Royal Ascot Gold Cup Tips
The Gold Cup is the most famous staying race in the world and its origins go back to the early 1800s. This 2m4f Group 1 is open to horses aged 4yo and older and it is the highlight on the third day of Royal Ascot, which is also referred to as Ladies Day. The race has produced many memorable moments down the years and its winners are forever etched into racing folklore.
2026 Gold Cup Tips
Aidan O’Brien can claim a 10th win in the Gold Cup with Scandinavia, who can beat last year’s winner Trawlerman with a dominant performance.
Gold Cup Racecard & Odds
16:15 Ascot
Good To FirmGold Cup (Group 1)
- First Prize: £396970
- 2m 3f 210y
- Class 1
- 11 runners
- Win time: 4m 18s
11/8F (Won)
- Win: £2.65
- Place: £1.25
100/30
- Place: £1.70
11/1
- Place: £1.90
8/1
80/1
125/1
8/1
40/1
100/1
7/1
+o+e Betting Returns
| Payout | |
|---|---|
| Exacta | £10.90 |
| Straight Forecast | £5.67 |
| Tricast | £35.30 |
| Trifecta | £67.10 |
Selections
The Sun:
TrawlermanThe Star:
TrawlermanGold Cup Notable Trends
This is a race that the market has tended to get right. Rite Of Passage (20/1, 2010) and Trip To Paris (12/1, 2015) were both double-figure prices, but the remaining ten winners in the past 12 years have been no bigger than 15/2.
Eight of the last 10 Gold Cup winners were from the top three in the betting, whilst six of the last 10 winners had been sent off either outright or joint-favourites.
All of the last 10 Gold Cup winners were aged between 4yo and 6yo, and you have to go back to 8yo Yeats’ final Gold Cup win (2009) for the last horse aged 7yo+ to win the race.
Eight of the last 10 Gold Cup winners held an official rating of 117 or greater.
Nine of the last 10 Gold Cup winners had run at least once that season, and eight of the last 10 winners had won at least once already that season.
Eight of the last 10 Gold Cup winners had won at least one Group race prior to their victories, and six of the last 10 Gold Cup winners were already Group 1 winners.
Seven of the last 10 Gold Cup winners had won over 2m or further and five of the last 10 winners had gained two or more wins over 2m.
Gold Cup History
The Gold Cup was established back in 1807 and it remains one of only three trophies that owners of the winning horse are allowed to keep, along with the Hunt Cup and the Queen’s Vase.
There have been 18 dual Gold Cup winners in the race’s history, as well as two three-time winners, namely Sagaro (1975, 1976, 1977) and Stradivarius (2018, 2019, 2020). The most successful horse in the history of the Gold Cup, however, is Yeats, who won four consecutive renewals from 2006 to 2009.
Lester Piggott’s 11 Ascot Gold Cup wins make him the most successful rider in the race’s history, whilst Aidan O’Brien’s eight victories make him the most successful trainer in the history of the Gold Cup.
In 2013, Queen Elizabeth II’s Estimate gave her a much sought after maiden Gold Cup, landing the spoils for trainer Sir Michael Stoute and jockey Ryan Moore.
Gold Cup Past Winners
| YEAR | HORSE | JOCKEY | TRAINER |
| 2025 | Trawlerman | William Buick | John & Thady Gosden |
| 2024 | Kyprios | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien |
| 2023 | Courage Mon Ami | Frankie Dettori | John & Thady Gosden |
| 2022 | Kyprios | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien |
| 2021 | Subjectivist | Joe Fanning | Mark Johnston |
| 2020 | Stradivarius | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden |
| 2019 | Stradivarius | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden |
| 2018 | Stradivarius | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden |
| 2017 | Big Orange | James Doyle | Michael Bell |
| 2016 | Order Of St George | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien |
All the races on Day 3 of the Royal Ascot
| TIME | RACE |
| 2.30pm | Norfolk Stakes: The opening race on the third day of Royal Ascot is the Norfolk Stakes, this 5f Group 2 is exclusive to juveniles. |
| 3.05pm | King George V Stakes: The King George V Stakes is a 1m4f 3yos handicap, it is the first handicap contested on the Thursday of Royal Ascot 2026. |
| 3.40pm | Ribblesdale Stakes: The Ribblesdale Stakes is a 1m4f Group 2 for 3yo fillies, John Gosden has dominated in recent years landing four of the last five renewals. |
| 4.20pm | Gold Cup: The Ascot Gold Cup, better known as just the Gold Cup, is the feature race on Day 3 of Royal Ascot, this 2m4f Group 1 is open to horses aged 4yo+. |
| 5.00pm | Britannia Stakes: The Britannia Stakes is a handicap for colts and geldings which is run over Ascot’s straight mile track. |
| 5.35pm | Hampton Court Stakes: The 3yos are once again in action in the Hampton Court Stakes, this 1m2f Group 3 has been won by Aidan O’Brien on four occasions. |
| 6.10pm | Buckingham Palace Stakes: The Ascot Gold Cup Day concludes with the Buckingham Palace Stakes, this 7f handicap is open to horses aged 3yo or older. |