Eleven runners lined up for the staying centrepiece of the 2026 flat season, with the market headed by the Justify colt, Scandinavia. Yet to race beyond two miles and beaten in the 2025 edition of the Queen’s Vase, he had a couple of questions to answer. On the plus side, the four-year-old had won his five most recent outings, including the 2025 St Leger, and hailed from the yard of the most successful trainer in the history of the race, Aidan O’Brien.
The 2025 champion Trawlerman sat second in the market for the John and Thady Gosden team. Off the track since his win in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, the lack of a recent run was a slight negative against the eight-year-old. However, if in anything like the same form as his stunning seven-length success twelve months ago, he seemed sure to be involved in the finish. Stablemate Sweet William made his third appearance in the race, having finished third in 2024 and fourth in 2025.
Having recently claimed his first domestic Group 1 in the Coronation Cup, George Scott saddled Caballo De Mar. Sporting the same Victorious Forever silks as Epsom hero Bay City Roller, he warmed up for this with a win in the Group 1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at Longchamp.
The in-form Joseph O’Brien chased his fifth winner at the meeting with the 2025 Irish St Leger winner, Al Riffa. A Group 1 winner over seven furlongs, 1m4f, and 1m6f, there was no doubting his class, but would he stay this far?
Roger Varian’s Rahieeb was also fancied to go well. Carrying the colours of Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum, the four-year-old finished a close third in the 2025 Queen’s Vase and lost out by just a neck to Scandinavia in the St Leger Stakes.
Of those available at higher prices, Carmers boasted excellent form at this meeting, having claimed the 2025 Queen’s Vase, while the old man of the field, Dubai Future, arrived on the back of a shock win in the Henry II Stakes.
Result
- 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
Prize Money Breakdown
- 1st – £396,970
- 2nd – £150,500
- 3rd – £75,320
- 4th – £37,520
- 5th – £18,830
- 6th – £9,450
Tote and Forecast Payouts
- Tote Win – £2.65
- Tote Places – 1st – £1.25, 2nd – £1.70, 3rd – £1.90
- Exacta – £10.90
- Computer Straight Forecast (CSF) – £5.67
- Trifecta – £35.30
- Tricast – £67.10
Recap
Having successfully made all in 2025, William Buick and Trawlerman moved straight into the lead when the stalls opened. Carmers gained a prominent early position towards the outside, with Scandinavia racing on the heels of Trawlerman in third. Further and Al Nayyir stuck to the inside, with Caballo De Mar widest of all. Sweet William and Rahiebb were held onto in midfield, with Al Riffa bringing up the rear in the early stages.
Passing the winning post for the first time, Caballo De Mar made a forward move to pressurise Trawlerman with Scandinavia continuing to track the pace in third. A couple of lengths back to Carmers and Further, with Sweet William and Rahieeb making up the next wave of two.
Moving into the final mile, Trawelerman slowly began to wind up the pace. Caballo De Mar sat second ahead of Further, with Scandinavia dropping back to fourth. Sweet William came next in an increasingly strung-out field, with Al Riffa around a dozen lengths off the lead in last.
Keeping tight against the inside rail, Trawlerman kicked again around the home turn. Caballo De Mar was vigorously ridden but clung to the leader’s coat tails. Scandinavia looked briefly tapped for toe but quickly responded to Ryan Moore’s urgings in third. Further back, Rahiebb and Carmers were keeping on to little effect, while Al Riffa switched around runners to launch his challenge from the rear.
Approaching the final furlong, Caballo De Mar faded rapidly, leaving a charging Scandinavia as the only feasible challenger to the defending champ. A ding-dong battle ensued in the closing stages. Trawlerman laid it all on the line and initially looked like repelling the market leader, only for Scandinavia to break his heart in the final 100 yards, getting up late to score by a head. Trawlerman out on his shield in second, with a nine-length gap back to Sweet William in third.
The result was a record-extending tenth Gold Cup for the remarkable Aidan O’Brien, with this win also representing a landmark 100th Royal Ascot victory. It was also another excellent rider from Ryan Moore was rewarded with his fifth win in the race.
Runners
- 1. Al Nayyir – SP: 125/1, Trainer: Tom Clover, Jockey: James Doyle
- 2. Al Riffa – SP: 8/1, Trainer: Joseph Patrick O’Brien, Jockey: Dylan Browne McMonagle
- 3. Caballo De Mar – SP: 7/1, Trainer: George Scott, Jockey: Oisin Murphy
- 4. Dubai Future – SP: 40/1, Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor, Jockey: David Probert
- 5. Sweet William – SP: 11/1, Trainer: John & Thady Gosden, Jockey: Robert Havlin
- 6. Trawlerman – SP: 100/30, Trainer: John & Thady Gosden, Jockey: William Buick
- 7. Carmers – SP: 25/1, Trainer: Paddy Twomey, Jockey: W J Lee
- 8. Furthur – SP: 100/1, Trainer: Andrew Balding, Jockey: Colin Keane
- 9. Rahiebb – SP: 8/1, Trainer: Roger Varian, Jockey: Ray Dawson
- 10. Scandinavia – SP: 11/8F, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien, Jockey: Ryan Moore
- 11. Miss Alpilles – SP: 80/1, Trainer: Ed Walker, Jockey: Kieran Shoemark
Non-Runners
All ran.