As befitting Britain's most prestigious long-distance Flat race , our list of the best Ascot Gold Cup winners features some superstar stayers. Ahead of this year’s Royal Ascot Ladies’ Day highlight, we’ve picked out 10 famous victors from the last 50 years and ranked them in reverse order:
Estimate
10. ESTIMATE (2013)
Sir Michael Stoute’s mare battled bravely all the way to the line to fend off the challenge of Simenon by a neck and it was impossible not to be moved by the sheer joy on the face of her owner Queen Elizabeth II.
Double Trigger
9. DOUBLE TRIGGER (1995)
An outstanding five-length scorer from Moonax, Mark Johnston’s popular galloper was also second in two later renewals and claimed a couple of Goodwood Cup triumphs during a stellar career that brought 14 wins, despite Jason Weaver usually having to punch away on him a long way from home.
Royal Rebel
8. ROYAL REBEL (2001, 2002)
It has to be said that Johnston’s charge saved his best for this race and the fact his wins came at 8/1 and 16/1 highlights how his form elsewhere lacked the same sparkle, but Johnny Murtagh described him as having “the heart of a lion” after narrow defeats of two accomplished runners-up in Persian Punch and Vinnie Roe.
Kayf Tara
7. KAYF TARA (1998, 2000)
Bred to be great, being by Sadler’s Wells out of Irish Oaks victor Colorspin, which made him a full-brother to multiple Group One winner Opera House, Saeed bin Suroor’s charge found his forte in staying races, landing two Gold Cups, two Irish St Legers, the Goodwood Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, before going on to become a champion National Hunt sire.
Kyprios
6. KYPRIOS (2022, 2024)
After seeing off Mojo Star and Stradivarius in 2022, Aidan O’Brien’s ace was denied the chance to defend his title through a serious injury but he completed a “a million to one” comeback in 2024 by getting the better of a great battle with Trawlerman.
Gold Cup Odds
2026 Ascot Gold Cup Odds
Horse | Odds | Chance |
|---|---|---|
Scandinavia | 5/4 | 44.4% |
Rahiebb | 4/1 | 20% |
Trawlerman | 6/1 | 14.3% |
Caballo De Mar | 7/1 | 12.5% |
Sweet William | 8/1 | 11.1% |
BAR | 14/1 | 6.7% |
*Odds are correct at the time of writing, but subject to change.
Ardross
5. ARDROSS (1981, 1982)
The brilliant bay showed great promise when with the Prendergasts in Ireland and then really blossomed once sent to Henry Cecil, for whom he landed a Gold Cup double and only went down by a head when second in the 1982 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Le Moss
4. LE MOSS (1979, 1980)
Although showing a fair bit of character in training, Cecil’s powerful and relentless galloper was all heart on the track, winning 11 of his 15 races, including back-to-back cup trebles at Ascot, Goodwood and Doncaster.
Le Moss demolished better-fancied stablemate Buckskin by seven lengths in 1979 and then had the class to see off Ardross the following year despite that being his first run of the season following an injury setback.
Stradivarius
3. STRADIVARIUS (2018, 2019, 2020)
John Gosden’s prolific winner had a lethal combination of speed, stamina, spirit and a wonderful constitution, plus the perfect partner in Frankie Dettori.
The flashy chestnut with a white face and socks was a real crowd favourite who, despite having a playful side, always got down to business when it mattered, also claiming four Goodwood Cups, three Yorkshire Cups and a host of other top staying prizes.
Sagaro
2. SAGARO (1975, 1976, 1977)
Trained by Francois Boutin in France and confidently ridden by the legendary Piggott, this supremely-talented chestnut broke new ground with a hat-trick of wins in the mid-70s.
What a marvellous sight it was to see Piggott invariably sitting with a double handful turning for home and then toying with the opposition before Sagaro quickened up in incredible fashion once given the office.
Yeats
1. YEATS (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
O’Brien’s brilliant stayer ensured his place in the pantheon of racing greats as he became the first horse to register four glorious victories in the Ascot Gold Cup.
Yeats had the class to travel sweetly throughout his races, a rare turn of foot for a stayer and what O’Brien described as “an amazing heart and lung capacity”.
After that emotional fourth triumph, the Ballydoyle maestro declared: “He is an unbelievable horse. History is very hard to change, we knew we had a wonderful horse but usually fairytales don't come true.”
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