Newmarket July Festival 2026 Preview
The Newmarket July Festival 2026 runs from Thursday, 9 July to Saturday, 11 July on the July Course, and the live racecards already give the meeting a much sharper shape than a generic festival preview. Thursday’s Princess of Wales’s Stakes features Rebel’s Romance for Charlie Appleby and William Buick against rivals including Almeric and Convergent. Friday’s Falmouth Stakes has formed into a deep 12-runner mile for fillies and mares with Blue Bolt, Precise, Jancis, Balantina and Kon Tiki in the picture. Saturday’s July Cup is the headline sprint, with current racecards built around names such as Almeraq, Big Mojo, Double Rush, Kind Of Blue and Lazzat. This article is built as a race-by-race guide to the main 2026 storylines: key runners, trainers, jockeys, prize money, ratings, and the form angles that actually matter before the first race goes off.
Racecard note: this preview is based on currently available live racecards and market-facing runner lists. Final declarations, jockey bookings and prices can still move before post time.
Quick Summary: dates, headline races, favourites and prize money
- Festival dates: The Newmarket July Festival 2026 runs from Thursday, 9 July to Saturday, 11 July at the July Course, with the July Cup scheduled for 4:35pm on Saturday.
- Thursday feature: the Princess of Wales’s Stakes is a Group 2 over 1m4f worth £93,571.50 to the winner. The live card is headed by Rebel’s Romance for Charlie Appleby and William Buick, with Almeric, Convergent, Arabian Crown, Ghostwriter and Tenability also in the six-runner field.
- Thursday’s other two key races both matter: the Bahrain Trophy is a 1m5f Group 3 for three-year-olds with £113,420 to the winner, while the July Stakes is the meeting’s major 2yo colts’ Group 2 over 6f, currently featuring names such as Abraham Lincoln, Adaay Of Scarlett and Al Hudaiba.
- Friday’s centrepiece is the Falmouth Stakes: a Group 1 over 1 mile with 12 runners and £212,662 to the winner. The current field includes Blue Bolt (Colin Keane / Andrew Balding), Jancis (Sean Levey / Willie McCreery), Kon Tiki (Billy Loughnane / Jane Chapple-Hyam) and Balantina (Oisin Murphy / Donnacha O’Brien), while Precise gives Aidan O’Brien another major contender.
- The Friday juvenile race is not filler: the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes is a Group 2 over 6f for two-year-old fillies, with 10 runners and £70,887.50 to the winner.
- Saturday’s July Cup is the biggest race of the meeting: a Group 1 over 6f with £453,680 to the winner. The live racecard currently includes Almeraq (Tom Marquand / William Haggas), Big Mojo (William Buick / Michael Appleby), Kind Of Blue (James Fanshawe) and Lazzat (Jerome Reynier), with Double Rush also among the key sprint names in the field.
- The July Cup form line matters: Almeraq comes in after winning the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, while Double Rush brings strong big-field sprint form after landing the Wokingham Stakes. That gives Saturday’s feature a genuine “Ascot winners against elite sprint specialists” feel rather than a generic midsummer Group 1.
- Saturday’s supporting card is strong enough to matter on its own: the Superlative Stakes remains one of the key July Festival juvenile races, and the Bunbury Cup is again one of the week’s most important 7f handicaps for punters looking beyond the headline Group races.
Rebel’s Romance heads the 1m4f Group 2 for Appleby and Buick.
Blue Bolt, Jancis, Kon Tiki, Balantina and Precise shape the Group 1 mile.
Almeraq, Big Mojo, Double Rush, Kind Of Blue and Lazzat headline the sprint championship test.
£453,680, £212,662 and £113,420 to the winners respectively.
Racecard Snapshot: key races, times and 2026 storylines
This snapshot gives the fastest route into the festival: race time, class, distance, field size, prize money and the main 2026 angle. The detailed runner analysis follows in the race-by-race previews.
