No Half Measures Upsets July Cup at 66-1 Odds

No Half Measures (GB) on July 12 became the longest-priced winner of the July Cup Stakes (G1) since it was first run in 1876 and provided multiple group 1-winning jockey Richard Hughes his first top-level success as a trainer. All the talk before the race at Newmarket Racecourse was of Notable Speech (GB) becoming the first Two Thousand Guineas (G1) winner since 1921 to win the six-furlong contest, while the draw was also a major topic of conversation given the low numbers had prevailed in the supporting races and the Godolphin favorite was drawn in stall 4. All appeared to be going to plan for Notable Speech in the middle of the race when he was sat off the trailblazing Night Raider (IRE) close to the packed stands, but it all changed into the dip and the crowd fell silent when the unfancied high numbers came into play. None were drawn higher than Neil Callan's mount No Half Measures, who enjoyed the return to six furlongs and powered home to deny Big Mojo (IRE) and 40-1 shot Run To Freedom (GB). With a starting price of 66-1, she was the longest-priced winner of the July Cup since Compton Place, who scored at 50-1 in 1997. Callan, who in March was handed an eight-month ban for inappropriate use of social media—a penalty that was suspended for two years—registered his seventh group 1 success in Britain. The jockey, formerly based in Hong Kong, was scoring at the highest level for the first time since Triple Time (IRE) ran out a surprise winner of the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot two years ago. Hughes was in tears after the biggest victory of his training career, which came in the same race he won aboard Oasis Dream in 2003. Speaking to ITV Racing, he said: "It's a hard game but it's fabulous. These things take time and I've got a great team around me—it's brilliant. "If you don't have the horses you can't train winners. Lately we've been buying a little bit better stock, although she only cost us £34,000 at Doncaster. Luckily we've gone up a little notch this year and they're winning. "It's tough gig. We go to the sales every year and we buy 25 horses on spec, and you have sleepless nights until Christmas trying to sell them. It'll be nice for some well-bred fillies to come into the yard for a change." More composed was Callan, who has seen it all before and is still going strong at the age of 47. In the driving finish, No Half Measures denied Big Mojo by a neck, while Run To Freedom was a further length and three-quarters adrift and Notable Speech could only manage fifth. "Half a furlong out I couldn't believe where I was," said Callan, who recorded his 12th victory of the season. On how he came about the ride, the winning rider said: "Richard was with Mick Fitzgerald on the golf course the other day when they were looking for a jockey and Mick said 'what about Neil Callan, he's still riding?' He must have texted me then asking if I wanted a ride in a group 1 and I replied, 'Can pigs fly?'"