Taking place over five days in June each year, the Royal Ascot Festival is the star attraction amongst the UK’s summer flat meetings, boasting a Royal procession before the racing action, an international cast of racing stars, and eight top-tier Group 1 contests.
Each of the five days has a headline act, and on the Thursday of the meeting, that honour falls to the most coveted staying prize of the British racing season as the runners and riders battle over the 2m4f Gold Cup. Offering £650,000 in total prize money (2024), the Day 3 highlight never fails to attract the best of the staying performers from both sides of the Irish Sea. A look back through the list of previous winners reads like a who’s who of all-time staying greats, with Yeats, Stradivarius, Le Moss and Sagaro all recording multiple wins in the race.
2026 - Scandinavia
Scandinavia edged out reigning champion Trawlerman by a head after a gruelling duel in a vintage renewal. Ryan Moore kept the 11/8 favourite in contention behind William Buick’s front-running mount before the pair pulled clear of their rivals. Trawlerman looked capable of shaking off his challenger late on, but Scandinavia showed tremendous determination to get his head in front. The victory gave Aidan O’Brien his 100th Royal Ascot winner, adding another milestone to his remarkable record at the meeting.
- 1st – Scandinavia 11/8F, Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- 2nd – Trawlerman 100/30, Jockey: William Buick, Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
- 3rd – Sweet William 11/1, Jockey: Robert Havlin, Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
2025 - Trawlerman
Last year’s runner-up, Trawlerman, went one better here, making all the running to claim a deserved first win in the Ascot Gold Cup. William Buick chose to maintain a brisk pace from the off, and the decision paid off as his mount had the stamina required not to tire late on. In fact, the race favourite had plenty left in the tank down the home stretch, as he confidently pulled further away from his rivals. It was such a quick run from Trawlerman that his time of 4:15:02 set a new track record, highlighting what a brilliant performance it was.
- 1st - Trawlerman 85/40F, Jockey: William Buick, Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
- 2nd - Illinois 9/4, Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- 3rd - Dubai Future 28/1, Jockey: Saeed bin Suroor, Trainer: James McDonald
2024 - Kyprios
Kyprios reclaimed the Gold Cup with a determined performance, beating old rival Trawlerman by a length at Royal Ascot. Aidan O’Brien’s star stayer had endured a career-threatening injury and managed only two runs the previous season, losing both, including a narrow defeat to Trawlerman. Despite this, he was sent off the 11/10 favourite and travelled strongly behind the front-runner before Ryan Moore asked him to close the gap in the straight. Kyprios responded to the challenge, taking the lead one furlong out and resisting Trawlerman’s pressure afterwards.
- 1st - Kyprios 11/10F, Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- 2nd - Trawlerman 7/1, Jockey: William Buick, Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
- 3rd - Sweet William 9/1, Jockey: Robert Havlin, Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
2023 - Courage Mon Ami
Frankie Dettori delivered a perfectly timed late challenge aboard Courage Mon Ami to win his ninth Gold Cup. The lightly raced John and Thady Gosden-trained runner was making just his fourth career start and debut appearance in a Group contest. Inexperience proved no detriment though, as Dettori settled towards the rear before waiting for space to open up in front. When the right moment arose, Dettori thrust Courage Mon Ami towards the front with a perfectly timed dart to his left. Now with a clear path to the line, the four-year-old took care of the rest.
- 1st – Courage Mon Ami 15/2 - Jockey: Frankie Dettori, Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
- 2nd – Coltrane 11/4F - Jockey: Oisin Murphy, Trainer: Andrew Balding
- 3rd – Subjectivist 9/2 - Jockey: Joe Fanning, Trainer: Charlie Johnston
2022 - Kyprios
Kyprios claimed his first Gold Cup with a determined performance for golden duo Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore. After a steadily run race, the contest burst into life two furlongs home with virtually nothing separating the entire field as they kicked on. Stradivarius was in trouble though, as he lacked a clear path and to avoid the traffic, he was forced well out wide. This detour proved costly as he could not quite get on terms with Kyprios nor Mojo Star afterwards, with the pair finishing too strongly.
- 1st – Kyprios 13/8F - Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- 2nd – Mojo Star 15/2 - Jockey: Rossa Ryan, Trainer: Richard Hannon
- 3rd – Stradivarius 2/1 - Jockey: Frankie Dettori, Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
2021 - Subjectivist
At 51, Joe Fanning produced one of the finest performances of his long career as Subjectivist stormed to glory by five lengths. Fanning settled just behind early leader Amhran Na Bhfiann before taking control approaching the home straight. His decisive move around three furlongs from home gave the chasing pack a formidable task, and even odds-on favourite Stradivarius could not recover after being trapped behind rivals. The victory was only the third Group One success of Fanning’s career, which had begun with his first ride in 1988.
