Royal Ascot Ante-Post: 33-1 fancy in the Gold Cup for Mullins

The Ascot Gold Cup is the highlight of the Royal meeting. It suits horses with big personalities and with their ability to race year on year, allows fans of the sport to connect with them. Yeats, Stradivarius, Kyprios and Trawlerman all come to mind.

This year, it's time for the new kid on the block in Scandinavia to show his colours. A four-year-old son of Justify who is difficult to pass, he will put his stamina credentials down as he looks to follow in the recent Kyprios story of a horse who, while it may not be pretty, gets the job done and in racing sometimes that is all you need.

New fan favourite

Punters and fans of the sport aren't often very trusting, but when they have a horse who gets the job done consistently, they fall in love, and it seems like the Scandinavia fan club is in full flow.

He was extremely impressive in the Vintage Crop at Navan, where it looked like race fitness may catch him out, but he was superb in dispatching his rivals.

The Saval Beg at Leopardstown came next and, for the first time in a long while, those whose money supported him felt like a shock was on as Paddy Harnett loomed large on his tail. But, in fairness to Scandinavia, he got the job done.

My 33-1 ante-post fancy for Mullins

That day, there was a Willie Mullins horse that finished third that was equally as eye-catching, and he goes by the name of Le Destrier Ridden by Billy Lee in a patient ride, he came home extremely well, but here is why I think he is superb value at 33/1 for an Ascot Gold Cup that has plenty of horses with big chances in it, and he definitely is one of them.

Trained by the master Willie Mullins, Le Destrier is a seven-year-old son of Le Havre who has obviously had his issues in the past with his lack of experience on the track. He joined Willie Mullins from France and, in the Saval Beg, he was having his first start in nearly two years.

Although notorious for having horses fit after long layoffs, those watching the Saval Beg were drawn to the confident Billy Lee as he brought Le Destrier in late a furlong out, and I'd say if there was one jockey as happy with his horse's performance other than Ryan Moore, it was Lee.

Sent off at 33/1, the second biggest outsider in the field, it was a monumental performance.

Fits the bill

The key thing behind this horse's price is trends. It looks as if Le Destrier is a definite runner in the Ascot Gold Cup, and Willie Mullins very seldom runs them here. In 2023, he allowed Echoes In Rain to take her chance in the contest (SP 10/1) and Vauban in 2024 (SP 13/2).

Not only will this horse definitely beat that price on the day, but the amount of improvement that will be sure to come from his Leopardstown performance can be enough to reverse the form with Scandinavia, as there is less than a length between the two.

I would strongly advise anyone to rewatch the Saval Beg. The post-race comments from Irish Racing.com finished with: "Held up in rear, progress straight, 3rd when switched left over 1f out, kept on."

To make up the ground he did around the straight while being relatively still inexperienced was eye-catching, and his price is simply too big for an Ascot Gold Cup where questions will be asked on the likes of Sweet William stamina-wise, Trawlerman's lack of race fitness, and other horses in the betting who don't seem likely to take their chances. Jan Brueghel and Lambourn are two examples of horses at shorter prices than Le Destrier who I cannot see featuring.

He is an extremely talented horse based off his Leopardstown run, where he shouldn't have been able to get near his finishing position, and with that being his first start in nearly two years, you can expect obvious fitness improvement where he will be primed for an Ascot Gold Cup.