July Cup

Group 1 race
July Cup
Location	July Course Newmarket, England
Inaugurated	1876
Race type	Flat / Thoroughbred
Sponsor	Darley
Website	Newmarket
Race information
Distance	6f (1,207 metres)
Track	Turf, straight
Qualification	Three-years-old and up
Weight	8 st 13 lb (3yo); 9 st 5 lb (4yo+) Allowances 3 lb for fillies and mares
Purse	£400,000 (2009) 1st: £227,080

The July Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.

It is one of the most valuable and prestigious sprint events in the British flat racing calendar, and many of its winners have been subsequently acknowledged as the champion sprinter in Europe. Some have also achieved success racing over longer distances.

The event was established in 1876, and it was won for the first two years by Springfield, a colt bred by Queen Victoria at the Hampton Court Stud. There have been several more repeat winners, and the most successful of these was Sundridge with three victories.

The July Cup has been sponsored by Darley Stud since 1996. It became part of the Global Sprint Challenge in 2008, and it has consequently featured a number of high-quality international contenders. It is the fourth leg of the series, preceded by the Golden Jubilee Stakes and followed by the Centaur Stakes. The race is presently held on the final day of Newmarket's three-day July Festival meeting.

Records

Most successful horse (3 wins):

• Sundridge – 1902, 1903, 1904

Leading jockey (10 wins):

• Lester Piggott – Vigo (1957), Right Boy (1958, 1959), Tin Whistle (1960), Thatch (1973), Saritamer (1974), Solinus (1978), Thatching (1979), Moorestyle (1980), Mr Brooks (1992)

Leading trainer (5 wins):

• Charles Morton – Sundridge (1903, 1904), Spanish Prince (1912, 1913), Golden Sun (1914)
• Vincent O'Brien – Thatch (1973), Saritamer (1974), Solinus (1978), Thatching (1979), Royal Academy (1990)

Leading owner (5 wins):

• Jack Joel – Sundridge (1903, 1904), Spanish Prince (1912, 1913), Golden Sun (1914)

Winners since 1968

Earlier winners

* The 1926 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.

References

• Racing Post:
  • 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
  • 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
  • 2008, 2009

• galopp-sieger.de – July Cup.
• horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – July Cup (2009).
• pedigreequery.com – July Cup – Newmarket.
• The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books. 1993. p. 119. ISBN 1-873626-15-0. 

See also

• Horseracing in Great Britain
• List of British flat horse races