July Cup Day: Top Trainers, Jockeys & Sires, Plus Betting Tips in Every Race

This Saturday offers an outstanding menu of racing action, with Group Class contests from Newmarket, Ascot, and York, plus a whole host of competitive handicapping puzzles. With so much going on, the ITV crew have extended their coverage to no fewer than 12 races on this most super of Saturdays.

Here, we focus on events at HQ as the Newmarket July Festival reaches its third and final day. Encompassing two contests for the juveniles, four quality handicaps, and one of the biggest sprint events of the season, this three-day meeting goes out with a bang.

On such a competitive day of action, it never hurts to look at the patterns of the past when seeking the results of today. Here, using data presented by NewBettingSites.uk, we highlight the leading trainers, jockeys, and sires over the past ten editions of the meeting. Using this info, in combination with the form book, we pick out our best bet in all seven races on July Cup Day 2025.

Top Trainers

Godolphin number one, Charlie Appleby, leads our trainer's table – and it isn’t close. With 14 winners over the past ten years, he has more than twice as many as his nearest challengers. Appleby fared incredibly well in the juvenile events, with five wins in the opening Maiden and five in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes.

Richard Hannon and Ralph Beckett tied for the second spot with six wins apiece. Hannon picked up four handicap wins, while five of Beckett's wins came in handicap affairs.

As is usually the case at significant British meetings, Aidan O’Brien focussed his attention on the Group Class contests. The Ballydoyle maestro picked up two wins in the Superlative Stakes and two in the Group 1 feature.

John Gosden rounds out the big names in our top five with two handicap successes and one win in the Maiden.

Top Jockeys

Given Charlie Appleby’s excellent performance, it is no surprise to see William Buick atop the jockey’s table. All bar one of Buick’s victories came when riding for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin.

The man in the saddle for four of Aidan O’Brien’s five wins, Ryan Moore also rode a winner for Ralph Beckett.

Sean Levey’s close relationship with the Hannon yard provided him with two wins, three of which came in juvenile events.

US-based Frankie Dettori won’t make a July Festival appearance in 2025.

Rob Hornby rode two handicap winners for Ralph Beckett in addition to a July Cup success.

Paul Hanagan has now retired.

James Doyle won at Maiden, Handicap, and Group 2 level, with two winners coming for Charlie Appleby.

Top Sires

Godolphin flagbearer Dubawi tops the sire standings. Five of his six winners came in events over 7f to 1m.

Dark Angel advertised his versatility by siring winners at 6f, 7f, 1m, and 1m4f.

All three of Lope De Vega’s wins were in 7f events.

Kodiac struck three times at 7f-1m.

Motakhayyel was responsible for all three of Heeraat’s wins.

The great Galileo rounds out the list with two wins at 7f and one over 1m4f.

Race by Race Trends Picks

• 1:40 Rossdales British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes - Of the five qualifiers in the opener, only the Dark Angel filly, Just Call Me Angel, and Richard Hannon’s Orion’s Belt have any form at the track. We prefer Orion’s Belt of that duo, but she doesn’t set an impossibly high standard. The John & Thady Gosden-trained Darkwing has the most appealing pedigree and is tempting. However, you oppose Charlie Appleby at your peril in this event, and William Buick’s decision to ride Snow Light over Dancing Flower may be a hint worth taking.
• 2:12 Trustatrader 20th Anniversary Fillies’ Handicap - The opening handicap on the card presents a straight choice between Raneenn and Royal Velvet. Raneenn is potentially open to more improvement, but she disappointed on her only previous outing over this 7f trip. As such, we prefer to side with the confirmed stamina of Royal Velvet, who has won twice over this 7f distance and three times over 1m.
• 2:50 bet365 Bunbury Cup - Richard Hannon’s Dark Thirty is an appealing each-way option, having scored over this track and trip in August 2023. However, a mark of 95 may demand a career-best effort from the five-year-old. We wouldn’t put anyone off at a double-figure price but prefer another. William Buick is an eye-catching jockey booking for the David O’Meara-trained Akkadian Thunder. This one finished an excellent second in the Buckingham Palace Stakes last time and gets in off the same mark here.
• 3:25 bet365 Mile Handicap - Sex On Fire is the most interesting of the outsiders in race four. However, this may again come down to the three Godolphin runners. We will witness the rare sight of Ryan Moore riding for the boys in blue here, with the Ballydoyle number one teaming up with Fifth Column. However, both he and Secret Theory blotted their copybook last time out. We will keep this simple and side with Bedouin Prince, who arrives seeking a hattrick and won nicely over the Rowley Mile last time.
• 4:00 Superlative Stakes - The big event for the youngsters presents a fascinating Coolmore vs Godolphin clash. Having claimed five of the past ten editions, Charlie Appleby has strong claims once again with Saba Desert. However, we suspect that he and the rest may be up against it with Italy in the field. Considering the Aidan O’Brien youngsters tend to improve for their debut, this Wootton Bassett colt scored ever so easily first time out at Leopardstown. With the runner-up since filling the same position in the Chesham Stakes, the form looks solid.
• 4:35 Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup Stakes - the addition of the 2024 2000 Guineas winner Notable Speech adds significantly to the headline act at the July Festival. He’s undoubtedly the class act in the field but taking a short price about a horse on their first go at 6f makes limited appeal. Flora Of Bermuda should go close once again but is becoming hard to win with. The one to be on is the No Nay Never colt Whistlejacket. An excellent winner of the July Stakes at this meeting in 2024, he enjoyed no luck in running at Ascot and can bounce back for the O’Brien/Moore combo.
• 5:10 Trustatrader Handicap - The Richard Hannon-trained Great Bedwyn and William Buick-ridden Whathappensinvegas are the two qualifiers in the finale. The former disappointed on his only previous visit to this part of the world and is lumbered with a welter burden of 10st2lb. As such, the vote goes to Whathappensinvegas, who scored over 1m2f of the Rowley Mile course in May 2024 and is worth another shot at this distance.

July Cup Day Selections

• 1:40 - Snow Light to Win @ Best Morning Price
• 2:12 - Royal Velvet each way @ 7/1 with QuinnBet
• 2:50 - Akkadian Thunder to win @ 5/1 with BetMGM
• 3:25 - Bedouin Prince to win @ 5/2 with QuinnBet
• 4:00 - Italy to win @ 4/6 with BetGoodwin
• 4:35 - Whistlejacket to win @ 6/1 with PricedUp
• 5:10 - Whathappensinvegas each way @ Best Morning Price

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