JULY CUP STAKES
Saturday 15th July, 4:35pm
Shaquille @ 9/4
Azure Blue @ 7/2
Kinross @ 4/1
Little Big Bear @ 4/1
view odds
*prices correct at time of writing.
HORSES
Shaquille is the favourite for this one and some have said he’s very short, at the time of writing he is 2/1 with Fitzdares. I don’t think he is short all! I think his odds reflect and absolutely outstanding chance in the race.
He has run seven times going into the July Cup, he has won six times. He is unbeaten over six furlongs. The only worry is the start, he has been slowly into stride twice – quite dramatically at Ascot.
Azure Blue Won the Duke of York Stakes beating Highfield Princess, he was in receipt of a bit of weight from Highfield Princess. But, the form is rock solid with Highfield Princess going on to place in both Group 1 sprints at Royal Ascot. Azure Blue also has a win over course and distance.
It is her first Group 1, connections could have supplemented her for Ascot, but they chose to come here, so they have had this race in mind for some time. She is also trained by a Michael Dods who absolutely specialises in this type of horse.
Little Big Bear clearly didn’t perform at Guineas, he then won at Haydock when there were a few eyebrows raised about the draw. But you can’t be all that disappointed with him, as he won second in the Commonwealth Cup. There is a good chance he was beaten by an exceptional and underestimated horse.
Connections rate the horse very highly. They’ve decided to take their chance. The question is, how seriously has that setback affected him? Especially considering he has got a length and quarter to make up on Shaquille.
Khadeem was a sensational winner at Royal Ascot, beating Highfield Princess when winning the Jubilee Stakes. He’s been supplemented for £36,000 which is a lot of money.
Kinross is a good horse. If there was a significant amount of rain it would be very much to his favour and we know he’ll stay because he’s won over seven furlongs.
RACE
The July Cup is one of the world’s great sprint races. It’s up there with the two at Royal Ascot and the Nunthorpe. It has huge prestige with lots of classy winners that might have had classic ambitions that haven’t quite worked out. It’s a stiff six furlongs on the July Course and you’re looking for a horse who is going to last out every yard of the distance. Course and distance form is a big plus.
RIDERS
With Oisin Murphy and Frankie Dettori suspended and James Doyle is at Ascot, the perception that the most upwardly mobile and progressive jockey in the country is Rossa Ryan is further underlined. He has never won a Group 1, so this could be the latest chapter in his rise. He’s only in his eighth full season so there’s plenty more to come.
SUPERLATIVE STAKES (GROUP 2)
Saturday 15th July, 3:25pm
City of Troy @ 11/8
Great Truth @ 11/4
Haatem @ 8/1
Iberian @ 9/1
view odds
*prices correct at time of writing.
City of Troy won a good race at the Curragh by a couple of lengths. People were open mouthed at the end of that race. The horse could barely stop and he was just so impressive.
Great Truth is one of those horses who could be anything. He beat what was put in front of him at Leicester and he did that in good style.
There is one at a huge price in this race called Quatre Bras who I will be keeping an eye on. He ran well to finish third in a good race at Yarmouth and didn’t go to Ascot. He’s an enormous price and I’ll be throwing a couple of pounds each way at him.
LOOK OUT FOR
Charlie Appleby went winless at Royal Ascot and Epsom. If you look at the numbers, they’re not bad, they’re just not up to the usual high standard. He’s now back to the sort of numbers you’d expect him to be at this time of the year (47% strike rate) and he’s always to be taken extremely seriously on the July course.
The Bunbury Cup in which I’m a big fan of Bless Him who won the race last year. He loves a big field and he’s ridden by a jockey who doesn’t always gets the kudos he deserves in Calum Shepherd who rode a treble at Nottingham last weekend.
Regional in the City Hall Stakes at York. He’s in excellent form from a red-hot stable. He’s a lovely progressive sprinter and a course and distance winner to boot.
Cadillac in the John Smiths Cup. He won over a mile and a quarter handicap at Epsom on oaks day. Then ran at Royal Ascot and was luckless on the day. He’s switched from George Boughey to Alice Haynes and has the plus of being ridden by a 5lb claimer.
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