2024 John Smith's Cup Tips

The going is set to be good for the John Smith’s Cup on Saturday, with the runners and riders competing over one mile, two and a half furlongs at the Knavesmire. Haunted Dream might not have landed a victory this season, although there was a smart performance at Royal Ascot when finishing second in the Wolferton Stakes.

Liberty Lane has run three times this season and the latest outing was a mid-placed finish in the Betfred Nifty 50 Handicap after being sent off as the 9/2 favourite. That came after a success in the William Hill Suffolk Stakes where the runner was able to oblige over one mile and one furlong, with the horse looking a backable price.

Botanical has a win under his belt this season, landing the spoils on his seasonal debut when scoring at York in a handicap race over one mile, two and a half furlongs. That came in the middle of May, although the horse made no impression in the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot which will be a concern to connections.

Epic Poet ran well at Royal Ascot when finishing second in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes over one mile and four furlongs. The David O’Meara-trained runner was able to perform well at big odds of 25/1 and that came after a solid sixth-placed finish at York, with Bolster and Enfjaar other potential each-way fancies for this race.

2023 John Smith’s Cup Handicap Tips

The 2023 John Smith’s Cup Handicap is set to have a big field competing on Saturday 15 July, with Peace Man looking like an interesting runner who could go well over this distance. John & Thady Gosden has been given an extra five pounds by the handicapper, with the horse last seen winning on the July course at Newmarket.

That was a 4/1 victory over one mile and two furlongs, with the horse also obliging at racing odds of 11/4 when triumphing at Windsor. The horse previously recorded a Maiden Stakes win at the same track, although Torito could also go well and the three-year-old is bidding to land his third victory of the season.

The horse was able to perform well at Royal Ascot as the 4/1 joint-favourite in the Hampton Court Stakes over one mile and two furlongs, with the horse previously winning at the Epsom Derby Festival when recording a victory in the Betfred Lester Piggott Handicap. Perfuse is another one for the shortlist and there was a solid showing at Ascot recently.

The horse finished fifth in the King George V Stakes over one mile and four furlongs, with the runner six lengths behind Desert Hero, with Amanzoe returning to the track for the first time since 19 August 2022. Last summer, the horse finished second at the Knavesmire in a Fillies’ Handicap, with the runner winning the Shergar Cup before that.

2022 John Smith’s Cup Tips

Owen Burrows is the lesser-known trainer of Anmaat although the handler will feel as though his horse has a strong chance of finishing in the places when the 2022 John Smith’s Cup takes place. We’re yet to see the four-year-old turn out this season, although there were three victories registered between May and September.

Most recently, Anmaat was sent off as the 11/2 joint-favourite in the bet365 Cambridgeshire Handicap on 25 September 2021, with the shock winner Bedouin’s Story obliging at 40/1 and the horse had previously won handicap races at Doncaster and Bath, so there is plenty to recommend this runner.

Mahrajaan runs for a trainer who has already scored three John Smith’s Cup winners, with Sinjaari his most recent victor in the race when obliging at 11/1 in the 2020 race. The four-year-old will need to find some improvement after finishing third in the Betfred Double Delight Handicap.

Royal Champion runs for established flat trainer Roger Varian and you can compare the latest horse racing odds to try and get the stand out price about a runner who secured the Cazoo Handicap at Epsom over one mile and two furlongs. The four-year-old could certainly be open to further improvement here.

Perhaps the best each-way bet of all could be Pride Of America, with the five-year-old bidding for a consecutive hat-trick of victories. Trainer Amy Murphy could have a star on her hands, with the latest win coming at Chester in the Boodles Raindance Handicap and there was also a win at Haydock.

With a potential twenty-two runners lining up in this race, we are expecting each-way terms that might stretch to four, five or even six places. It means that you don’t have to back the winner in order to get a profit and there is always merit in comparing bookies and getting the best odds.

Who Are the Betting Favourites for 2021 John Smith’s Cup?

Saeed bin Suroor is a trainer who has one of the horses near the head of the betting market, with Real World running in the Godolphin colours and the four-year-old has been impressive in his runs so far this year, with the runner outrunning his odds of 18/1 to win the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot on 16 June.

His previous four races had all taken place at Meydan where there have been a series of placed finishes, although jockey Marco Ghiani got a real tune out of the horse when running in that Ascot race and that was over the fairly stiff distance of one mile.

The horse who was sent off favourite for the Royal Hunt Cup was Astro King and the 11/2 favourite finished a credible second which means that the Sir Michael Stoute-trained charge has to be respected this time around, with the horse potentially better over a longer trip although he was beaten into second by nearly five lengths.

Aaddeey could also run a big race for co-trained Ed and Simon Crisford, with the four-year-old only finding a handful of horses too hot to handle when it came to the recent Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot and he could well threaten to be in the shake up here.

The History of the John Smith’s Cup

The John Smith’s Cup was first inaugurated in 1960, with this being one of the most prestigious races on the York flat racing calendar and it was known as the Magnet Cup until 1998 although the sponsorship has never changed. This is a race open to horses aged three or older, with a purse of £60,000 going to the winning connections.

Fougalle was the first winner of the race in 1960 and there have been a succession of big priced horses that have claimed the spoils along the way, with King’s Warrior a particularly big shot at 33/1 that surprised everyone with a victory in 2012.

Educate was first past the post in 2016 and Euchen Glen was also a big priced winner two years later, triumphing at betting odds of 20/1 for trainer Jim Goldie and emphasising that you need to look outside the favourites for some each-way value.