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 youâre betting with more than just gut instinct.
2026 Superlative Stakes Preview
The Superlative Stakes is a Group 2 race that takes place during the July Festival at Newmarket Racecourse. The race is restricted to two-year-old runners and is run over a distance of a straight seven furlongs. Previous G1 & G2 winners have to carry a 3lb penalty, whilst fillies receive a 3lb allowance.
The race has been known as the Superlative Stakes since 1991, named after the horse Superlative. Previously, the race was known as the Bernard van Cutsem Stakes in honour of the trainer who passed away in 1975.
Superlative Stakes Information:
- Superlative Stakes Past Winners
- Superlative Stakes Trainer Statistics
- Superlative Stakes Jockey Statistics
Our dedicated Newmarket tips page will not only bring you predictions from the OLBG racing tipsters for the upcoming card that includes the Superlative Stakes, 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 2025
How competitive is the Superlative Stakes market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2022 when the race had an over-round of 110%. The race in 2012 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 121%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Superlative Stakes, the over-round has been 115%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £115 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2026 Superlative Stakes 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 Superlative Stakes Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Superlative Stakes races over the last 20 renewals:
- Birchwood (1:23.33) in 2015
- Mystery Power (1:23.59) in 2019
- Master Of The Seas (1:23.95) in 2020
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 Superlative Stakes next time out, then you would have backed a total of 7 winners. Backing all 18 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of +2.32. Remember to use the racing predictions along with the information on this page to find a bet on the 2026 Superlative Stakes.
When looking over the past 20 renewals, a time of 1:23.33 was set by Birchwood in 2015, which is the quickest time over that period. The runner was trained by Richard Fahey and ridden by James Doyle. The slowest winning time was set in 2012 when Olympic Glory won in a time of 1:32.19, booked to ride was Richard Hughes by trainer Richard Hannon Snr.
What the expert says...
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
Superlative Stakes Past Winners
Here are the Superlative Stakes' past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the year of the race, the horse which won, along with the age & weight of the horse. Also detailed is the stall where the horse came from and the total number of runners in the race. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Superlative Stakes are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse (Drawn) | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 1:26.30 | Saba Desert (GB) 2yo 9-3 (2 of 7) 6/1 | William Buick Charlie Appleby (GB) |
| 2024 1:25.28 | Ancient Truth (IRE) 2yo 9-3 (2 of 6) 4/6F | William Buick Charlie Appleby (GB) |
| 2023 1:26.03 | City Of Troy (USA) 2yo 9-3 (2 of 9) 4/6F | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2022 1:25.13 | Isaac Shelby (GB) 2yo 9-3 (2 of 5) 3/1 | Sean Levey Brian Meehan (GB) |
| 2021 1:25.37 | Native Trail (GB) 2yo 9-1 (4 of 9) 11/4 | William Buick Charlie Appleby (GB) |
| 2020 1:23.95 | Master Of The Seas (IRE) 2yo 9-1 (8 of 10) 4/1 | William Buick Charlie Appleby (GB) |
| 2019 1:23.59 | Mystery Power (IRE) 2yo 9-1 (7 of 8) 7/1 | Oisin Murphy Richard Hannon (GB) |
| 2018 1:25.48 | Quorto (IRE) 2yo 9-1 (5 of 7) 5/4F | William Buick Charlie Appleby (GB) |
| 2017 1:25.39 | Gustav Klimt (IRE) 2yo 9-1 (6 of 10) 5/6F | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2016 1:24.86 | Boynton (USA) 2yo 9-1 (10 of 9) 7/1 | Adam Kirby Charlie Appleby (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Superlative Stakes have been based:
- GB: 18 winners with an additional 28 placings from 150 runners
- IRE: 2 winners with an additional 5 placings from 13 runners
- FR: 0 winners with an additional 1 placing from 1 runner
2025 Superlative Stakes Replay
Superlative Stakes Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Superlative Stakes over the last 20 renewals is Charlie Appleby, who has won the race six times, with those six winners coming from Boynton (2016), Quorto (2018), Master Of The Seas (2020), Native Trail (2021), Ancient Truth (2024) and Saba Desert (2025). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the Superlative Stakes are Richard Hannon (2 wins), A P O'Brien (2 wins) and Richard Fahey (2 wins).
Here are some of the top Superlative Stakes trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Appleby | 13-6-7 | +14.67 | +6.86 |
| Richard Hannon | 13-2-5 | -2.12 | -0.52 |
| A P O'Brien | 12-2-6 | -8.50 | -5.90 |
| Richard Fahey | 6-2-3 | +6.50 | +4.00 |
| Tom Dascombe | 5-1-2 | +4.00 | +2.00 |
| Brian Meehan | 5-1-1 | -1.00 | -2.12 |
| John Ryan | 3-1-1 | +3.00 | +1.00 |
| John Quinn | 1-1-1 | +10.00 | +6.00 |
| Andrew Balding | 6-0-1 | -6.00 | -4.30 |
| John Gosden | 6-0-1 | -6.00 | -4.90 |
Superlative Stakes Jockey Statistics
The leading jockey in the Superlative Stakes over the last 20 renewals is William Buick, who has won the race five times, with those five winners coming from Quorto (2018), Master Of The Seas (2020), Native Trail (2021), Ancient Truth (2024) and Saba Desert (2025). The only other jockey to have recorded multiple wins in the Superlative Stakes is Ryan Moore (3 wins). There is one jockey who has not had the best of times in the Superlative Stakes; Frankie Dettori has ridden 11 runners in the race without recording any wins.
