July Cup Declarations: Runner-By-Runner Guide The July Festival at Newmarket culminates on Saturday afternoon with the Group 1 July Cup the centrepiece at Flat racing's Headquarters. A field of 15 sprinters are set to go to post for the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup Stakes (4.35) with leading contenders Notable Speech, Symbol Of Honour and Flora Of Bermuda all declared for the 6f contest on the July Course. Here's our quick look at the July Cup field following the final declarations as the top sprinters battle it out for the £372,585 prize. Midnite Betting Offer If you already have a Midnite account, check out more of the best betting sites and online casinos Inisherin (Kevin Ryan/Tom Eaves) Winner of the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last summer, but only fifth as favourite in this race afterwards. Not as good at Ascot this time when sixth in the Jubilee Stakes. Jasour (Clive Cox/Saffie Osborne) A Group 2 winner at this meeting in 2023 over course and distance, he added the Commonwealth Cup Trial at Ascot last season but is 0-7 since and needs to find his best. Night Raider (Karl Burke/San James) Promising novice in 2023/24 but all four career wins have come on synthetic surfaces and he typically comes up short in Pattern-race company. Notable Speech (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) The 2024 winner of the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, he has been kept to elite company at that mile trip since and, while winless, remains a quality performer. Drops to sprinting for the first time and is an interesting runner. Rogue Lightning (Tom Clover/Richard Kingscote) Course winner whose personal best was a Listed win at Doncaster over 5f in September 2023. He won a big pot in the Middle East in February and has twice contested major US races since. Run To Freedom (Hendy Candy/Trevor Whelan) Muhaarar gelding with lots of experience and a couple of Listed wins on his CV at this trip. Well held 66/1 poke in this grade at Royal Ascot last time and hard to see him winning. Twilight Calls (Richard Spencer/George Wood) The second of two seven-year-olds in this field, he's a smart sprinting handicapper at best and his record in Group-race company isn't promising. Believing (George Boughey/Billy Loughnane) Daughter of Mehmas has some top-class sprinting form in the book, but she faded from the front in the King Charles III Stakes last time at Ascot when favourite. Big ride for Billy Loughnane. Flora Of Bermuda (Andrew Balding/James Doyle) Dark Angel filly won the Group 3 Summer Stakes at York last year over this trip and has been largely consistent since, including placed runs behind Inisherin and then Lazzat in the Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot most recently. No Half Measures (Richard Hughes/Neil Callan) Progressive in 2024, winning four times including a heavy-ground Newbury Group 3 over 5f. Went well again over that C&D last time but it was only in Listed company. Big Mojo (Mick Appleby/Tom Marquand) Three-year-old with some high-class form in the book, he won a Commonwealth Cup Trial at Ascot in April, but has been held in better company since at Haydock and Royal Ascot. Ides Of March (Aidan O'Brien/TBC) Wootton Bassett colt started this season with good efforts in defeat in Listed races at Navan and Newbury, but his limitations were perhaps exposed in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. Takes on his elders now. Spy Chief (John & Thady Gosden/Robert Havlin) Lightly raced son of Kingman won a Yarmouth novice over 6f last month on turf bow and then ran a fine second in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot. Up once more in class and facing older horses now. Symbol Of Honour (Charlie Appleby/Oisin Murphy) Gelded son of Havana Grey has made strides of late, winning a Listed race at Newbury and a Group 2 at Haydock, both over this trip, since May. More demanded this time. Whistlejacket (Aidan O'Brien/Ryan Moore) Top 2YO sprinter last season, winning the July Stakes over this C&D and soon adding the Group 1 Prix Morny. Winning comeback at Navan on soft in April, but a little disappointing both runs since, latterly when sixth in the Commonwealth Cup. Needs to bounce back against older rivals.
