July Cup Betting Tips

The July Cup is one of the premier sprint contests of the season and could not be more aptly named. It is run in the middle of its titular month, as well as on Newmarket’s dedicated July Course.

It takes place over six furlongs, making it among the shortest top level races run in Great Britain, with only York’s Nunthorpe Stakes over five furlongs run over less distance. First taking place in 1876, its illustrious history is decorated by big names such as Lester Piggott and Aidan O’Brien.

Available to horses aged three years old and upwards, the 2025 July Cup field is set to provide an exciting clash between the best sprinters of many different generations. Our tipsters Andrew Mount and Matty Sutcliffe provide their thoughts below.

July Cup Favourites Runners & Form

The 6f trip is a good distance for three-year-olds to begin taking on their elders. Races such as the Commonwealth Cup will highlight which of the Classic generation are up to challenging for this Group 1 crown.

July Cup Racecourse 

The July Course at Newmarket is open for business every summer, with the July Cup the biggest race held over the course over these months. The race takes place within its three-day festival boasting numerous high quality races.

The exact course and distance of the July Cup is entirely straight and ultimately misses much of the downhill section that begins the 1m straight track. As a result, this Group 1 is one of the tougher 6f to get home over, as the final furlong heads substantially uphill. Those finishing fast can suddenly find themselves blunted, though so too can those who have gone off too hot find themselves floundering.

In terms of track bias, the July Course is, like so many, subject to a variety of preferences. It totally depends on where the majority of runners have raced over the previous couple of days of Newmarket’s meeting, as the ground is usually sound. Lower or higher draws can only be confirmed as preferable once the day comes about, and even then there is no guarantee.

Betting Strategies for the July Cup

There are lots of different types of bets which can be placed on the majority of horse races, and the July Cup is no different. As well as trying to find the winner, you can look to find a good bet of the following types too.

Each Way

The best each-way bets are those at decent prices who you also believe have a chance of winning, as well as finishing in the places. Apart from 2023, nine of the last ten editions of the July Cup had featured double-figure fields, so there would have been three, four, or sometimes five places paid out for those runnings, in which you could have earned decent money for finding a horse who finished just behind the winners.

Non Runner No Bet

Well in advance of the July Cup, punters might like to place Non Runner No Bet wagers to ensure that if your horse does not make it to the July Cup, your bet will be declared void and you will get your money back.

Without the Favourite

A strong favourite can leave bettors in a tricky position. You may well feel they are the likely winner while also being put off by his odds, in which case you can pick an alternative further down the betting as a winner even if they finish second to him, or then go and win the July Cup themselves.

Are There Any Specific July Cup Betting Offers?

July Cup betting offers will arrive in time for the day of the race.

July Cup Trends & Historic Data

We are closing in on 150 years worth of history in the July Cup, as the inaugural running of the race took place in 1876. In that time, there has only ever been one three-time winner of the race: Sundridge in every renewal between 1902-1904. However, multiple winners have dried up, with no horse repeating the trick since Right Boy in 1959, and no returning winners in 2024.

Lester Piggott is well out on his own when it comes to the most successful jockeys in the race. He claimed the July Cup on 12 occasions with his first and last winners, Vigo and Mr Brooks, separated by 35 years (1957-1992). At the other end of the spectrum, this was the only British Group 1 which Frankie Dettori never managed to win; he was denied the chance to finally add the prize to his haul when completing a ban in 2023.

The top trainer in the July Cup is currently a three-way tie, although that is likely to change before long, as one of that trio is Aidan O’Brien. He sits alongside namesake Vincent and Charles Morton with five successes so far.

July Cup Past Winners

Year	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Odds
2015	Muhaarar	Charles Hills	Paul Hanagan	2/1J
2016	Limato	Henry Candy	Harry Bentley	9/2F
2017	Harry Angel	Clive Cox	Adam Kirby	9/2
2018	U S Navy Flag	Aidan O’Brien	Ryan Moore	8/1
2019	Ten Sovereigns	Aidan O’Brien	Ryan Moore	9/2
2020	Oxted	Roger Teal	Cieren Fallon	12/1
2021	Starman	Ed Walker	Tom Marquand	9/2
2022	Alcohol Free	Andrew Balding	Rob Hornby	14/1
2023	Shaquille	Julie Camacho	Rossa Ryan	5/2J
2024	Mill Stream	Jane Chapple-Hyam	William Buick	11/1