3 minute read

Racing and Sports preview the 2021 July Cup from Newmarket.

Oxted goes for back-to-back July Cups on the final day of the July Festival, and he does so off what was arguably an even better effort winning the King's Stand last time, but it will be no easy task with a deep field of 19 set to line up. 

The July Cup is the first meaningful clash of generations for the sprinters and this year's edition doesn't disappoint on that score. Seven of the classic generation line up including the first past the post in the Commonwealth Cup, Dragon Symbol.  

He seems sure to go well, but that form (run in heavy rain and in abnormal condition) may not be straightforward and Rohaan, who beat him in a trial for that race, was more convincing in beating older horses in the Wokingham in more normal conditions the following day.  

Creative Force was a good winner of the Jersey and Supremacy was a Group One winner at two who is surely better than his awful fresh run but it's Rohaan who The Racing and Sports Pricing Model fancies as the one most likely from the three-year-olds and a match for Oxted who boasts the best form to date. 

It's those two words, 'to date', that make all the difference. Starman's win at York isn't seen as quite up to Oxted's July Cup from last year or his King's Stand win, but it must be close. He had Oxted behind him after all. And what he does bring to the table is upside. No horse in the 2021 July Cup has had fewer attemps than Starman. That he is already better performed than most, and already up around the sort of level that wins July Cups, is a massive win and makes him a very easy horse to like.  

The Racing and Sports Pricing Model likes him and in-form connections headlined by Tom Marquand - a jockey with Starman-like potential on already smart form - sweeten the deal. He is seen as the one most likely and a nice bet around $8.00. 

Recommended Bets: Back Starman in the July Cup.