The 2023 July Cup runners see the favourite Shaquille heading a field of nine for Saturday’s big Group One race at Newmarket. We look at the final entries and also have the latest July Cup betting.
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RELATED: Rossa Ryan Will Ride July Cup Favourite Shaquille In Saturday’s Big Newmarket Race
When Is The 2023 July Cup?
📅Time/Date: Saturday 15th July 2023
🏇Racecourse: Newmarket (July course), Suffolk (6 furlongs)
📺 TV: ITV/ Racing TV
💰 Winner: £340,260
🎲 July Cup Odds: Shaquille 7/4 | Azure Blue 11/4| Kinross 5/1 | Little Big Bear 6/1
July Cup Runners 2023: Shaquille Heads a Field On Nine
Saturday’s July Cup will see a field of just nine runners head to post for the £600,000 Group One race at Newmarket – down from 13 entries in 2022.
The Julie Camacho-trained Shaquille is the horse topping the betting as the one the best UK horse racing bookmakers are fearing most, plus we now also now jockey Rossa Ryan will get the ride on the recent Commonwealth Cup winner.
Azure Blue is the closest horse to Shaquille in the 2023 July Cup betting market, as the talented Michael Dods sprinter looks to win his fifth race on the bounce and follow up his Duke Of York Clipper Stakes success in May.
William Buick has been confirmed to ride Kinross – taking over from the suspended Frankie Dettori. While, having only been described at 50-50 for the race earlier in the week, Little Big Bear will after all make the trip over to flat racings HQ too to renew his rivalry with Shaquille.
Khaadem Supplemented For July Cup At a Cost Of £36,000
Jamie Spencer produced Khaadem to win last month’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee at 80/1 and the Charles Hills-trained 7 year-old will be looking to prove that success wasn’t a fluke after his connections stumped up the £36,000 to get him into Saturday’s Group One £600k July Cup at Newmarket.
Khaadem got home by a neck that day at Royal Ascot (watch below) under Spencer, but the veteran jockey WON’T be riding this Saturday after picking up a six-day riding ban at the Curragh on July 1st.
The experienced sprinter was put into the July Cup betting around 11/1 with the best UK bookmakers and will head into the race having won 8 of his 30 career starts. His most recent win was his first at Group One level, but having won £567,100 last time out this took his total career winning over the £1m mark (£1,123,625) for his owner Mrs Fitri Hay.
Trainer Charles Hills, who won the July Cup in 2015 with Muhaarar, reported on his William Hill blog
“I spoke with Michael Prosser [Newmarket clerk] earlier and he says there looks to be a band of rain coming through on Monday evening but bar that and a couple of light showers, the weather looks pretty good so hopefully it stays on the quicker side and we can take our chance.
“I can’t imagine it being soft and, unless the rain really got into the ground, he’ll run. He’ll be fine on good ground, but he does like it quick so let’s hope the showers stay away.
“I’ve always maintained he’s a Group class sprinter and his career shows that. He’s won some really good races like the Stewards’ Cup, King George and Palace House and obviously last time in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee at Ascot. He’s a very good horse and we’re looking forward to Saturday.”
WATCH: Khaadem Winning The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot
Shaquille The Current July Cup Favourite
Despite Khaadem now in the July Cup, it’s still the Julie Camacho-trained Shaquille that heads the betting with the top UK horse racing betting sites – see the betting below.
This fast-improving 3 year-old recovered from a bad start to pick off the hot favourite Little Big Bear in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last month (watch below) and will take on the Aidan O’Brien runner again this Saturday.
In a remarkable effort the Charm Spirit colt reared at the start that day and then took a fierce hold – which looked to have put pay to his chance (traded at 80.00 in-play on Betfair). However, under Oisin Murphy he managed to get back in touch with the field and stayed on powerfully to win with 1 1/4 lengths to spare at the line.
He’s now won 6 of his 7 career starts and his last five on the spin. Being a 3 year-old he’ll also get a handy 3lb and 6lbs weight allowance from most of the others and if getting away on terms this time looks the one to beat with Rossa Ryan booked to ride.
WATCH: Shaquille Winning The Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot
Kinross The Top-Rated Of The July Cup Runners
Kinross is another of the leading July Cup players and will come into the race as the joint top-rated (119) in the field with Little Big Bear.
He was a great winner of the 2022 Champion Sprint Stakes last season at Ascot (watch below) but will need to bounce back from running just 7th in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes last time out – beaten 5 lengths behind Khaadem.
However, with that being his first run back after a 231-day break can be expected to have improved for it and should be spot on for this. William Buick will ride – taking over from the suspended Frankie Dettori.
The July Cup trends also tell us that at the age of 6 Kinross will be looking to become the oldest July Cup winner since Les Arcs in 2006, while only one horse aged 6+ has won this lucrative Group One since 1939.
Kinross has been put in at 5/1 with the best UK horse racing bookmakers to win the July Cup.
WATCH: Kinross Winning The 2022 Champion Sprint Stakes
Azure Blue Flying The Flag for Fillies
The other big name entered for Saturday’s July Cup is Azure Blue, who we last saw in action winning the Duke Of York Clipper Stakes in May – beating the useful Highfield Princess by 1/2 a length (watch below). This classy Michael Dods filly has had a few setbacks since and missed Royal Ascot but is a horse that’s gone well fresh in the past and has now won 50% of her 14 career runs.
She’ll be flying the flag for ‘girl power’ in the July Cup and will be looking to follow-up last year’s filly winner in the race when Alcohol Free won. Prior to that win, Frizzante (2004) and Fleeting Spirit (2009) were also mare winners of the July Cup.
Azure Blue is the general second favourite in the July Cup betting market.
WATCH: Azure Blue Winning The Duke Of York Clipper Stakes at York
July Cup Runners: Art Power, Emaraaty Ana, Run To Freedom and Vadream Make Up The Nine Entries
In a race the betting suggests is split into two halves, the other July Cup runners are made up with four outsiders.
Art Power was a good winner of the G2 Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh in May but was only 12th (of 16) behind Khaadem in the QEII Jubilee Stakes last time so have ground to find.
Emaraaty Ana is now a 7 year-old and also ran in the QEII Jubilee Stakes (11th), plus was also 16 1/2 lengths behind Azure Blue at York in May. She needs to bounce back but has placed form last year in the Nunthorpe Stakes, Sprint Cup and Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (all Group Ones) to suggest he can’t be ruled out of getting involved at a price.
Run For Freedom was yet another to run in the QEII Jubilee Stakes (9th) and managed to get silver at 150/1 in the Champion Sprint Stakes at Ascot last October behind Kinross to give him a squeak.
While Vadream makes up the 9 July Cup runners for the Charlie Fellowes yard. She was last seen running 12th in the King’s Stand Stakes and is yet to trouble the judge at the highest level.
2023 July Cup Betting Odds
We take a look at the latest 2023 July Cup betting odds from BetUK, where you can also get a £30 free bet to use on the race.
- Shaquille @ 7/4
- Azure Blue @ 11/4
- Kinross @ 5/1
- Little Big Bear @ 6/1
- Khaadem @ 10/1
- Art Power @ 20/1
- Emaraaty Ana @ 25/1
- Run To Freedom @ 25/1
- Vadream @ 33/1
Note: Odds are subject to change
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