Vicki Gibbins reflects on the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury

Our columnist on Comanche Brave's July Cup win

July Cup report and reaction: Vicki Gibbins on Comanche Brave's win

Horse Racing

Sat July 11, 2026 · 9h ago

Our reporter at the track with her take on July Cup day and the victory of Comanche Brave.

July Cup day begins and it’s time to dust off the encyclopaedias for another round of the Ballydoyle name game.

We strive to be educational at the Sporting Life and I can confirm, after leafing through the hefty H section, that Haffner is the alternative name for Mozart’s 35 symphony. Mozart, or at least his equine namesake, won the July Cup for the Coolmore team in 2001 – is it an early sign?

I’m not suggesting that Aidan has considered the neat 25-year narrative arc from 2001 July Cup glory to winning the Rossdale British EBF Maiden Stakes in 2026, but someone will have noticed the discrepancy. Sue Magnier, I bet.

Haffner bolts up but Aidan isn’t here yet, which ruins all plans for a quick round of Trivial Pursuit with him, H-related only. Maybe next time.

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Handicaps follow, with a brief opportunity to be astounded by a male racegoer’s silver glitter boat shoes – no socks, ick – and an ice-cream stop during the Bunbury Cup before the feature.

There’s hope, entering this year’s Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup. We’re in desperate need of a stand-out star, a speedster to capture the imagination and engage the public with their rip-roaring pace.

We’ve got a Commonwealth Cup heroine, an Aidan O’Brien Group 1 winning gelding, the one-two from the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes and a runaway Wokingham winner. So many darts to throw at the board.

The eleven-strong field bounce out of the stalls and charge up the July Course, jostling for position. It’s a wave of noise from the crowd as each leading contender makes their challenge, but commentator Mark Johnson is clear – the winner is Comanche Brave.

“Oh, f**** sake,” says the man next to me. Quite.

Billy Loughnane celebrates as Comanche Brave wins the July Cup

We’re obviously delighted for Donnacha O’Brien and the team. Comanche Brave was forced to chase home Ka Ying Rising at the start of the season at Sha Tin and returned to home turf with a win in the Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh. He was disappointing at Ascot, but we thought he’d found his level and just fell short at Group 1 company. Apparently not.

Venetian Sun is brave in defeat to finish second and Satono Reve is agonisingly denied again, ever the bridesmaid. It’s been a spectacle but we’ve failed to unveil our much-needed figurehead.

Except… let’s rewind.

As jockey Billy Loughnane crosses the line, riding for Donnacha O’Brien for the first time, he punches the air with delight, shouting ‘come onnnnnnn’ to the ITV cameras. He’s 20-years-old, has bagged another Group 1 winner and desperately wants to tell us about it. The young jockey buoys the crowd in the winners’ enclosure, drawing smiles from the watching photographers and press. He’s bubbling over with enthusiasm and we’re right there with him.

“Tony Hind, my agent, does a fantastic job, he said we might have Comanche Brave for the July Cup and I said ‘you’re joking’! It’s a fantastic spare ride to pick up,” he beams.

“I get a lot of kick out of riding in these big races. I’m 20 years old and I’m fortunate enough to pick up rides in them and just learning from that is everything.

“To be fortunate enough to win some Group Ones is what I wanted. I didn’t know Bow Echo was going to flourish into what he has, but to ride three Group One winners in England this year is brilliant and we’re only halfway through the season – hopefully we’re just getting going!”

Maybe we did find our new poster boy, after all.

Billy Loughnane celebrates Comanche Brave's July Cup win

July Cup report and reaction: Vicki Gibbins on Comanche Brave's win

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