We’re taking a look at all 11 of this year’s runners in our Ascot Gold Cup tips , as a strong field of contenders seek to join the outstanding roll of honour for this race.
Staying greats such as Yeats, Sagaro, Stradivarius, Le Moss, Ardross and Kyprios adorn the list of past winners in this two-and-a-half-mile marathon, which is always the highlight of Ladies Day at Royal Ascot. Here’s how we rate the 2026 entries in reverse order:
Miss Alpilles
11. MISS ALPILLES @ 100/1
Ed Walker and Kieran Shoemark have already pulled off a Group One shock this week with 50/1 scorer Ten Bob Tony in the Queen Anne , but surely lightning won’t strike twice!
Furthur
10. FURTHUR @ 66/1
Wasn’t beaten that far in last year’s St Leger and then did not disgrace himself in the Melbourne Cup , but has lacked sparkle in two runs this season.
Al Nayyir
9. AL NAYYIR @ 50/1
Placed efforts in the Dubai Gold Cup and the Yorkshire Cup suggest Tom Clover’s eight-year-old is better than his big odds suggest, but stepping up another four furlongs is a concern.
Dubai Future
8. DUBAI FUTURE @ 40/1
Saeed bin Suroor’s valiant veteran claimed a 10th career win with a 28/1 upset in the Henry II Stakes at Sandown recently and he will be ridden to come home past tiring horses late on, as he was when a distant third here 12 months ago.
Carmers
7. CARMERS @ 20/1
Had big guns Scandinavia and Rahiebb in behind when landing last year’s Queen’s Vase and returns to Royal Ascot in fine spirits following a comfortable Down Royal success, so no forlorn hope.
Sweet William
6. SWEET WILLIAM @ 14/1
John and Thady Gosden’s dependable second string has twice been an excellent runner-up at this track on Champions Day and won last month’s Sagaro Stakes here, but genuine summer ground may not suit judged on past Gold Cup exploits.
Caballo De Mar
5. CABALLO DE MAR @ 9/1
George Scott’s gelding has made great progress since finishing second in the Copper Horse handicap 12 months ago and can now boast a couple of Grade One triumphs in France after adding last month’s Prix Vicomtesse Vigier victory to October’s P rix du Cadran success, but both were on a soft surface.
Trawlerman
4. TRAWLERMAN @ 7/2
After making Kyprios pull out all the stops in 2024, the Godolphin gelding produced an excellent performance when dominating from the front 12 months ago, ultimately galloping home seven lengths clear of Illinois.
Returned to Ascot to land the Long Distance Cup in convincing fashion on Champions Day in October but this is his first outing since then and the fact he will wear ski goggles down to the start to help with an eye infection is another red flag.
Rahiebb
3. RAHIEBB @ 4/1
Roger Varian’s charge showed that his close second in the St Leger was no fluke when asserting late on to land the Yorkshire Cup and jockey Ray Dawson said: “We’re going there with high hopes, confident he will stay and as an up-and-coming four-year-old.
“He ticks a lot of boxes that every other Gold Cup winner has had leading up to it and if he has that turn of foot he showed at York at the end of two and a half miles, he would have to be bang there.”
2. SCANDINAVIA @ 6/4
Aidan O’Brien obviously knows what it takes to land this prize after lifting the trophy nine times before, including four wins with Yeats and a couple of recent triumphs by Kyprios , so this strong stayer has obvious appeal.
Displayed a real will to win when taking top honours in the Goodwood Cup and the St Leger last season and this term’s warm-up victories at Navan and Leopardstown will have blown away any cobwebs, although he did have to work a little harder than expected on each occasion.
Al Riffa
1. AL RIFFA @ 9/1
Stamina doubts cloud the issue but last year’s impressive Irish St Leger score was his third Group One strike and Joseph O’Brien’s runners have already shone at Royal Ascot this term.
Middle-distance placed efforts behind the likes of Ace Impact, City Of Troy, Shin Emperor and a Hardwicke Stakes second to Rebel's Romance here last term represent elite-level form, so Al Riffa is a very attractive price if Dylan Browne McMonagle can conserve his energy and smuggle him into contention.
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