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The standout race on Saturday of The Boodles July Festival at Newmarket Racecourse is arguably the Bunbury Cup. This race may only be a handicap but it’s a fiercely competitive one, and is a race that generates huge betting turnover.
As things stand, just one day from post time, there are 20 runners expected to jump out of the gates for this exciting handicap run over seven furlongs, so the betting is unsurprisingly competitive.
Bunbury Cup 2023 Odds and Favourites
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You really will be hard pushed to see a more competitive betting market ahead of a race than this one, as the odds the below show.
Latest Bunbury Cup Odds:
Montassib – 13/2 (7.50)
Awaal – 7/1 (8.00)
Bless Him – 15/2 (8.50)
Biggles – 15/2 (8.50)
Streets Of Gold – 8/1 (9.00)
Star Of Orion – 12/1 (13.00)
Gorak – 14/1 (15.00)
Shining Blue – 16/1 (17.00)
Popmaster – 18/1 (19.00)
All other runners – 20/1 (21.00) +
Best odds taken for each horse from a selection of bookmakers, including William Hill, bet365, betfair, Ladbrokes, SkyBet, Betfred, PaddyPower, BetVictor and Unibet.
Top Favourites to Win the Bunbury Cup
As the early betting indicates, there’s not what you’d call a strong favourite here, rather a handful of popular horses battling it out for market supremacy.
Montassib
The mount of William Buick arrives at Newmarket for the Bunbury Cup off the back of an underwhelming showing at Royal Ascot, where he finished a weakening 15th (of 29) in the Buckingham Palace Stakes. That effort wasn’t great, but don’t be surprised if he bounces back here.
After all, before failing to confirm steady market support at Ascot, the five-year-old won over course and distance, beating a decent field in steady style. He is of course 4lbs higher in the handicap and this is very competitive, though that run isn’t easy to ignore, nor is his previous effort at this venue, when finishing a close-up fourth, again over seven furlongs. Solid course form, that’s for sure.
Awaal
The lightly raced an less-than-fully-exposed Awaal comes into this contest of the back of what was a fantastic effort over a mile at Royal Ascot. He finished third (of 30) in a handicap that was about as competitive as it gets. That effort should hold him in good stead in a race that certainly has a bit less depth.
The drop back in trip to seven furlongs, shouldn’t be a problem, while he’s versatile as far as the ground is concerned, so a softening surface would not be a worry. The handicapper has also left his mark alone. Big player.
Bless Him
Course and distance winner, who arrives he off the back of a dry spell, though primarily means that David Simcock’s runner is starting trickle back down the weights. He remains 2lbs higher than his last winning mark, though that victory came in this race last year, while he also arrives here off the back of an excellent effort at Royal Ascot, a run that suggested that he may be ready to go in again. I certainly wouldn’t dismiss the ultra-experience nine-year-old.
Bunbury Cup Race Details
You need speed to win this race, but you also need the experience of big-field handicaps, as there’s going to plenty of hustle, bustle and barging. Plenty in here know how to get down to business in such a race, that’s for sure, so finding the winner won’t be a simple task.
This is typically a race where those near the top of market thrive. Of course, Bless Him won this contest at 25/1 last season, though he became the first winner at odds greater than 7/1 since 2017.
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