Horse Racing stats man, Andy has contributed to OLBG for 20 years - An Ipswich fan and F1 fanatic, he also contributes EFL football and Motor Sport opinion.
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.
Three-year-old runners have to carry 9-0 whilst the older runners carry 9-6 with any fillies and mares getting a 3lb allowance. The race is considered by many as the best sprint race in Britain, with the winner known as the champion sprinter of Europe.
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 2025
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.
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 19 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of -11.60. Before placing your bet on the 2026 July Cup, see which other runners today are being backed on the racing predictions page.
Over the last 20 renewals, it was Lethal Force, trained by Clive Cox and ridden by Adam Kirby, who set the fastest winning time in the July Cup. That runner won the race in a time of 1:09.11 in 2013. At the other end of the scale, it was the combination of trainer Richard Fahey and jockey Paul Hanagan with Mayson who set the slowest winning time; the race-winning time was 1:15.90 in the 2012 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 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 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). There is one trainer who has not had the best of times in the July Cup; Kevin Ryan has sent a total of 17 runners to the race without recording any wins.
Here are some of the top July Cup 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A P O'Brien | 27-3-6 | -9.50 | -7.35 |
| Clive Cox | 9-2-3 | +2.00 | -0.90 |
| Charles Hills | 9-1-1 | -6.00 | -6.80 |
| Richard Fahey | 8-1-2 | +13.00 | +10.50 |
| Henry Candy | 7-1-4 | -1.50 | +4.95 |
| Edward Lynam | 7-1-2 | -4.25 | -2.85 |
| Andrew Balding | 5-1-1 | +10.00 | +4.40 |
| Roger Teal | 2-1-2 | +11.00 | +6.70 |
| Hughie Morrison | 2-1-1 | +3.50 | +1.25 |
| Richard Hughes | 1-1-1 | +66.00 | +39.60 |
July Cup Jockey Statistics
There are two leading jockeys in the July Cup over the last 20 renewals, with both Ryan Moore and Adam Kirby, who have both won the race two times. Ryan Moore winners have been with U S Navy Flag (2018) and Ten Sovereigns (2019). Adam Kirby winners have been with Lethal Force (2013) and Harry Angel (2017). Two jockeys have not had the best of times over the last 20 renewals in the July Cup. Frankie Dettori has ridden 13 runners in the race without recording any wins, whilst James Doyle has ridden 10 without a winner.
Here are some of the top July Cup 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Moore | 15-2-4 | -0.50 | -2.75 |
| Adam Kirby | 5-2-3 | +6.00 | +3.10 |
| William Buick | 11-1-3 | +1.00 | -0.80 |
| Wayne Lordan | 7-1-3 | -4.25 | +2.65 |
| Neil Callan | 4-1-1 | +63.00 | +36.60 |
| Tom Queally | 4-1-1 | +9.00 | +4.20 |
| Harry Bentley | 4-1-2 | +1.50 | +0.15 |
| Rob Hornby | 3-1-1 | +12.00 | +6.40 |
| Rossa Ryan | 3-1-1 | +0.50 | -0.50 |
| Cieren Fallon | 2-1-2 | +11.00 | +6.70 |
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 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 (72%) - Achieved a TS of 85+ (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (75%) - Not in AUS/DEU/IRL/JPN/QAT/SCO/SGP/ZAF/ESP/UAE/USA (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 on SFT/STD-SLW/STD/FS (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%) - Held an OR of 73+ (Trip)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Carried 126 - 134lbs (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - No older than a 6yo
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Within the first 12 of the market
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
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 the Male runners having produced a total of 17 winners from a total of 242 runners, whilst the 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 bookmark the best racing tipsters page so you can get easy access to the best OLBG racing tipsters.
Route to the July Cup
Many trainers will target races to use as prep races before coming to 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 Classic Bookmaker" Achilles Stakes |
| 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) | Duke of York 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 July Cup Preview are at hand, Andy and Darren. 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.
Darren Brett
Tipster Competition Manager
Andy Powell
Content Editor
