Rossa Ryan Will Ride July Cup Favourite Shaquille

Jockey Rossa Ryan has been booked to ride the July Cup favourite Shaquille in Saturday’s big Group One race at Newmarket.

Rossa Ryan Will Ride Shaquille in Saturday’s July Cup

After much speculation, the ride on Saturday’s July Cup favourite SHAQUILLE has been handed to Rossa Ryan.

This jockey debate is due to Oisin Murphy, who rode him last time to win the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, is on the sidelines with a ban – meaning trainer Julie Camacho’s phone was likely getting bombarded by jockey’s agents.

Despite James Doyle riding Shaquille to win twice this season, the retained Godolphin rider is having to honour duties with his employees at Ascot, so wasn’t around either.

However, all this means the planets has aligned for Rossa Ryan as he gets to ride the exciting 3 year-old colt for the first time and if successful in the £600k July Cup will surely throw his hat into the ring for any future engagements.

Shaquille will head into the race having won 6 of his 7 career starts and was a remarkable winner of the Commonwealth Cup last time after fluffing the start (watch below).

Shaquille The July Cup Betting Favourite

The best UK horse racing bookmakers also make Shaquille the one to beat as he takes on Little Big Bear, who was confirmed for the race after only being 50-50 by connections earlier the week, again. Shaquille got the better of this Aidan O’Brien runner last time at Royal Ascot by 1 1/4 and many feel with a better start it will be ‘more of the same’ this Saturday.

Of the rest, Azure Blue is the closest horse to Shaquille in the 2023 July Cup betting market as the Michael Dods runner looks to win his fifth race in-a-row and add to his Duke Of York Clipper Stakes back in May.

When Is The 2023 July Cup?

��Time/Date: Saturday 15th July 2023��Racecourse: Newmarket (July course), Suffolk (6 furlongs)�� TV: ITV/ Racing TV�� Winner: £340,260