2026 John Smith's Cup Tips - Varian's contender worth backing in ante-post market

Jon Vine

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Last updated: Tue 30 Jun 2026 13:36

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Ante-post tips for the 2026 John Smith's Cup
This heritage handicap takes place at York on July 11th
Raammee is our ante-post selection at 14/1

York racecourse. (Getty)

The entries have been revealed for the 2026 John Smith's Cup, which takes place at York on Saturday, 11 July.

I'll be heading to the meeting in person this year, and I'm keen to get one onside early for the feature race. Here's my ante-post selection for the 2026 John Smith's Cup.

2026 John Smith's Cup Ante-Post Tip - Raammee

Roger Varian won his first John Smith's Cup two years ago. He actually saddled the first two home on that occasion, as the lightly raced four-year-old Enfjaar held off stablemate Botanical.

RAAMMEE (20/1) has a similar profile, having raced only four times to date. Varian's gelding made a winning debut at Kempton last August under Silvestre De Sousa, before powering to another comfortable success over a mile at Newcastle the following month.

Ray Dawson's mount was expected to make a winning handicap debut in the Whitsun Cup at Sandown in May, but raced too keenly behind a fairly steady pace and couldn't find another gear in the closing stages. Raammee then remained over a mile for another handicap at Sandown in June. Varian's gelding settled much better in a first-time hood and was the last to make his challenge, going down by just half a length to Ralph Beckett's Beagle Boy.

After those two performances, it felt only a matter of time before Raammee stepped up to ten furlongs. Varian's charge is entered in the finale at Sandown this Saturday, where he'd have to carry 10st 2lb in a race worth just over £23k to the winner. By contrast, Raammee would carry only 8st 13lb in the John Smith's Cup, where this year's winner will collect £103k.

Varian also has Antipodes at the head of the ante-post market, but he's never been afraid to run multiple leading contenders in the same race. Raammee is 3lb well in at the weights and remains open to plenty of improvement over this new trip. I'll happily take the 20/1, as those odds are likely to shorten considerably if he's taken out of Saturday's race at Sandown.