History
The July Stakes is the oldest surviving event for two-year-olds in the British flat racing calendar. It was established in 1786, and it was originally open to horses of either gender. The conditions initially stipulated that those horses sired by Eclipse or Highflyer should carry an additional weight of three pounds.
The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and for a period the July Stakes was classed at Group 3 level. The event was restricted to colts and geldings in 1977, and it was promoted to Group 2 status in 2003.
The July Stakes is currently held on the opening day of Newmarket's three-day July Festival meeting. The equivalent race for fillies is the Cherry Hinton Stakes.
Read more about this topic: July Stakes
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