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The feature of the week is the Ascot Gold Cup run at Royal Ascot on Thursday.
Yeats gained immortality winning it four times in a row. What will the 2019 Ascot Gold Cup (4014m) at Royal Ascot on Thursday bring?
2019 ASCOT GOLD CUP - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
The Ascot Gold Cup is a Group 1 race run under Weight For Age conditions for four year olds and older at Royal Ascot conducted by the Ascot Racecourse.
The Ascot Gold Cup is run over the two miles and four furlongs. It was first run in 1807 and was won by Master Jackey.
The Gold Cup is one of the most prestigious races at Royal Ascot and run on ‘Ladies’ Day’. The race serves as a thorough test of a horse's stamina but is not the longest race at the meeting, that accolade going to the Queen Alexandra Stakes, over two miles and six furlongs, which is the last race on the final day.
The 2005 running took place at York.
Of all the multiple winners, the most famous is Yeats who won four times from 2006 for Coolmore.
The great Lester Piggott won a remarkable eleven times while Aidan O’Brien has most wins as trainer with seven.
It had been a little while since Godolphin had won the Gold Cup, nearly a decade in fact. But there was a touch more interest here in 2012 as it would be the last time Frankie Dettori would ride as Godolphin’s main man at the Royal Meeting.
Even though things had not gone to plan there, in the big race, everything went perfectly. Dettori camped on the two front runners some two lengths away then made a move clicked up at the four furlong mark. They were all under pressure and it was his stablemate Opinion Poll who’d challenge.
Despite a bump at the furlong he fought back to win. There were disappointments in the race like the previous year’s winner who didn’t enjoy the track.
2013 witnessed a sight oh so rare. The Queen owned the winner of the Gold Cup. Her passion has always been racing and this was one trophy to elude her despite winning many Royal Ascot races.
Estimate was beautifully positioned by Ryan Moore not far from the leaders most of the way. She was in for the fight and it came from another Ascot winner from the previous year in Simenon. Only a head separated them on the line and the mare became only the 16th of her kind to win the Cup in its history and the first in over 20 years.
It was back to the Irish winners in 2014 as Leading Light did the job for Aidan O’Brien again with his sixth winner of the race. He’d won the Queen’s Vase 12 months before and the only failure in between was finishing a long way back in Treve’s first Arc. He just did enough to hold off the defending champion.
In a great story for his owners, Trip To Paris won in a minor upset when surging away late. He had been in good form but nothing at this level. Ed Dunlop deserved big race success.
2016 was another triumph for Ballydoyle as the previous year’s Irish St Leger winner Order Of St George won with ease. He had to come from a way back but he ran on by.
We saw a fantastic edition in 2017 with the tough and honourable Big Orange leading all the way to just hold off the previous year’s winner by a nose.
Europe’s best marathon stayer Stradivarius backed up his tremendous 3yo year to remain unbeaten in the following season which included a tough win at Ascot.
The Ascot Gold Cup is worth £500,000 in 2019.
Notable winners of the Ascot Gold Cup include Stradivarius (2018), Big Orange (2017), Order Of St George (2016), Estimate (2013), Fame And Glory (2011), Yeats (2006/2007/2008/2009), Royal Rebel (2001/2002), Kayf Tara (1998/2000), Double Trigger (1995), Drum Taps (1992/1993), Sadeem (1988/1989), Gildoran (1984/1985), Ardross (1981/1982), Le Moss (1979/1980), Sagaro (1975/1976/1977) Fighting Charlie (1965/1966), Trimdon (1931/1932), Invershin (1928/1929), Prince Palatine (1912/1913), The White Knight (1907/1908), Isonomy (1879/1880), Fisherman (1858/1859), The Hero (1847/1848), The Emperor (1844/1845), Touchstone (1836/1837) and Bizarre (1824/1825).
The 2018 Ascot Gold Cup was won by Stradivarius from Vazirabad and Torcedor.
