Ascot Gold Cup

Group 1 race
Gold Cup
The Ascot Gold Cup, 1834 by James Pollard
Location	Ascot Racecourse Ascot, England
Inaugurated	1807
Race type	Flat / Thoroughbred
Website	Ascot
Race information
Distance	2m 4f (4,023 metres)
Track	Turf, right-handed
Qualification	Four-years-old and up
Weight	9 st 0 lb (4yo); 9 st 2 lb (5yo+) Allowances 3 lb for fillies and mares 10 lb for S. Hemisphere 4yo
Purse	£250,000 (2009) 1st: £141,925

The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs (4,023 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.

It is Britain's most prestigious event for "stayers" – those horses which specialise in racing over long distances. It is traditionally held on day three of the Royal Ascot meeting, which is known colloquially (but not officially) as Ladies' Day. Contrary to popular belief the actual title of the race does not include the word "Ascot".

1878 Ascot Cup, on display at the Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans.

History

The event was established in 1807, and it was originally open to horses aged three or older. The inaugural winner, Master Jackey, was awarded prize money of 100 guineas. The first race took place in the presence of King George III and Queen Charlotte.

The 1844 running was attended by Nicholas I of Russia, who was making a state visit to England. That year's winner was unnamed at the time of his victory, but he was given the name "The Emperor" in honour of the visiting monarch. In return Nicholas offered a new trophy for the race — the "Emperor's Plate" — and this became the title of the event for a short period. Its original name was restored after nine years, during the Crimean War.

The Gold Cup is the first leg of Britain's Stayers' Triple Crown, followed by the Goodwood Cup and the Doncaster Cup. The last horse to win all three races in the same year was Double Trigger in 1995. There have been a number of repeat winners of the Gold Cup, and the most successful is Yeats, who recorded his fourth victory in 2009.

The trophy is currently one of three at Royal Ascot traditionally presented by the Queen. The other two are the Royal Hunt Cup and the Queen's Vase. Unlike the other trophies at the meeting which must be returned annually, these three are remade each year and are kept permanently by the winning owners. The Gold Cup is Ascot's oldest surviving race.

Records

Most successful horse (4 wins):

• Yeats – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Leading jockey (11 wins):

• Lester Piggott – Zarathustra (1957), Gladness (1958), Pandofell (1961), Twilight Alley (1963), Fighting Charlie (1965), Sagaro (1975, 1976, 1977), Le Moss (1979), Ardross (1981, 1982)

Leading trainer (5 wins):

• William Chifney – Anticipation (1816), Belville (1818), Marcellus (1823), Memnon (1827), Zinganee (1829)
• John Scott – Glaucus (1834), Touchstone (1836, 1837), Woolwich (1851), West Australian (1854)
• Tom Jennings, Sr. – Gladiateur (1866), Mortemer (1871), Henry (1872), Verneuil (1878), Gold (1890)
• John Porter – Blue Gown (1868), Isonomy (1879, 1880), Althorp (1886), William the Third (1902)
• Alec Taylor, Jr. – Love Wisely (1896), Bayardo (1910), Aleppo (1914), Gay Crusader (1917), Gainsborough (1918)
• Henry Cecil – Le Moss (1979, 1980), Ardross (1981, 1982), Paean (1987)

Leading owner (4 wins):

• Marcel Boussac – Caracalla (1946), Arbar (1948), Elpenor (1954), Macip (1956)
• Godolphin – Classic Cliche (1996), Kayf Tara (1998, 2000), Papineau (2004)
• Sue Magnier / Diane Nagle – Yeats (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)

Winners since 1949

¹  The race was abandoned in 1964 because of waterlogging.
²  Rock Roi finished first twice, but he was disqualified both times – for testing positive for bute (1971) and for interference (1972).
³  Royal Gait finished first in 1988, but he was relegated to last place following a Stewards' Inquiry.
⁴  The 2005 running took place at York.

Earlier winners

* The race was run at Newmarket during the wartime periods of 1917–18 and 1941–44.

References

• Racing Post:
  • 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
  • 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
  • 2008, 2009

• galopp-sieger.de – Ascot Gold Cup.
• horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Gold Cup (2009).
• pedigreequery.com – Ascot Gold Cup – Ascot.
• tbheritage.com – Ascot Gold Cup.
• The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books. 1993. p. 88. ISBN 1-873626-15-0. 

See also

• Horseracing in Great Britain
• List of British flat horse races