Saturday afternoon sees the July Festival draw to a close at Newmarket. A bumper eight-race card awaits, including a look at the stars of the future in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes and quality handicapping fare in the Bunbury Cup. Topping the bill, on the day and at the meeting as a whole, is the fast and furious Group 1 sprint highlight of the July Cup.
Six furlongs is the trip in this prestigious contest, with £800,000 in prize money up for grabs. Won by sprint sensations such as Green Desert, Oasis Dream, Muhaarar, and Harry Angel, this July Course cracker is among the most coveted sprint prizes of the season.
Always a compelling contest, the 2026 edition looks well up to scratch. There are 11 runners who remain in contention following the final declarations on Thursday morning, including a trio who scorched the turf en route to victory at the Royal Ascot Festival.
Sun too Hot for Rivals
Not since Habibti came home in front for John Dunlop in 1983 has the July Cup fallen to a three-year-old filly. The market suggests that the wait may come to an end in 2026, with the Karl Burke-trained Venetian Sun out on her own at the head of the market.
Successful in six of her eight career starts, Venetian Sun’s only defeats came when third over seven furlongs in the Moyglare Stud Stakes and when fading to finish eleventh in the 1,000 Guineas. Over this six-furlong trip, her record reads five wins from as many starts, including Group 1 triumphs in the Prix Morny and Commonwealth Cup.
While disappointing in the 1,000 Guineas, Venetian Sun showed a liking for six furlongs of the July Course when claiming the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at this meeting in 2025. In form, and getting all the weight allowances, the market makes her the one to beat at a general price of 7/2.
While giving a positive update on her work leading up to the race, Karl Burke expressed concern that she may be coming into season. If confirmed, her participation may be in doubt.
Jubilee Stakes 1-2 Head the Opposition
While more commonly associated with Group 1 stars over longer distances, it is still a little surprising to learn that William Haggas has never won the July Cup. However, the Newmarket handler had never won the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes until 2026. Having handed Haggas one famous sprint success, Almeraq heads to HQ in an effort to claim another.
By Dark Angel and out of a mare by Muhaarar, this Shadwell-owned four-year-old is beautifully bred for top-class sprint assignments. Following a light juvenile season, Almeraq experienced mixed fortunes in 2025. Producing a sizzling turn of foot to win an Ayr handicap by five lengths, he then suffered a heavy fall, leaving his unfortunate rider, Jim Crowley, with multiple fractures and internal bleeding.
Given time to recover from that experience, Almeraq returned with a Listed success in the Cathedral Stakes at Salisbury, setting up a tilt at the big Group 1 six furlongs contest at Royal Ascot. Odds of 25/1 suggested he might find a few too good, and that looked to be the case a furlong from home. However, under a strong Tom Marquand drive, he surged home to score by a nose from Japanese ace Satono Reve.
Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes 2026 Result
| Pos. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Almeraq | William Haggas | Tom Marquand | 25/1 |
| 2 | Satono Reve | Noriyuki Hori | Ryan Moore | 5/2 |
| 3 | Joliestar | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 15/8 |
Satono Reve also takes his place in the July Cup field. The Noriyuki Hori runner bids to follow in the hoofprints of Agnes World, who registered Japan’s first, and so far, only, July Cup success in 2000.
Mission Central to O’Brien’s Record-Breaking Plans
First successful with Stravinsky in 1999 and most recently with Ten Sovereigns in 2019, Aidan O’Brien has five July Cup wins to his name. That tally places him in a tie for the all-time lead with early 20th-century trainer Charles Morton and Ballydoyle predecessor Vincent O’Brien.
Flying the flag for Ballydoyle is the horse who completed the Royal Ascot Group 1 set for O’Brien in the King Charles III Stakes. Arriving at Ascot following back-to-back Listed wins at Naas, Mission Central produced a turbo-charged finish to come from almost last to first inside the final furlong of that five-furlong Group 1 contest. Now a Group 1 winner, with a perfect three-from-three record over this six-furlong trip, the mount of Ryan Moore looks like a big threat to all.
Others to note in an intriguing contest include Commonwealth Cup third, Division; Big Mojo, who lost out by just a neck in the 2025 edition of this, and Double Rush, who is unbeaten in three starts since joining Andrew Balding in March. We will discover who comes out on top at 4:35 pm on Saturday.