July Cup Tips: Believe In Boughey Mare To Beat Guineas Hero

The Group 1 July Cup has attracted a substantial field at Newmarket this Saturday. One of the biggest sprinting prizes of the British flat season, this looks set to be an extremely competitive renewal, which Joe Napier previews below, giving his verdict.

Godolphin last tasted success in this race in 2017 with Harry Angel but Charlie Appleby is yet to add the July Cup to his trophy cabinet. His runners were in good form generally on Thursday at the track though, boding well for Notable Speech. The most intriguing runner in the race, the four-year-old has never run below 1m, but is a two-time Group 1 winner at that trip, claiming last year’s 2000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes. He travels well through his races, suggesting he should adapt fairly nimbly to this distance and his proven class should make him a threat.

Symbol Of Honour also runs for Godolphin and Appleby. The grey has improved the last twice, winning the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes last time out at Haydock and should be a danger. The other for the boys in blue is Spy Chief, although the Gosden-trained runner would still have to step up markedly on his Jersey Stakes second at Royal Ascot. He was supplemented for this race though, suggesting there is some confidence behind him.

Plenty of these finished with their tails between their legs in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes behind a pair of global superstars. Flora Of Bermuda did the best of those, finishing third, and she will likely go well again, albeit her winning record is very poor for a horse of her ability. Jasour outran his odds in fifth, as did Run To Freedom in eighth and the latter could be an interesting outsider. Inisherin, the former Commonwealth Cup hero, now has something to prove.

In the other Group 1 sprint, the King Charles III Stakes over 5f, BELIEVING was ultimately disappointing in tenth. However, George Boughey’s mare is one of few British-based sprinters with a proven outcome over her international contemporaries, landing the 6f Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan in April. She looks worth sticking to this trip now aged five and Ryan Moore was not overly harsh on her at Royal Ascot, perhaps saving her for other plans such as this

Moore now jumps ship, but only out of loyalty to Aidan O’Brien, whose Whistlejacket retains potential. On breeding, there has to be a slight doubt as to whether he has fully trained on, but he was value for better than sixth in the Commonwealth Cup and Ballydoyle won this with three-year-olds in 2018 and 2019. Stablemate Ides Of March looks outclassed on the other hand.

Of the remainder, there is reason to take a second look at Rogue Lightning, who has been campaigned in America of late, but should appreciate going back up to 6f on these shores now.