Main-race cheat sheet
| Race | Time | Race details | Key runners | Main angle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bahrain Trophy | Thu 13:50 | Group 3 · 1m5f · 8 runners · £113,420 | Ancient Egypt, Del Maro, Point Of Law | Ancient Egypt has the top rating; Del Maro brings the Appleby-Buick/Godolphin race-history angle. |
| July Stakes | Thu 14:25 | Group 2 · 6f · 11 runners · £70,888 | Abraham Lincoln, Adaay Of Scarlett, Al Hudaiba | Abraham Lincoln gives Aidan O’Brien a major juvenile angle; Adaay Of Scarlett owns the sharper current figures. |
| Princess of Wales’s Stakes | Thu 15:35 | Group 2 · 1m4f · 6 runners · £93,571.50 | Rebel’s Romance, Almeric, Convergent, Tenability | Rebel’s Romance is the class horse for Charlie Appleby and William Buick; Almeric and Convergent are the tactical threats. |
| Duchess of Cambridge Stakes | Fri 14:25 | Group 2 · 6f · 10 runners · £70,887.50 | Libertango, Senorita Bonita, Beibhinn, Etonnante | Libertango has the best published profile; Senorita Bonita has the strongest speed-note. |
| Falmouth Stakes | Fri 15:35 | Group 1 · 1m · 12 runners · £212,662.50 | Precise, Blue Bolt, Fallen Angel, Touleen, Balantina | Precise leads the market; Blue Bolt matches the favourite on OR and brings the strongest RPR among the main contenders. |
| Bunbury Cup | Sat 15:25 | Heritage Handicap · 7f · 24 runners · £51,540 | Wild Thoughts and the final draw/pace setup | A pace-and-position race first, a ratings race second. |
| Superlative Stakes | Sat 16:00 | Group 2 · 7f · 9 runners · £70,888 | Saturday’s key juvenile 7f field | The race rewards a colt who can settle, travel and finish over 7f, not just show raw 6f speed. |
| July Cup | Sat 16:35 | Group 1 · 6f · 13 runners · £453,680 | Almeraq, Big Mojo, Double Rush, Kind Of Blue, Lazzat | Almeraq brings the Royal Ascot Group 1 form; Double Rush tests whether Wokingham form can transfer to elite company. |
Thursday Preview: Bahrain Trophy, July Stakes and Princess of Wales’s Stakes
Thursday gives the July Festival three very different betting puzzles: stamina in the Bahrain Trophy, juvenile speed in the July Stakes, and proven Group-class form in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes. The key names are Ancient Egypt, Del Maro, Abraham Lincoln, Adaay Of Scarlett and Rebel’s Romance.
Bahrain Trophy: Ancient Egypt sets the rating standard
Ancient Egypt is the benchmark on the live card with an official rating of 110. Trained by Charlie Johnston and ridden by David Egan, he looks the most obvious answer if the race becomes a genuine stamina test over 1m5f.
Del Maro is the main counterpoint. His OR 104 is lower, but the Charlie Appleby / William Buick combination matters because Godolphin has a strong recent Bahrain Trophy record, including wins with Yibir, Castle Way and Ancient Wisdom.
Charlie Johnston / David Egan · OR 110 · highest-rated runner and the horse to beat if stamina decides it.
Charlie Appleby / William Buick · OR 104 · major stable angle from a yard with strong recent race history.
The main alternative if the Johnston and Appleby runners fail to dominate the final furlongs.
July Stakes: Abraham Lincoln versus Adaay Of Scarlett
Abraham Lincoln gives Aidan O’Brien a live chance of another July Stakes success. He brings a debut-winning profile and an RPR of 100, making him the obvious long-term pattern-race prospect in the field.
Adaay Of Scarlett has the stronger immediate sprint case. Trained by Hugo Palmer and ridden by Oisin Murphy, he is listed with OR 105 and RPR 113. That gives him the best current published figure among the main juvenile names.
Aidan O’Brien · RPR 100 · the long-term pattern-race angle.
