The concluding day of the Newmarket July Festival introduces a whirlwind of racing action, as some of the fastest horses are getting ready to participate in one of the world’s most valuable and prestigious sprint races. Headlining the third day of the meeting and the entire event, the July Cup will take place on Saturday, 11 July this year.
The July Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race that accepts both male and female horses aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres) on the July Course. The race was established in 1876. Its very first winner was bay colt Springfield bred by Queen Victoria. When the modern horse race classification system was introduced in Britain, the July Cup was classed as a Group 2 race. It was later promoted to Group 1 in 1978.
In this article we will review the list of runners announced to take part in this season’s race, take a look at the race card for the entire third day, and get insight into some of the most promising runners and market’s favourites to compete in the race.
Newmarket July Cup 2026 Racecard
The Newmarket July Festival 2026 will be conducted in the second week of July and last for three days. This horse racing fixture will include 22 races, with seven races conducted on the first and second days, and eight races conducted on the third and last day of the event. The Newmarket July Cup will be run on the third day of the meeting as the headline race of the day and the entire event.
Day Three: July Cup Day (11 July)
- When: Saturday, 11 July 2026
- Gate opening: 11:40 am
- First race: 1:40 pm
- Headline race: 4:35 pm
- Last race: 5:45 pm
- Post racing entertainment: 6:00 – 7:15 pm
The daily race card for the July Cup Day of the Newmarket July Festival 2026 is as follows:
Going: good to firm
| Time | Race | Distance | Conditions |
| 1:40 pm | THE ROSSDALES BRITISH EBF MAIDEN STAKES (CLASS 3) (CL 3) | 7f | 2YO £21,000.00 |
| 2:15 pm | THE NEWMARKET RACECOURSES FILLIES’ HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2) (CL 2) | 7f | 3YO+ £50,000.00 Rating 81-100 |
| 2:52 pm | THE NEWMARKET HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2) (CL 2) | 1m | 3YO £50,000.00 Rating 0-100 |
| 3:25 pm | THE BETWAY BUNBURY CUP (CLASS 2) (Heritage Handicap) (CL 2) | 7f | 3YO+ £100,000.00 |
| 4:00 pm | THE SUPERLATIVE STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (CL 1) | 7f | 2YO £125,000.00 |
| 4:35 pm | THE AL BASTI EQUIWORLD, DUBAI JULY CUP STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 1) (CL 1) | 6f | 3YO+ £800,000.00 |
| 5:10 pm | THE RACING TV HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 3) (CL 3) | 7f | 3YO+ £40,000.00 Rating 71-90 |
| 5:45 pm | THE HKJC WORLD POOL HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 4) (GBBPLUS RACE) (CL 4) | 1m 4f | 3YO+ £30,000.00 Rating 66-85 |
Newmarket July Cup 2026 Runners
The July Cup enjoys the reputation of one of the most prestigious sprint races not only in Britain and Europe but also around the world. With a current prize purse of £800,000 it also becomes one of the most valuable sprint competitions. Participation in the July Cup isn’t restricted by age or gender, so every year horse racing fans see a variety of talented sprint runners competing for the champion’s crown at the Newmarket Racecourse.
Currently, there are 13 runners announced to compete in this year’s race, but this number may change before the day of the race. Some of the jockeys for the race have already been announced, others are still awaiting confirmation.
The current full list of contenders, their jockeys and trainers runs as follows:
- Almeraq (age 4, jockey Tom Marquand, trainer William Haggas)
- Big Mojo (age 4, jockey William Buick, trainer Michael Appleby)
- Comanche Brave (age 4, jockey Billy Loughnane, trainer Donnacha O’Brien)
- Double Rush (age 4, jockey Oisin Murphy, trainer Andrew Balding)
- Powerful Glory (age 4, jockey Jamie Spencer, trainer Richard & Peter Fahey)
- Prince Of India (age 4, jockey Pat Dobbs, trainer Marco Botti)
- Quinault (age 6, jockey Marco Ghiani, trainer Stuart Williams)
- Satono Reve (age 7, jockey unconfirmed, trainer Noriyuki Hori)
- Flora Of Bermuda (age 5, jockey unconfirmed, trainer Andrew Balding)
- Coppull (age 3, jockey Saffie Osborne, trainer Clive Cox)
- Division (age 3, jockey James Doyle, trainer William Haggas)
- Mission Central (age 3, jockey unconfirmed, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Venetian Sun (age 3, jockey Clifford Lee, trainer Karl Burke)
Who to Look Out for at Newmarket July Cup 2026
Anyone who has seen the July Cup race before knows that it always brings together some of the best sprinters trained by some of the industry’s most renowned trainers and paired with talented jockeys. As the race doesn’t impose the upper age limit, runners aren’t restricted from multiple participation. Any eligible horse can enter the competition repeatedly to try and become the champion more than once. As of now, there is one runner that has collected more wins than any other contender in the history of the race, namely Sundridge who has become the champion of the July Cup three times in 1902, 1903, and 1904.
