AS THE Flat season enters July, horse racing fans are now speculating about the potential winners at Newmarket’s famous July Festival. The premier three-day event, hosted at the iconic July Course, often features some of the best sprinters in Europe and makes for special viewing.
Although multiple Group 1 races can be seen over the course of the festival, none is more thrilling than the July Cup. First run in 1876, the winner of the six-furlong sprint is frequently dubbed the best short-distance runner on the continent and earns a significant prize for their heroic efforts.
Twenty-five horses are hoping to follow in the footsteps of No Half Measures, who came first in 2025 despite being given long odds of 66/1. Of course, punters will be placing wagers across horse racing betting sites, hoping for a similar outcome in Suffolk this year.
With just days to go until the July Festival gets underway, here’s a look at the favourites and potential ones to watch.
Venetian Sun is the clear favourite
Although nothing is certain in horse racing, Venetian Sun is seen as the horse to beat at Newmarket in 2026. Currently valued at 5/2, the three-year-old has recorded consecutive first-place finishes at Haydock and then Ascot in the Commonwealth Cup. The latter is a similar distance to what the filly will face in the July Cup, which bodes well for trainer Karl Burke.
If Venetian Sun is to fall short in the sprint, then bookmakers believe that either Almeraq or Satono Reve will be the closest competitor. The former had a concerning fall at York in September 2025 which required a prolonged recovery period, but the William Haggas-trained colt managed to return and built on a win at Salisbury in May with an even more impressive victory in the Jubilee Stakes at Ascot.
He narrowly beat Satono Reve at Ascot in that race, but the pair are still seen as equal competitors for the July Cup at 6/1 each. Betting sites then generally have Division and Mission Central slightly behind at 8/1, despite the latter recording three wins from three races in 2026, including the King Charles III Stakes at Ascot. That could make him one to watch heading into Newmarket, provided he can prove his stamina over the extra furlong.
Value picks and dark horses
While they might not be quite as big a long shot as No Half Measures was in 2025, these runners could still be options to keep an eye on for the July Cup. Double Rush has been
priced at 12/1, putting him behind the leading pack, but the four-year-old is exhibiting the kind of form which makes him an excellent pick.
The Andrew Balding-trained horse is on a run of three consecutive wins, most recently finishing first in the Wokingham Stakes at Ascot after two wins at Newmarket, both of which were over six furlongs. That type of form over the same distance as the July Cup makes him a sensible candidate for the July Festival showpiece.
For those looking further down the field for an even bigger dark horse, Rosy Affair and Quinault both have form at the July Course, winning a six-furlong sprint at Newmarket in past years. In Rosy Affair’s case, she also enters the race after strong performances at Ascot and Newmarket, either side of a win at Haydock, making her odds of 25/1 enticing.
As for Quinault, the six-year-old lacks form heading to the July Festival, hence his long odds of 50/1. But his previous win will give him confidence heading into the race – if No Half Measures can beat the odds, why can’t he?
Article written by Daniel Price