Hugo Palmer / Oisin Murphy · OR 105 · RPR 113 · strongest current sprint profile.
Charlie Appleby / Godolphin · adds depth behind the two headline juveniles.
Princess of Wales’s Stakes: Rebel’s Romance is the class horse
Rebel’s Romance is the clear class benchmark for Charlie Appleby and William Buick. His profile includes OR 122, RPR 125 and a course-and-distance win, which makes him the most solid favourite on the Thursday card.
The dangers are tactical rather than obvious class threats. Almeric has Oisin Murphy booked for Andrew Balding, while Convergent runs for Karl Burke and Clifford Lee. In a six-runner Group 2, positioning could matter more than the market suggests.
Charlie Appleby / William Buick · OR 122 · RPR 125 · the horse everyone has to beat.
Andrew Balding / Oisin Murphy · main alternative if the race turns tactical.
Karl Burke / Clifford Lee · dangerous if the pace becomes stop-start.
Friday Preview: Duchess of Cambridge Stakes and Falmouth Stakes
Friday is built around two very different races: the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes for two-year-old fillies and the Falmouth Stakes, the day’s Group 1 mile for fillies and mares. The key reader question is whether Libertango can confirm her standout juvenile figures before Precise, Blue Bolt, Fallen Angel and Balantina turn the Falmouth into one of the deepest races of the festival.
Duchess of Cambridge Stakes: Libertango owns the strongest published profile
Libertango is the benchmark in Friday’s juvenile feature. Trained by George Boughey and ridden by Billy Loughnane, she is listed with OR 109 and RPR 117, the best all-round published profile among the main names in the race.
Senorita Bonita is the clearest threat on speed data. The Simon and Ed Crisford filly has Oisin Murphy booked and brings OR 98, TS 112 and RPR 115. That makes her dangerous if the race rewards sharp 6f pace rather than long-term potential.
George Boughey / Billy Loughnane · OR 109 · RPR 117 · strongest ratings profile in the race.
Simon & Ed Crisford / Oisin Murphy · TS 112 · RPR 115 · the main speed-based danger.
Joseph O’Brien · RPR 104 · Irish-trained form angle with enough quality to keep the race honest.
Karl Burke / Clifford Lee · RPR 94 · adds another proven juvenile-yard angle to the field.
Falmouth Stakes: Precise leads the market, Blue Bolt has the strongest data case
Precise is the market leader and the obvious headline runner for Aidan O’Brien. Her OR 115 puts her firmly in Group 1 territory, but this is not a thin race where the favourite only has to reproduce an average performance.
Blue Bolt is the most compelling alternative. Trained by Andrew Balding and ridden by Colin Keane, she matches Precise on OR 115 and brings TS 114 plus RPR 122. That gives her the strongest figures-based case among the leading contenders.
Aidan O’Brien · OR 115 · current market leader and the horse most punters will start with.
Andrew Balding / Colin Keane · OR 115 · TS 114 · RPR 122 · strongest overall data profile.
Karl Burke · OR 116 · highest official rating in the field if she returns to peak form.
Owen Burrows · OR 112 · live market support makes her one of the more interesting value names.
Donnacha O’Brien / Oisin Murphy · OR 113 · dangerous if the race becomes tactical.
Saturday Preview: Bunbury Cup, Superlative Stakes and July Cup
Saturday has three separate betting angles: the Bunbury Cup is a 24-runner handicap where draw and pace matter, the Superlative Stakes tests which two-year-old can already stay 7f strongly, and the July Cup is the Group 1 sprint that decides the festival’s headline story.
Bunbury Cup: Wild Thoughts is interesting, but race shape is everything
The Bunbury Cup is not a simple ratings race. With 24 runners over 7f, the draw, pace setup and traffic are likely to matter as much as the handicap marks. This is the Saturday race where punters should be most cautious about treating one horse as a clear standout too early.