The latest winner in 2025 was a 4 year old bay filly No Half Measures. This was her only win of the 2025 season out of the five races she participated in. On the other hand, she showed some impressive results in her debut season of 2024 where she achieved 6 wins out of 11 races, including her first win at the Win 2,000,000 With BetMGM’s Golden Goals Restricted Maiden Stakes (Lingfield Park Racecourse, March 2024) and Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes (Newbury Racecourse, September 2024). This season No Half Measures hasn’t run in any races yet, nor has she been declared to take part in the July Cup or any other Newmarket July Festival races. No Half Measures was trained by Richard Hughes and led on the track by jockey Neil Callan.
Venetian Sun
- Age: 3 years old
- Sex and colour: bay filly
- Trainer: Karl Burke
- Major achievements: 6 out of 8 wins, including Commonwealth Cup (June 2026) and Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes (July 2025)
Karl Burke’s charge has shown consistently good results since her very first race of British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes (Carlisle Racecourse, May 2025) that she won, but she came to the forefront as the clear favourite for the July Cup after her very impressive win in the Commonwealth Cup during the Royal Ascot week last month (June 2026).
Venetian Sun is no newcomer at the Newmarket Racecourse either. Last year, which was also her debut season, she participated in the Newmarket July Festival and won the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes (July 2025). She started the 2026 season by running in three races, and though she came eleventh in the Betfred 1,000 Guineas Stakes (Newmarket Racecourse, May 2026, winner True Love), she won the other two: William Hill Sandy Lane Stakes (Haydock Park Racecourse, May 2026) and Commonwealth Cup (Ascot Racecourse, June 2026).
Almeraq
- Age: 4 years old
- Sex and colour: bay colt
- Trainer: William Haggas
- Major achievements: 4 out of 7 wins, including Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (June 2026) and Fergie & Myra Happel Ayr Gold Cup Trial Handicap (July 2025)
Another strong contender for the champion title, Almeraq brings more Royal Ascot winner energy to the tracks. His last month’s win in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Ascot Racecourse, June 2026) firmly placed him among the favourites for this year’s July Cup. This will be the first time William Haggas’s charge appears on the tracks of the Newmarket Racecourse.
In his debut season of 2024, Almeraq won the British EBF Novice Stakes at the Yarmouth Racecourse in October. In 2025, he added another win to his credit with the first place in the Fergie & Myra Happel Ayr Gold Cup Trial Handicap (Ayr Racecourse, July 2025). Since the start of the 2026 season, Almeraq has participated in two races. In addition to the win at Royal Ascot, he also took the first place in the British Stallion Studs EBF Cathedral Stakes at the Salisbury Racecourse in May 2026.
Satono Reve
- Age: 7 years old
- Sex and colour: bay horse
- Trainer: Noriyuki Hori
- Major achievements: 3 out of 10 wins, including Takamatsunomiyakinen G1 (March 2026) and Shunrai Stakes (April 2024)
Though Noriyuki Hori’s charge is mostly used to Japanese racecourses, he caught the attention of the British and international audience when he finished second in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at the Royal Ascot this June, only slightly behind Almeraq.
Interestingly, this wasn’t his first participation in this race. Satono Reve ran in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes in 2025 too and again finished second behind Lazzat. He started his racing career in 2024 by winning his maiden race of Shunrai Stakes at the Nakayama Racecourse (Japan, April 2024), and then consistently continued getting one win per season.
Mission Central
- Age: 3 years old
- Sex and colour: bay gelding
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Major achievements: 6 out of 9 wins, including King Charles III Stakes (June 2026) and Qipco British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes (October 2025)
Aidan O’Brien’s charge has been undefeated since the start of the current season, having won all of his three starts. This included the King Charles III Stakes at the Royal Ascot in June, as well as Sole Power Sprint Stakes (May 2026) and Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital Woodlands Stakes (April 2026) at the Naas Racecourse in Ireland.
In his debut season of 2025 Mission Central bagged three wins, including the Qipco British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes at the Ascot Racecourse in October 2025 and Heider Family Stables Round Tower Stakes (August 2025) and Audi Naas Irish European Breeders Fund Maiden (August 2025) at the Curragh Racecourse in Ireland.
Division
- Age: 3 years old
- Sex and colour: bay colt
- Trainer: William Haggas
- Major achievements: 3 out of 8 wins, including Coral Rockingham Stakes (October 2025) and OW Mobile Bars EBF Novice Stakes (September 2025)
Division may have finished third in the Commonwealth Cup behind Venetian Sun (winner) and Spicy Marg (second place) at the Royal Ascot this June, but his skill didn’t go unnoticed by the audiences and experts.
Another one of William Haggas’s charges among the favourites, he showed more positive results this season, coming third in the Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes (Ascot Racecourse, May 2026, winner Coppul) and second in the William Hill Sandy Lane Stakes (Haydock Park Racecourse, May 2026, winner Venetian Sun). His latest win includes the Coral Rockingham Stakes at the York Racecourse in October 2025.
Betting is only available to participants above 18 years. Please bet responsibly. BeGambleAware.org