While perhaps not one of the names that general audiences circle on their calendars like Cheltenham or Epsom, it remains one of the most exciting Group 1 races that flat racing offers. Even if you do know Newmarket, you probably know it more for its Rowley Mile, but it also has the July Course.
The key to betting at Newmarket is to truly understand the course, because it offers different challenges than any other, and that knowledge can give you an edge when picking a horse. If you are looking to bet at the Newmarket Festival on July 9th-11th, you can use this Novibet promo code to get started on betting. But first, you need to get to grips with the July Course.
The July Course: what you need to know
Most racecourses in Britain are enclosed, but not the July Course. It sits on the open Newmarket Heath, part of an L-shaped layout with a tight right-handed bend leading into a long, wide straight run-in known as the Bunbury Mile.
Strings of horses can be seen working the gallops in the distance, on ground that has been used for training in Newmarket for centuries.
The July Course has its own undulating character. There are some gentle rises and falls through the first three-quarters of a mile, before a noticeable decline leads into a final uphill furlong. This is different from the Rowley Mile, which features the more dramatic ‘Dip' that many racegoers associate with Newmarket. The July Course is a subtler test, but the uphill finish is still real.
It exposes horses that have emptied their tank too early and rewards those with a genuine finishing kick. A horse that cruises to the front too soon and then ties up on that final climb will get caught. Horses that travel well within themselves and find more late are the ones to follow here.
What to consider when you bet
The July Course rewards patience from horses and punters alike. Understand the hill, check the draw, prioritise course experience, and focus on horses ridden to deliver late. That is not a complicated set of rules, but it is one that pays off consistently across the three days.
The weekend kicks off in style with the Princess of Wales’s Stakes, a Group 2 race on Ladies’ Day. It’s a one mile, four furlong race that favours younger races, with 4 year old horses making up the majority of recent winners. Thursday also hosts the July Stakes, a six furlong sprint open to 2 year old fillies only.
Then there’s one of the most prestigious races on the flat season calendar with the July Cup, a six furlong sprint run on Saturday. It's a race that all the greatest sprinters want to win, and it's one of the richest races in England.