Wild Thoughts is the early name to note. He runs for Richard Spencer, has Saffie Osborne booked and is listed with OR 89. As a lightly raced three-year-old with recent winning form, he fits the profile of a horse who may still have more improvement than his mark fully shows.
Richard Spencer / Saffie Osborne · OR 89 · lightly raced improver with the right handicap profile.
The final pace map may matter more than the early market. A strong group bias can change the race completely.
Treat this as a position-and-traffic race first, not a straightforward “best horse wins” handicap.
Superlative Stakes: the key question is who truly wants 7f
The Superlative Stakes is the most important juvenile race on Saturday because it asks a different question from the 6f contests earlier in the festival. Over 7f, raw speed alone is not enough. The winner usually needs to settle, travel and still finish strongly.
With nine runners and £70,888 to the winner, this is the race to watch for a colt who may become relevant later in the season. The best profile is not necessarily the sharpest juvenile sprinter, but the horse whose pedigree and running style suggest improvement over the extra furlong.
Upgrade horses who have already shaped as though they will improve beyond 6f.
A colt who can settle and quicken late is more appealing than one who only shows early pace.
This is the Saturday race most likely to create a serious late-season juvenile storyline.
July Cup: Almeraq brings the best recent Group 1 sprint form
Almeraq is the starting point in the July Cup. He runs for William Haggas and Tom Marquand after winning the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, giving him the strongest recent championship-sprint credential in the field.
The main dangers make the race deeper than a simple Ascot follow-up. Big Mojo has William Buick booked for Michael Appleby, Double Rush brings Wokingham-winning form for Andrew Balding, Lazzat adds the international angle for Jerome Reynier, and Kind Of Blue keeps James Fanshawe in the Group 1 sprint picture.
William Haggas / Tom Marquand · QEII Jubilee Stakes winner · strongest recent Group 1 sprint form.
Michael Appleby / William Buick · major sprint contender with a key jockey booking.
Andrew Balding · Wokingham Stakes winner · tests whether big-handicap Ascot form can transfer to Group 1 level.
Jerome Reynier · international challenger with a different sprint profile from the British form horses.
James Fanshawe · live Group 1 contender and a reminder that the race is deeper than the top market names.
FAQ: Newmarket July Festival 2026
When is the Newmarket July Festival 2026?
The Newmarket July Festival 2026 runs from Thursday, 9 July to Saturday, 11 July on the July Course.
What time is the 2026 July Cup?
The July Cup is scheduled for 4:35pm on Saturday, 11 July. It is a Group 1 over 6f with £453,680 to the winner.
Who are the leading runners in the July Cup 2026?
The key names on the current July Cup card include Almeraq, Big Mojo, Double Rush, Kind Of Blue and Lazzat. Almeraq brings the strongest recent Group 1 sprint form after winning the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Who rides Rebel’s Romance in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes?
William Buick is booked to ride Rebel’s Romance for Charlie Appleby in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes. Rebel’s Romance is the class benchmark in the race with an OR of 122 and RPR of 125.
Who are the main Falmouth Stakes contenders?
The main Falmouth Stakes names include Precise, Blue Bolt, Fallen Angel, Touleen, True Love and Balantina. Precise heads the current market, but Blue Bolt has a strong ratings profile with OR 115, TS 114 and RPR 122.
Which races matter most on Thursday?
Thursday’s key races are the Bahrain Trophy, the July Stakes and the Princess of Wales’s Stakes. Ancient Egypt and Del Maro shape the Bahrain Trophy, Abraham Lincoln and Adaay Of Scarlett headline the July Stakes, and Rebel’s Romance is the horse to beat in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes.
Which trainer and jockey combinations stand out at the festival?
Charlie Appleby and William Buick stand out with Rebel’s Romance and Del Maro. William Haggas and Tom Marquand are central to the July Cup through Almeraq. Andrew Balding is strongly represented through Blue Bolt, Almeric and Double Rush, while Oisin Murphy has several important rides across the meeting.
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