- 1st – Subjectivist 13/2 - Jockey: Joe Fanning, Trainer: Mark Johnston
- 2nd – Princess Zoe 28/1 - Jockey: J M Sheridan, Trainer: Anthony Mullins
- 3rd – Spanish Mission 7/1 - Jockey: William Buick, Trainer: Andrew Balding
2020 - Stradivarius
Stradivarius produced a spectacular performance to win his third Gold Cup, powering clear of Nayef Road to score by the massive margin of ten lengths. Frankie Dettori had previously suggested that the stayer preferred to win economically rather than by a wide margin, but this display emphatically challenged that view. Despite concerns that heavy rain prior to the race would be a disadvantage, Stradivarius cruised into contention just over a furlong from home and began extending his lead with every stride. In truth, the winning margin could have been even bigger, such was Stradivarius’ superior class on the day.
- 1st – Stradivarius 4/5F - Jockey: Frankie Dettori, Trainer: John Gosden
- 2nd – Nayef Road 11/1 - Jockey: Ryan Moore:, Trainer: Mark Johnston
- 3rd – Cross Counter 7/1 - Jockey: James Doyle, Trainer: W Charlie Appleby
2019 - Stradivarius
Stradivarius retained his crown after overcoming a traffic problem to beat Dee Ex Bee by a length. The John Gosden-trained favourite was held up behind the front-running Dee Ex Bee before briefly finding himself short of room in the closing stages. Frankie Dettori waited patiently for an opening and seized his chance when a gap appeared, with Stradivarius quickening smartly to settle the race. Dee Ex Bee and the surprise package of Master Of Reality pushed hard in response but could never quite get on terms.
- 1st – Stradivarius EvensF - Jockey: Frankie Dettori, Trainer: John Gosden
- 2nd – Dee Ex Bee 7/2 - Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa, Trainer: Mark Johnston
- 3rd – Master Of Reality 66/1 - Jockey: Wayne Lordan, Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
2018 - Stradivarius
Stepping up to two and a half miles for the first time, Stradivarius proved his stamina by claiming this prestigious staying win at Ascot. Frankie Dettori guided the four-year-old to victory over a field that included 2016 winner and fellow joint-favourite Order Of St George. As they swept past the home bend, Torcedor seized control but Stradivarius, Vazirabad and Order of St George all caught up. Order of St George was unluckily squeezed out of room, all but ending his chances, while Stradivarius just about had enough to hold off the other two rivals.
- 1st – Stradivarius 7/4J - Jockey: Frankie Dettori, Trainer: John Gosden
- 2nd – Vazirabad 9/2 - Jockey: Christophe Soumillon, Trainer: Alain de Royer-Dupre
- 3rd – Torcedor 14/1 - Jockey: Colm O’Donoghue, Trainer: Jessica Harrington
2017 - Big Orange
Big Orange held off the late challenge of Order Of St George to win a thrilling race by a head. James Doyle, deputising for the injured Frankie Dettori, delivered an excellent front-running ride for trainer Michael Bell, kicking clear of the chasing pack two furlongs from home. Ryan Moore brought last year’s winner, Order Of St George, wide and looked set to overhaul him, but the six-year-old refused to yield as the pair came close together in the closing strides. The narrow victory secured one of the toughest wins of Big Orange’s prolific career.
- 1st – Big Orange 5/1 - Jockey: James Doyle, Trainer: Michael Bell
- 2nd – Order Of St George 5/6F - Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- 3rd – Harbour Law 33/1 - Jockey: Jim Crowley, Trainer: Laura Mongan
2016 - Order Of St George
- 1st – Order Of St George 10/11F - Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- 2nd – Mizzou 10/1 - Jockey: Andrea Atzeni, Trainer: Luca Cumani
- 3rd – Sheikhzayedroad 40/1 - Jockey: Martin Harley, Trainer: David Simcock
2015 - Trip To Paris
- 1st – Trip To Paris 12/1 - Jockey: Graham Lee, Trainer: Ed Dunlop
- 2nd – Kingfisher 5/1 - Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- 3rd – Forgotten Rules 5/2F - Jockey: Pat Smullen, Trainer: Dermot Weld
2014 - Leading Light
- 1st – Leading Light 10/11F - Jockey: Joseph O’Brien, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- 2nd – Missunited 40/1 - Jockey: Jim Crowley, Trainer: Michael Winters
- 3rd – Brown Panther 5/1 - Jockey: Richard Kingscote, Trainer: Tom Dascombe