2026 July Cup Trends

July 7, 2026
Andy Newton

The July Cup is a Group One contest is run over 6f at Newmarket racecourse and is one of the highlights for the best sprinters all around the world each year.

Run on the final day of the three-day Newmarket July Meeting the race is worth £453,680 to the winner.

Here at GeeGeez, we take a look back at the recent winners and give you some key trends ahead of the 2026 renewal - on Saturday 11th July.

Did you know 23 of the last 24 July Cup winners were aged 5 or younger?

Recent July Cup Winners.....

2025 - No Half Measures (66/1)
2024 - Mill Stream (11/1)
2023 - Shaquille (5/2 jfav)
2022 - Alcohol Free (14/1)
2021 - Starman (9/2)
2020 - Oxted (12/1)
2019 - Ten Sovereigns (9/2)
2018 - U S Navy Flag (8/1)
2017 - Harry Angel (9/2)
2016 - Limato (9/2 fav)
2015 - Muhaarar (2/1 jfav)
2014 - Slade Power (7/4 fav)
2013 - Lethal Force (9/2)
2012 - Mayson (20/1)
2011 - Dream Ahead (7/1)
2010 - Starspangledbanner (2/1 fav)
2009 - Fleeting Spirit (12/1)
2008 - Marchand d'Or (5/2 fav)
2007 - Sakhee's Secret (9/2)
2006 - Les Arcs (10/1)
2005 - Pastoral Pursuits (22/1)
2004 - Frizzante (14/1)
2003 - Oasis Dream (9/2)
2002 - Continent (12/1)

July Cup Betting Trends

23/24 – Aged 5 or younger
22/24 – Had won over 6f before
19/24 – Returned 12/1 or shorter in the betting
19/24 – Had between 1-3 previous runs that season
19/24 – Won by a horse trained in the UK
18/24 – Ran at Royal Ascot last time out
18/24 – Had won a Group 1 or 2 race before
15/24 – Placed last time out
11/24 – Ran last time out in either the King Charles III Stakes or QEII Jubilee Stakes
11/24 – Unplaced favourites
9/24 – Won their previous race
6/24 – Winning favourites
4/24 – Irish-trained winners (O’Brien trained 2 of the last 8 winners)
4/24 – Filly winners
2/24 – Ridden by Ryan Moore (2 of the last 8)
2/24 – Trained By Hughie Morrison
1/24 – French-trained winners
16 of the last 17 winners aged 3 or 4
Just one horse aged older than 5 has won since 1968
Aidan O’Brien has won the race 5 times before (1999, 2001, 2010, 2018 & 2019) – joint winning most trainer with Vincent O’Brien and Charles Morton
Trainer Charlie Appleby has never won the race