Newmarket Betway Sprint Handicap | Prince Of India (IRE) 3yo - 7/1 | Marco Botti Marco Ghiani |
| 15:35 Newmarket Princess of Wales's Stakes | El Cordobes (IRE) 4yo - 7/2 | Charlie Appleby William Buick |
Friday at the July Festival
Festival Friday, as it is known, features the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes, which is part of the British Champion Series and is run over a mile.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:50 Newmarket July Festival Handicap | Kings Charter (IRE) 3yo - 9/4 | Charlie Appleby William Buick |
| 14:25 Newmarket Duchess of Cambridge Stakes | Venetian Sun (IRE) 2yo - 2/5 | K R Burke Clifford Lee |
| 15:00 Newmarket Betway Trophy | Oneforthegutter (GB) 6yo - 12/1 | Ian Williams Silvestre De Sousa |
| 15:35 Newmarket Falmouth Stakes | Cinderellas Dream (GB) 4yo - 5/2 | Charlie Appleby William Buick |
Saturday at the July Festival
As the name would indicate, 'July Cup Day', the main race on the final day of the July Festival is the July Cup, another race which is part of the British Champion Series; this race is contested over six furlongs.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 14:50 Newmarket Newmarket Handicap Stakes | Fifth Column (IRE) 3yo - 4/1 | John & Thady Gosden Ryan Moore |
| 15:25 Newmarket Bunbury Cup | More Thunder (IRE) 4yo - 6/5 | William Haggas Tom Marquand |
| 16:00 Newmarket Superlative Stakes | Saba Desert (GB) 2yo - 6/1 | Charlie Appleby William Buick |
| 16:35 Newmarket July Cup | No Half Measures (GB) 4yo - 66/1 | Richard Hughes Neil Callan |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this July Cup Preview are Andy and James. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for Flat racing.
James Banting
Expert Guide
Andy Powell
Expert Guide
Other Principal Races at Newmarket Racecourse
Here are some other notable races at the Newmarket racecourse throughout the racing season that you may be interested in.
Races in April (Craven Meeting)
Races in May (Guineas Festival)
- Jockey Club Stakes
- King Charles II Stakes
- Newmarket Stakes
- 2000 Guineas
- Palace House Stakes
- Rowley Handicap Stakes
- Suffolk Stakes
- 1000 Guineas
- Dahlia Stakes
- Pretty Polly Stakes
Races in September (Cambridgeshire Meeting)
- Jockey Club Rose Bowl
- Tattersall Stakes
- Godolphin Stakes
- Joel Stakes
- Princess Royal Stakes
- Rockfel Stakes
- Rosemary Stakes
- Cambridgeshire Handicap
- Cambridgeshire Meeting Sprint Handicap
- Cheveley Park Stakes
- Jersey Lily Fillies Nursery
- Middle Park Stakes
- Royal Lodge Stakes
