The Pertemps Network July Cup Stakes is a Group 1 race open to three-year-olds and upwards over a distance of 6F. It’s one of Britain’s most valuable and prestigious sprint races with many of its winners acknowledged as the champion sprinter in Europe.
Aidan O’Brien is the joint leading trainer with five winners (Stravinsky, Mozart, Starspangledbanner, US Navy Flag and Ten Sovereigns) and last year went to the trip dropping Alcohol Free for the Andrew Balding and Rob Hornby combo.
It’s the only major race in the racing calendar that still eludes Frankie Dettori but it will remain that way as he will be missing from this year’s renewal (along with Oisin Murphy) having picked up a ban at Royal Ascot.
Here’s my horse-by-horse preview with my expert horse racing tips for this hotly-anticipated race on Saturday scheduled for 16:35 at Newmarket.
Art Power
Trainer: Tim Easterby
Jockey: David Allan
Ran 4th to Starman (beaten 1 3/4L) in the 2021 renewal (only run at the track) and is a capable sprinter. Appears to save his best runs though for The Curragh where he’s unbeaten in three starts including back in May in Group 2 company when bolting up by 4 3/4L. Was well beaten in Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot having taken a keen hold and may just fall short of Group 1 standard nowadays.
Emaraaty Ana
Trainer: Kevin Ryan
Jockey: Neil Callan
11th and 6th in the last two runnings of this race. Went on from last year’s 6th to place in two Group ones at York and Haydock finishing the season off with a half-length runner-up in the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland. Shown little in two starts this season, latest at Royal Ascot when finishing 11th of 16 to Khaadem which was his first since undergoing a wind operation. Hard to fancy based on his latest efforts.
Khaadem
Trainer: Charlie Hills
Jockey: Rob Hornby
Supplemented for this following a shock 80/1 victory under Jamie Spencer in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Royal Ascot last month. Had previously not looked up to this level and will have to back up that win to silence his doubters today. Jamie Spencer was replaced by Rob Hornby.
Kinross
Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Jockey: William Buick
Joint top rated (with Little Big Bear). Dropped in trip when winning Champion Sprint at Ascot’s Champions Day last October on good to soft ground. Ran without showing much on re-appearance in Ascot’s QEII Jubilee Stakes at their Royal meeting last month, coming home in 7th place of 16, beaten 5L by Khaadem. That would have brought him on but is rather ground dependent and would be a major player were ground to ride on the easy side. Was to be Frankie Dettori’s ride but he’s banned now and Will Buick comes in for the ride.
Run To Freedom
Trainer: Henry Candy
Jockey: Trevor Whelan
Was 2 1/2L runner-up to Kinross in Ascot’s Champion Sprint last October (good to soft) and ran out a head winner of listed race over 6F on fast ground in May. Ninth in Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Royal Ascot and has a bit to find on that run though if back to his second last Autumn has place claims.
Azure Blue
Trainer: Michael Dods
Jockey: Paul Mulrennan
Has won his last four starts and is very much a sprinter still on the up. Stepped up from listed company to take the scalp of the re-appearing Highfield Princess in Group 2 City Of York Stakes in May by half a length. That form looks even better now with the mare going on to be placed in the two big Group One sprints at Royal Ascot last month. Very much a player now upped to the highest level.
Vadream
Trainer: Charlie Fellowes
Jockey: Kieran Shoemark
Winner of 6F listed event at Doncaster’s Lincoln meeting on heavy ground and Group 3 5F Palace House Stakes on the soft ground already this season. Soundly beaten on the good ground twice since and will only come into the reckoning if the ground at Newmarket racecourse turned soft or heavy as she thrives on very soft terrain.
Little Big Bear
Trainer: A P O’Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Very smart two-year-old who was rated the best in Europe. Started the season in the 2000 Guineas over a mile when getting struck into and finishing plum last. Proved that run was totally wrong when dropping to 6F in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock and even though he appeared to have a track bias still won comfortably. Went on to Royal Ascot where he went off a very well-backed 10/11 favourite in the Commonwealth Cup only to find Shaquille too good for him to the tune of 1 1/4L despite having first run on his rival. Obviously very speedy and should run his race although had no real excuse for his defeat to Julie Camacho’s Shaquille.
Reportedly missed 6 days of work since then and was only rated as 50-50 to run earlier in the week by his shrewd trainer which has to go down as a big negative.
Shaquille
Trainer: Julie Camacho
Jockey: Rossa Ryan
Has been a revelation this season, improving with every run, graduating from a Newmarket handicap at the Guineas meeting off of 94 on soft ground to winning a listed race by 2L at Newbury a fortnight later and winning the Group One Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot in remarkable style having fluffed the start but still coming through to pass the entire field and beat the warm favourite Little Big Bear by 1 1/4L going away at the line. Very much on the upgrade still and the one to beat though is short enough in the current market.
Pertemps Network July Cup Stakes Tips
A fascinating renewal of the July Cup with the three-year-old sprinters taking on their elders. Shaquille ran an amazing race at Ascot in the Commonwealth Cup when despite starting slowly ran on to run down the hot favourite Little Big Bear. After watching that race it’s hard to feel that the latter can turn the tables especially as his trainer stated in the week that he had missed some vital work since.
That said Shaquille is priced accordingly at around the 7-4 mark and represents scant value at present. The ground is very important to the likes of Kinross and Vadream as both love the mud and can only be considered were the ground to ride soft.
The one to be with at present is Michael Dods’s Azure Blue who is a rapidly improving sprinter who’s taken giant steps this season and may still be on the upgrade if his defeat of arguably the best sprinter around Highfield Princess at York is anything to go by.
Dods is a past master at improving sprinters with the likes of Mabs Cross and Meccas Choice both progressing from handicaps to the top level and he might just have another here in the shape of Azure Blue. Advised in my ante-post piece at 5-1 he still looks value at his current odds.
AZURE BLUE 1 point win @ 7/2 with Bet365 bonus code
All prices are available at the time of writing.
