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Newmarket July Festival Day Three Tips - Race-By-Race Tips for Saturday

jon-vine
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Last updated: Fri 10 Jul 2026 11:12
Newmarket’s July Festival concludes on Saturday, July 11, 2026, with an action-packed card featuring the Group 1 July Cup. Expert tips are provided for every race, with True Test, Wechaad, Great Acclaim, El Hudaiba, Sword, and Cape Fear highlighted as leading contenders. The selections focus on course form, value at the weights, and strong recent performances, offering bettors detailed recommendations for every significant handicap and stakes race on Day 3. Following these tips could provide an edge on one of the year’s top flat racing days.
Jon Vine 2 hours ago
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  • Free tips for day three of the 2026 July Festival
  • The July Cup features on the schedule at Newmarket
  • True Test, Great Acclaim and Al Hudaiba feature in our race-by-race tips for day three
bunbury cup
The Bunbury Cup at Newmarket. (Getty)

Newmarket's July Festival draws to a dramatic conclusion on Saturday afternoon.

The historic July Cup headlines another excellent card at British flat racing HQ. Here are my best betting tips for every race on day three of the July Festival.

July Festival 2026 Day 3 Schedule


Time Title
1:40pm Rossdales British EBF Maiden Stakes (Class 3) 7f
2:15pm HKJC Worldpool Fillies' Handicap (Class 2) 7f
2:52pm Weatherbys Handicap (Class 2) 1m
3:25pm Betway Bunbury Cup (Heritage Handicap) 7f
4:00pm Boodles Superlative Stakes (Group 2) 7f
4:35pm Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup Stakes (Group 1) 6f
5:10pm Debenhams Handicap (Class 3) 7f
5:45pm HKJC World Pool Handicap (Class 4) 1m4f

Newmarket July Festival Tips - Saturday 11th July 2026


1:40pm Newmarket - Maiden Stakes Tips


I'm very much a form studier, so maidens where only a couple of the runners have been seen on the track really don't appeal to me. I'll leave the opener alone.

2:15pm Newmarket - Worldpool Fillies' Handicap Tips


William Knight won the inaugural running of this handicap 12 months ago, and TRUE TEST (7/2) deserves her place at the head of the market for Saturday's renewal.

True Test won her maiden over this course and distance last summer before going close in a valuable conditions race at Newbury in September. Knight's filly then spent the winter in Meydan, going down by just a head in a Listed mile before finishing 13th as a 250/1 outsider in the 1000 Guineas.

William Buick took the ride when True Test made her handicap debut in the Sandringham at Royal Ascot, where she shaped well to finish sixth from an unfavourable position on the track. She remains on the same mark after that effort, and this handicap looks considerably weaker. I really fancy her chances.

2:52pm Newmarket - Weatherbys Handicap Tips


WECHAAD (5/1) has three lengths to find with Moonfall from their clash in the Britannia, but Roger Varian's colt is 7lb better off at the weights for this rematch on the July Course.

Varian's three-year-old was trying a mile for the first time that day and was a little keen after being reined back towards the rear of the near-side group. Ray Dawson then had to angle left through traffic in search of racing room along the rail, and Wechaad's challenge flattened out in the closing stages as he finished seventh behind George Boughey's winner.

It certainly wasn't the trip that beat Wechaad at Royal Ascot, and the July Course could suit him better than Ascot. It's not often Ryan Moore rides for Roger Varian, and his booking has to be viewed as a major positive.

3:25pm Newmarket - Bunbury Cup Tips


The Bunbury Cup market isn't usually too far wrong, with eight of the last ten winners returning a single-figure SP. A wider draw has also been preferable, so GREAT ACCLAIM (7/1) must have a huge chance after being drawn in stall 11.

Eve Johnson Houghton's star was ultra-consistent last season, winning at Goodwood and Chepstow in between placed efforts at Ascot and here on the July Course. After a tricky start to this campaign in the Lincoln, Great Acclaim has picked up where he left off, going close at Haydock, in the Victoria Cup and most recently in the Buckingham Palace Stakes.

Despite losing by a cumulative margin of just two lengths across those three valuable handicaps, the handicapper has left Great Acclaim on a mark of 100. Charlie Bishop's mount is at his best over seven furlongs and is more than capable of landing a valuable prize like this under 9st 9lb.

the wizard of eye
Great Acclaim (9) stays on to finish second to The Wizard Of Eye (R) in the Victoria Cup at Ascot. (Getty)

4:00pm Newmarket - Superlative Stakes Tips


Charlie Appleby and Aidan O'Brien have won eight of the last ten renewals of the Superlative between them, and their contenders sit at the top of this betting heat. Despite a blip at Yarmouth, EL HUDAIBA (3/1) has looked highly progressive, and I fancy he'll get the better of Abraham Lincoln.

Appleby's colt won nicely on his racecourse debut on the Rowley Mile, before sending Tom Marquand tot he floor after jinking badly left on his second outing at Yarmouth. Zac Lloyd got a much easier time of things as Al Hudaiba carried a penalty to victory here on the July Course three weeks ago, winning with any amount left up his sleeve.

This son of Dark Angel will certainly stay further than seven furlongs in time. For now, Al Hudaiba seems entirely comfortable at the trip, and that experience on the course should stand him in good stead.

4:35pm Newmarket - July Cup Tips


Take a look at our full guide to the 2026 July Cup to find out who we've backed in Saturday's Group One feature.

Visit our July Cup Live Stream page if you want to watch any race from Newmarket live via a mobile or tablet.

5:10pm Newmarket - Maiden Fillies' Stakes Tips


Leadman is favourite to claim back-to-back wins in this handicap. I'd rather side with SWORD (6/1), in the hope that he can back up a fine performance at York last month.

Ian Williams' five-year-old has shown plenty of ability throughout his career, but has often struggled for consistency. Sword won on his second start of last season and went close in a competitive handicap at Newcastle in October, with several disappointing performances sandwiched in between.

Sword was sent off at 80/1 in an apprentice handicap at York, but flew home under Olivia Haines to finish less than a length behind Our Havana. Marco Ghiani takes over in the saddle today, and Williams' charge is running off a winnable mark.

5:45pm Newmarket - World Pool Handicap Tips


Three of the six runners in this card-closing handicap come into the race on the back of victories, and CAPE FEAR (2/1) looks the one best equipped to follow up.

Andrew Balding's youngster went close in 10-furlong novice races at Beverley, Windsor and Redcar to begin his campaign. Stepping up to a mile and a half did the trick for Cape Fear, who claimed his first career success with a straightforward victory at Lingfield three weeks ago.

The handicapper has handed Oisin Murphy's mount what looks a lenient opening mark for his handicap debut on Saturday, and Cape Fear receives a handy weight-for-age allowance from his older rivals. A winning favourite looks likely in the lucky last!

Verdict

July Festival Day 3 Top Tips:

Best Bet1: Al Hudaiba 4:00pm Newmarket @3/1 at BOYLE Sports - 5 Units
Best Bet2: True Test 2:15pm Newmarket @7/2 at bet365 - 5 Units
Best Bet3: Wechaad 2:52pm Newmarket @5/1 at dabble - 5 Units
Best Bet4: Great Acclaim 3:25pm Newmarket @7/1 at Betgoodwin - 5 Units
Al Hudaiba
4:00pm Newmarket
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3:25pm Newmarket
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