HEAT IS ON

Andy Newton assesses the numbers as temperatures in York rise

- Andy Newton

More than halfway through the year now, folks, but that also means we are coming into – what are meant to be – the two hottest months, July and August, which also both have many top Flat summer races to take in.

One of those is the John Smith’s Cup – which is one of the top summer handicaps of the campaign and a race that both bookies and punters look forward to.

This year the race falls on Saturday, July 13, so hopefully this will be unluckier for the layers than the backers, while you older bunch out there will still know the contest as the Magnet Cup and run over a trip of 1m2 1/2f at York racecourse.

The race is also one of the few remaining sponsored races that wellknown brewery John Smith’s still back, with their association having started back in its inauguration year 1960 – meaning the contest has remarkably only ever had one sponsor.

The sponsors are are now entering their 65th year in the hot-seat and this event is still the longest-running association with a Flat race in the world, plus, for a handicap, carries a first prize of just over £100,000 – which means it’s always a well-contested event.

Twelve months ago it was the turn of the Amy Murphy runner Pride Of America to take the pot – beating the Kubler-trained Astro King by a nose.

Right, let’s take a look at some of the key trends and stats ahead of the 2024 renewal.

The Betting: Last year’s winner returned a healthy 18/1 and further supported that 20 of the last 22 winners returned 20/1 or shorter in the betting.

Nine of the last 12 winners returned a double-figure price – ranging from 10/1 to 33/1 – with 14 of the last 22 winners priced 14/1 or shorter and the average winning SP in the last 22 renewals being 12/1.

Favourites: Following on from the last section – how have the favourites fared? In short, pretty badly!