Nick Luck
Nick Luck’s William Hill blog: July Cup Day Best Bets 2026
William Hill ambassador Nick Luck previews Saturday’s ITV action from Newmarket’s July Cup meeting, to York and Ascot.
Saturday, Newmarket
HAFFNER ought to be pretty hard to beat in the opener on a busy day at Newmarket on ITV (1.40). He ran a race full of promise behind a stablemate on his debut despite notable greenness at the start, and should go one better with that experience under his belt.
MACHADADORP can take the fillies’ handicap (2.15). This is a warmish race, but she pulled miles clear (with a smart rival) of a previous winner at Wetherby last time, and has managed to stay somewhat under the handicapper’s radar.
WECHAAD looks a likely one in the three-year-old mile handicap (2.52). He was fancied for the Britannia, but trouble in running and poor track position made that race a complete non-event for him, and he now inevitably gets a big weight pull with the winner. Ryan Moore hopping aboard is hardly a negative.
TWO TRIBES can get close in the Bunbury Cup (3.25). It’s an unusual edition of this as they’re mostly pretty exposed, but this is the easiest race the selection has contested for quite some time. He ran much better than his finishing position in the Wokingham, and should come on for that first run back since his winter in Dubai.
ALFRED WALLACE can outrun big odds in the Superlative (4.00). He has a superb pedigree and ran like it when readily accounting for today’s rival Pikachu (much shorter price) at Thirsk. Ascot was a disaster, but he’ll appreciate a return to seven furlongs and he’s well worth another chance in stakes company.
MISSION CENTRAL still looks a shade overpriced in the July Cup (4.35). His sustained burst to get up in the King Charles III was pretty impressive, and I like that he combines five-furlong pace with the clear ability to do better at six. Unlike the other three-year-olds, he is already proven against older horses, and should be well suited by conditions. Aidan O’Brien doesn’t train many geldings, but he’ll have more fun with this one.
Saturday, York
COSI BELLO is the pick in the opening TV race at York (2.39). He was a little below par at Ascot, but remains one of the only horses here open to any improvement, and his seasonal debut at Haydock suggested there was a good bit more to come.
AZURE ANGEL is an improving filly from a bang in-form stable, and can take a hand at big odds in the City Walls Stakes (3.12). She appeared to outdo herself at Ascot, but that was commensurate with the curve of improvement this season. There’s a strong suspicion that a flat track suits best, which suggests further progress at this venue.
DANGER BAY is another who could go well for Ed Bethell, this time in a super-competitive John Smith’s Cup (3.45). He was very promising for much of last year, but really built on that by bolting up in the Zetland Gold Cup. He’s gone up a chunk, but that might not be enough to stop him, and he looks well set to run a big race from a good draw.
EPIC POET is selected with trepidation in the Silver Cup (4.55). He ran a shocker behind two of these last time, but that was surely too bad to be true and he was heavily eased when his chance had gone. Hitherto, some of his best efforts had come at this track, and he’s worth another chance in a race full of horses who find winning difficult.
Saturday, Ascot
ANNAF makes some appeal in the first of two TV races from Ascot (1.55). His record here is outstanding, he comes into the race in good form, and the jockey booking augurs well.
DOCKLANDS can bounce back in the Summer Mile (2.27). Although he produced a rare dull effort in the Queen Anne, he didn’t have a domestic prep for that and may just have needed the run. Either way, he was in sparkling form in Hong Kong in the spring, handles a round mile well, and good get a nice set-up here.
