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Royal Ascot Gold Cup: Who Will Fill Kyprios’ Shoes?
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© Healy Racing Photos
The Gold Cup is the Group 1 highlight on Day 3 of Royal Ascot and it’s one of the oldest and most prestigious races of the week.
This 2m4f event requires a special kind of horse to get the job done as not many horses have the required combination of class and limitless stamina.
The retirement of two-time winner and staying superstar Kyprios has left a big hole in the race and there are 10 horses seeking to fill it. We’re on the lookout for a new superstar in this division and it should be a fascinating contest.
Here we take a closer look at all 10 horses that have been declared at the five-day stage and assess their chances of coming out on top.
4.202m. 3f. 210yds. 8 Declared.
Gold Cup (Group 1) (Class 1 ) of £650,000.00 4-y-o plus
- Formscan
- Race Info
1st - €368,615.00 2nd - €139,750.00 3rd - €69,940.00 4th - €34,840.00 5th - €17,485.00 6th - €8,775.00 Going - Good to Firm.
Formscan - Following the retirement of dual winner Kyprios, Aidan O'Brien relies on the highly talented Illinois as he bids for a record-breaking 10th winner of this illustrious event. However, top-tier success has been elusive for the son of Galileo, who will be stepping into uncharted territory over this marathon trip. That is not the case with the 2024 runner-up, TRAWLERMAN, who has a major chance of going one better this year. The John and Thady Gosden-trained gelding stays well, is effective on the forecast going and enjoyed an ideal preparation by defeating Coltrane by five lengths in the Henry II at Sandown. His stable companion Sweet William and the unexposed French raider Candelari are also capable of being on the premises.
Odds Shortening 
Odds Lengthening | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
42 | 1st | Trawlerman | 7/4  9/4 | 85/40 |
81 | 2nd | Illinois | 13/8 5/2 | 9/4 |
74 | 6th | Candelari | 100/30  5/2 | 5/2 |
38 | 4th | Sweet William | 9/1 13/2 | 7/1 |
| 25 | 3rd | Dubai Future | 25/1 | |
16 | 5th | Coltrane | 33/1 | |
53 | p.u. | Wonder Legend | 40/1 | |
67 | 7th | Yashin | 50/1 | |
| Betting Percentage | 115% | |||
| Each-Way Terms | 3 1/5 | |||
85/40
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Likely candidates
Aidan O’Brien has won this race three times in the last decade and nine times in total. He has two possible runners and both appear to have significant chances. Illinois has headed the ante-post market since Kyprios retired and it’s easy to see why.
He was a winner at the Royal meeting last year, taking the Group 2 Queen’s Vase over 1m6f, at the expense of stablemate Highbury. The son of Galileo maintained a good level of form until the end of the campaign, eventually finishing second by a neck in the St Leger, and his form suggests the step up to 2m4f could suit.
Jan Brueghel got the better of Illinois in the St Leger and produced a career-best display to win the Coronation Cup at Epsom on Derby weekend. Clearly he’s got enough class to compete in Group 1s over 1m4f, but his profile suggests staying trips won’t be a problem either. He probably represents the better value, although is potentially a less likely runner.
John & Thady Gosden’s Trawlerman lost out to Kyprios in an epic battle in this race last year and that form arguably makes him the one to beat. He returned to winning ways at Sandown last time out and has the advantage of being a confirmed stayer.
French raider Candelari has made huge strides in a short space of time and was an easy winner of an albeit average-looking Group 1 over just shy of two miles at Longchamp last month. Doing his best work late that day, he’ll surely be in the mix, if getting the trip.
The outsiders
© Healy Racing Photos
Michael Bell could run Yashin and the six-year-old was a Group 3 winner over 1m6f for previous connections. The son of Churchill got back on track when winning a trial for this race here in April but has plenty to find with the classier sorts in the race.
Wonder Legend is a smart handicapper and he bolted up off a mark of 100 at Newcastle in April but may find the step up to Group 1 level a significant challenge. Coltrane is a strong performer on his day, but isn’t getting any younger and his form is on the decline somewhat.
Saaed Bin Suroor’s Dubai Future won a couple of races in excellent style at Meydan earlier this year, but his 30-length last behind Candelari last time out makes him hard to fancy.
Nine-year-old Trueshan is very ground dependent and recent form suggests he’s opposable.
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