Newmarket racecourse takes centre stage this weekend for 2025’s renewal of the July Festival.
It will see flat-racing‘s elite gather in the Suffolk countryside for three days of prestigious racing, in which seven group contests highlight the 21-race event.
The final day plays host to the festival’s showpiece, the July Cup – a group one race contested by horses aged three or older.
Six furlongs of Newmarket’s ‘July Course’ await horses looking to take home a share of prize money worth £600,000.
This year’s July Cup will see Aidan O’Brien look to become the races’ outright leading trainer by winning the race for the sixth time.
He is currently tied at five wins with Vincent O’Brien and Charles Morton – both trainers in the 1900’s.
Whistlejacket
O’Brien’s best chance, according to ante-post markets, is Whistlejacket – who trades at 7/1.
Since winning the (Group Two) Kingdom Of July Stakes, at last year’s meeting, the colt has won only twice from seven races – a French Group One, at Deauville, and a listed race on his seasonal reappearance at Navan.
That run of form included two second-placed finishes – in two Group One races, as well as a fifth-placed effort in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, at Del Mar.
Notable Speech
However, at the top of the market is the Godolphin-owned Notable Speech, who has been supplemented for this race.
Last year’s 2000 Guineas winner is trading as the (7/2) favourite and is one of two horses looking to win trainer Charlie Appleby his first July Cup.
He has won once since that victory – the (Group Three) Sussex Stakes at last year’s Glorious Goodwood Festival, and has finished fourth in two runs this season.
The first of which came in Newbury‘s Lockinge Stakes, whilst the latter was in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, in which he was travelling very well before being short of room and not being able to reel in the winner.
He was also unaided by rider William Buick dropping his whip on the run-in.
Symbol of Honour
His stablemate, also running in the renowned all-blue silks, Symbol Of Honour is the joint-second favourite to win this race.
The three-year-old colt has won four of his last five races, the first two of which came over the winter period, at Meydan.
His three runs this season have birthed two victories, first, in a listed race at Newbury, second, in a Group Two race at Haydock.
Other Runners
Alongside trainer Andrew Balding’s Flora Of Bermuda, he trades at 9/2 to win the 2025 July Cup.
Balding will arrive here in top form, boasting a win percentage of 32% over the last two weeks, including three winners at the Coral-Eclipse festival.
Flora Of Bermuda represents his stable having placed twice in her two runs this season, the first of which came in Group Two contest at York, behind the re-opposing Inisherin.
Her latter run came in the Queen Elizabeth II stakes, at Royal Ascot, where she finished third behind Japanese raider Satano Reve and Wathnan teammate Lazzat.
Inisherin (6/1) and Believing (8/1) round off the top six in the market, with two-time Group Three winner Mojo next in the market, at 16/1.
The former will face Flora Of Bermuda for the third time this season, and will arrive here having raced only four times, winning once – on seasonal reappearance – since last year’s Commonwealth Cup victory.
Meanwhile, Believing shed her Group One maiden tag on her seasonal reappearance, at Meydan.
Trainer George Boughey’s mare placed fourth or higher in five Group One races last season, before finally getting her head in front over in Dubai.
She will look to bounce back from an 11th-placed effort in the (Group One) King Charles III Stakes, on her only British run so far this season.
How to watch the July Cup on TV?
ITV will broadcast 13 races across the three-day Festival, live and for free, whilst Racing TV (channel 424) subscribers can tune into their coverage for every race live.
Both broadcasters will screen the July Cup, it is due off at 4:35pm on Saturday, July 12.
By Callum Close
READ MORE: Newmarket July Festival 2025 – Dates, how to watch on TV, trainers and jockeys to watch
