Founded in 1807, the Ascot Gold Cup is one of the highlights of the whole meeting and at two and a half miles is the premier staying race of the British flat season. Aidan O’Brien has an excellent record in the race having won 8 of the last 17 runnings with five different horses including the four-time winner Yeats.
Fancied runners have an excellent record in the contest with only three of the winners this century outside of the top four in the market obliging and 16 have come from the top two. Let’s take a look and see how the runners are shaping up for this year’s contest with my free Royal Ascot tips for this race below.
Big Call
Trainer: C Ferland
Jockey: Stephane Pasquier
French challenger. A winner over just short of two miles at Longchamp in April and third in a Group 2 at the same track a month later. Yet to race behind two miles and another with stamina to prove.
Broome
Trainer: A P O’Brien
Jockey: Wayne Lordan
Won the Dubai Gold Cup over two miles at Meydan last March. Third since over 1M 6F in Yorkshire Cup, a length behind Eldar Eldarov. May appreciate stepping back in trip but like a few here has yet to race beyond 2M.
Coltrane
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Won the 2M 4F handicap at this meeting last year and has an excellent overall track record which reads 1121. Prepped for this by winning the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes over two miles here in May by 4 3/4L from Wise Eagle and with stamina guaranteed looks sure to be thereabouts.
Lone Eagle
Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Jockey: Rossa Ryan
Ran well on only his second start for the trainer when 1 1/4L runner-up to Hamish at Chester in May over 1M 5 1/2F. That’s the furthest he’s ever raced and with a further 6 1/2F to travel there has to be a doubt about his stamina.
Nate the Great
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Harry Davies
Stays well and shouldn’t have any issues seeing out this marathon trip. A stable mate of the much more fancied Coltrane and is unlikely to be troubling the judge today.
Subjectivist
Trainer: Charlie Johnston
Jockey: Joe Fanning
Won this race back in 2021 by 5L from Princess Zoe but picked up an injury and was off the course for 618 days until bouncing back to form in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan in March finishing a highly credible third to Broome ( beaten 5L). Would have definite claims if anywhere near back to his best.
Tashkhan
Trainer: Brian Ellison
Jockey: James Doyle
A thorough stayer who ran a 5L fifth in this race last year. Hasn’t won for nearly two years though and much prefers to get his toe in. Hard to fancy on fast ground.
Trueshan
Trainer: Alan King
Jockey: Hollie Doyle
Has formed a great relationship with jockey Hollie Doyle winning the last three Qipco British Long Distance Cups at Ascot on Champions Day in October. Has disappointed on two occasions this season prompting his trainer to suggest a hurdling campaign may be in the offering this Autumn. Very ground dependent (pulled out on the morning of this race for the last two years) and needs softer ground. Hard to fancy on the fastish ground.
Wise Eagle
Trainer: Adam Nichol
Jockey: Daniel Tudhope
Consistent six-year-old who stays very well. Was comprehensively beaten into second place by Coltrane in Sagaro Stakes over two miles back in May and hard to see him turning the tables today.
Yibir
Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Jockey: William Buick
Very useful middle-distance performer who won the Breeders Cup Turf in 2021 at Del Mar. May have needed the latest run (his first for 317 days) when 4th of 7 behind Haskoy in Group 3 at Newbury. Has a touch of class about him but this trip is a mile further than he’s ever run before. Not without a chance if he sees this trip out. His full brother Wild Hunt was a three-mile winner on heavy ground over timber so hope in his breeding that he will stay this extreme trip.
Courage Mon Ami
Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Unbeaten in three starts, twice on the all-weather last autumn over 1M 4F and following a 215-day break won a 1M 6F handicap at Goodwood in May under 9-3 from track specialist Aggagio, going away at the finish to win by 2 3/4L. Only rated 10lb short of the best in this race now and steps up further in trip. Hard to assess but could be suited by this longer trip and from top connections who won this three times in the last six years with Stradivarius. Very interesting and if staying the trip could be the new staying kid on the block.
Eldar Eldarov
Trainer: Roger Varian
Jockey: David Egan
Improved last season and won the St Leger at Doncaster in September over 1M 6F by 2L from New London. Made a highly satisfactory re-appearance under a Group One penalty when finishing a fast finishing second in the Yorkshire Cup over 1M 6F at the Dante meeting. Has to prove his stamina here having never raced beyond two miles but should stay and run well.
Echoes in the Rain
Trainer: W P Mullins
Jockey: Tom Marquand
Last seen on flat when runner up in Irish Cesarewitch (beaten a neck by Waterville) at The Curragh last September but been busy over hurdles since winning twice from four starts and fourth in Champion Hurdle. Needs to improve on what she’s done on the flat but should stay well.
Emily Dickinson
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Trainer has an excellent record in race. Impressive when stepping up to two miles last October in Group 3 and backed that up when winning the listed race at Navan in April over 1M 6F. Very well supported when only 6th of 9 in Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes at Leopardstown in May and with no excuses so has questions to answer now.
Gold Cup Betting Tips
A good renewal of this famous staying race with no standout champion this season. Coltrane is the most obvious contender as he loves the track and stays so well whilst last year’s St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov ran a great trial at York and promises to be well suited by this longer trip.
The Gosdens have had such a great time of late in the race with Stradivarius and may have found another good one in the unbeaten Courage Mon Ami who is also stepping up markedly in trip but wasn’t stopping last time and on ratings hasn’t much to find. An unbeaten horse ridden by Frankie Dettori he’s the pick here with the Godolphin runner Yibir another to consider if he sees the trip out.
1. Courage Mon Ami @ 7/1 with Bet365 bonus code (Paying top 4 places at 1/5 odds)
2. Yibir @ 12/1 with William Hill promo code
3. Coltrane @ 10/3 with Bet365
All odds are available at the time of writing.
