The Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup Stakes takes centre stage on Saturday and our Matt Brocklebank has an outsider to back at big prices.
Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup Stakes (Group 1)
- When: 16:35 Saturday July 11
- Where: Newmarket, July Course
- First prize: £453,680
- Going: Good to Firm
- TV: ITV1 & Racing TV (Sky 424)
ALMERAQ (William Haggas)
Was held in high regard after his juvenile season and he looked a bit special when slamming his rivals in an Ayr handicap from a mark of 90 last summer, only to head to York for a Listed event and suffer a terrible fall after clipping heels. Credit, then, to William Haggas and his team for nurturing the now four-year-old back to full health and he posted a clear career best to win last month's Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. Could be well suited by this sort of test and there’s a chance he’s just coming up to his peak.
BIG MOJO (Michael Appleby)
Arguably a shade unfortunate not to win this event 12 months ago given the way the race panned out but gained his reward in the Sprint Cup at Haydock in September, where the apparent track bias was a lot more kind to him on the day. Not quite in the same form since, though, and significant ground to make up based on this year’s efforts especially as it just looks a stronger bunch of sprinters this time around.
COMANCHE BRAVE (Donnacha O’Brien)
Intriguing contender who was quietly fancied (15/2) for top-class honours at Royal Ascot where he didn’t get the clearest of passages before finishing within three lengths of Almeraq. Not to be dismissed on that evidence although his broader profile suggests he could need more of a test and will need a few others to falter if he’s to land on a Group 1 over this distance.
DOUBLE RUSH (Andrew Balding)
Four-year-old son of Blue Point on a real roll for new trainer this year having won three handicaps on the spin, culminating in the Wokingham last month. Nudged up another 5lb to an official rating of 110 on the back of that and he won’t be disgraced if maintaining the same sort of form, but general feeling is that he may need another 5-7lb in order to trouble the pick of these rivals.
POWERFUL GLORY (Richard Fahey)
Always had bundles of talent but seems not the easiest to keep on the straight and narrow, having famously popped up at 200/1 on Champions Day last autumn before resuming with a relatively quiet effort (though certainly not devoid of promise) in an Irish Group 2 in May. He was a day-of-race absentee from the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
PRINCE OF INDIA (Marco Botti)
Improved a lot as a three-year-old and his progress included a course and distance handicap win at this meeting last July. Seems to have plateaued this term and every chance he’s going to struggle to make an impact on his maiden attempt in G1 company.
QUINAULT (Stuart Williams)
Admirable type who has won his fair share and still shows plenty of zip in the early stages of his races. York last time out in May not one of his finest moments and now on a bit of a retrieval mission – at the age of six, in against younger, more progressive rivals. That won’t be easy to pull off by any means.
SATONO REVE (Noriyuki Hori)
Quality Japanese raider who has held his form very well despite his advancing years. Every right to be on the scene when it matters if bringing his Royal Ascot form, when second in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee for the second year running. He’ll like the ground and seems versatile in terms of track configuration so not much to dislike overall.
FLORA OF BERMUDA (Andrew Balding)
Five-year-old mare who has an in-and-out profile and lived up to that when following her seasonal debut win with a last-place finish behind Almeraq and a few more of these at Royal Ascot last month. Doesn’t help herself by getting a bit stewed up in and around the stalls but a settled preparation could see her run well at a price, for all that she has risks attached and didn’t beat a rival home here last summer (slowly away after rearing at the start).
COPPULL (Clive Cox)
Drawn stall 14 in last month's Commonwealth Cup and wasn’t seen to best effect racing in the smaller group towards the stands’ side. He battled on well to come home first in that mini-race of eight horses and the bare form can obviously be marked up. Still has work to do if he’s to develop into a July Cup winner but his Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes win back on May 1 has worked out and he's not to be dismissed at a backable price this weekend, especially as his trainer has won Newmarket's big sprint twice before.
DIVISION (William Haggas)
Every right to roll the dice in a race of this nature having proven himself to be not far behind the best three-year-old sprinters so far this campaign. Close third to Coppull on seasonal debut was a good run, equally his placed efforts behind Venetian Sun in the Sandy Lane at Haydock and Commonwealth Cup at the Royal meeting. Seems likely to be finishing as well as anything granted a strong pace to chase and he’s a realistic each-way player once again.
MISSION CENTRAL (Aidan O’Brien)
A speedy son of No Nay Never and he’s improving at a rapid rate too, having made it three from three this season when getting up late from star French filly Rayevka and very decent Australian Overpass in last month’s King Charles III Stakes at Ascot. Trainer Aidan O’Brien has won this a joint-record five times, his most recent two with three-year-old colts, and there's every reason to expect a big run with the ground riding on the quick side.
VENETIAN SUN (Karl Burke)
Got to be very highly respected as a classy three-year-old fully in receipt of weight from the others and she's obviously got a terrific attitude to match her quality in light of last month's Commonwealth Cup success. Four of the past 10 July Cup winners have either won or been placed in the Commonwealth Cup, although this event does place a shade more emphasis on speed and connections remains fairly adamant she’s more effective with a little ease in the ground (looks unlikely to get that at HQ given the forecast).
Verdict
Not a huge turnout but a highly competitive edition of the July Cup in store nevertheless with the winners of the three Group 1 sprints at Royal Ascot all set to line up. It would be no real shock if either Almeraq, Venetian Sun or Mission Central emerged on top but there looks to be some each-way value in excusing COPPULL’s effort in the Commonwealth Cup on account of not having the race run to suit.
He was drawn a bit awkwardly and 'won' the eight-horse contest among the group nearer the stands’ side rail, finishing eighth overall. That’s not really being fully factored into the odds (25/1 generally), especially as the close-up Commonwealth Cup third Division had emerged from his previous Ascot race in early-May.
Published at 14:30 BST on 06/07/26
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