Here are some of the top Superlative Stakes jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Buick | 10-5-8 | +9.67 | +6.66 |
| Ryan Moore | 11-3-6 | -3.00 | -2.57 |
| James Doyle | 9-1-1 | -1.00 | -3.80 |
| Sean Levey | 5-1-2 | -1.00 | -0.77 |
| Oisin Murphy | 4-1-2 | +4.00 | +2.90 |
| Richard Kingscote | 3-1-2 | +6.00 | +4.00 |
| Adam Kirby | 2-1-1 | +6.00 | +3.20 |
| Hugh Bowman | 2-1-1 | +3.00 | +1.40 |
| Frankie Dettori | 11-0-3 | -11.00 | -7.97 |
| Jim Crowley | 5-0-1 | -5.00 | -3.50 |
2026 Superlative Stakes Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 7, 6, 4, 6, 6, 5, 1, 2, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 8, 8, 3, 2, 1, 1, 2
The percentage shown is the percentage of the total number 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 (75%) - Achieved an RPR of 81+ (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (78%) - No bigger than 20/1 (Career)
- 20 / 20 (79%) - No bigger than 11/1 (Career Win)
- 20 / 20 (79%) - Highest Won is not G2-3/LST/Cl3
- 20 / 20 (80%) - Not on HY/FM/STD-SLW/STD (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (80%) - No bigger than 12/1 (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Break of 7 - 56 days (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Beaten no more -4¾l (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (84%) - Not in a G2-3/Cl3 (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - Within the first 7 of the market
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Beaten no more -5¼l (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Not in SCO/WAL (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (89%) - In a field of 4 - 14 (Last Win)
- 18 / 20 (77%) - Placed within last 1 start
- 17 / 20 (44%) - No bigger than 7/1
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Newmarket racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Superlative Stakes. 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 Superlative Stakes by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
Superlative Stakes Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +25.92, is when runners had a furthest trip won of 7f.
❌ The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had 0 career wins in Flat (Turf) races, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-25.
Here are the most recent winning draws, along with the further placings in brackets:
- 2025: Winner in 2 (6) [7 Runners]
- 2024: Winner in 2 (9) [6 Runners]
- 2023: Winner in 2 (10,3) [9 Runners]
- 2022: Winner in 2 (4) [5 Runners]
- 2021: Winner in 4 (3,9) [9 Runners]
The courses that have produced the most winners of the Superlative Stakes are Newmarket (July) and Ascot; there have been a total of 3 winners from each of those courses.
The race is open to both sexes, with the Male runners having produced a total of 20 winners from a total of 162 runners, whilst the Female runners have produced 0 winners from a total of 2 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Superlative Stakes:
- Dubawi (4 Wins)
- Cape Cross (2 Wins)
- Dark Angel (2 Wins)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Halicarnassus in 2006, winning for Mick Channon at odds of 33/1 under the guidance of Tony Culhane. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 6 winning favourites in the race. Before placing your bet on the 2026 Superlative Stakes, head over to see which other runners today are being backed by the best racing tipsters.
Route to the Superlative Stakes
Many trainers will target races to use as prep races before coming to the Superlative Stakes. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2025 - Saba Desert Sandown - 1st of 6 (4/7) | British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes |
| 2024 - Ancient Truth Newmarket (July) - 1st of 8 (4/5) | Yutree Insurance Supports Racing Welfare British EBF Novice Stakes |
| 2023 - City Of Troy Curragh - 1st of 13 (6/4) | Barronstown Stud Irish EBF |
| 2022 - Isaac Shelby Newbury - 1st of 11 (10/3) | Get A Run For Your Money At BetVictor Maiden Stakes |
| 2021 - Native Trail Sandown - 1st of 10 (8/11) | Chasemore Farm EBF Maiden Stakes |
| 2020 - Master Of The Seas Newmarket (Rowley) - 1st of 4 (10/3) | Betway British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes |
| 2019 - Mystery Power Haydock - 1st of 8 (4/1) | Watch Racing TV Now Maiden Stakes |
| 2018 - Quorto Newmarket (July) - 1st of 9 (9/4) | Fly London Southend Airport To Lyon Novice Stakes |
| 2017 - Gustav Klimt Curragh - 1st of 11 (11/8) | Barronstown Stud Irish EBF |
| 2016 - Boynton Goodwood - 1st of 9 (9/2) | Breeders Backing Racing EBF Novice 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 Superlative Stakes. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bahrain Trophy Stakes | Scandinavia (USA) 3yo - 11/8 | A P O'Brien Ryan Moore |
| July Stakes | Zavateri (IRE) 2yo - 18/1 | Eve Johnson Houghton Charles Bishop |
| bet365 Sprint Handicap | Prince Of India (IRE) 3yo - 7/1 | Marco Botti Marco Ghiani |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| bet365 Handicap | Kings Charter (IRE) 3yo - 9/4 | Charlie Appleby William Buick |
| Duchess of Cambridge Stakes | Venetian Sun (IRE) 2yo - 2/5 | K R Burke Clifford Lee |
| bet365 Trophy Heritage Handicap | Oneforthegutter (GB) 6yo - 12/1 | Ian Williams Silvestre De Sousa |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bunbury Cup | More Thunder (IRE) 4yo - 6/5 | William Haggas Tom Marquand |
| bet365 Mile Handicap | Fifth Column (IRE) 3yo - 4/1 | John & Thady Gosden Ryan Moore |
| Superlative Stakes | Saba Desert (GB) 2yo - 6/1 | Charlie Appleby William Buick |
| July Cup | No Half Measures (GB) 4yo - 66/1 | Richard Hughes Neil Callan |
Article Contributor Information
We are blessed with an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to creating and maintaining this Superlative Stakes Preview are at hand, Andy and James. They both work on the Horse racing tips team team looking after the tipsters and managing the tips settlement, whilst also creating and managing all of the horse racing event previews for Flat Racing.
James Banting
Expert Guide
Andy Powell
Expert Guide
