Ski goggles before the Gold Cup see Trawlerman go down fighting

John Gosden was beaming with pride after Trawlerman sporting ski goggles before the race, fought back from serious illness to go down fighting in defence of his Gold Cup crown at Royal Ascot.

The eight-year-old attracted plenty of pre-Gold Cup attention ahead of his belated seasonal reappearance as he was fitted with the unusual headgear in a bid to alleviate an eye problem, which makes him sensitive to the sun.

The ski goggles had to be removed down at the start, after which Trawlerman ran a terrific race from the front, only being overtaken late on by the Aidan O’Brien-trained favourite Scandinavia

Gosden, who trains the Godolphin-owned entire in partnership with his son Thady, felt it was a remarkable performance from his staying star considering what he has been through this spring.

“I thought to do what Trawlerman did off no prep race and a limited preparation time-wise, it was an unbelievable run,” said the Clarehaven handler.

“Crikey, having been sick and looked like he’d never race again, it’s quite extraordinary. With this horse we thought what are we going to do with him? He was in agony at Easter, we were unable to train him and left him alone and only managed to train him the last short period of time, so what a horse to do that.

“It was the eye trouble, my God he was in some pain with it, but these goggles have helped and the vets have done a brilliant job. We’ll get him home and get the goggles back on him again!”

Just as he did 12 months ago, Trawlerman set out to make all the running under William Buick and he had the majority of his rivals struggling before the home turn.

But try as he might, he was ultimately unable to resist the challenge of the four years younger Scandinavia, who edged a head in front at the line.

Gosden added: “He’s an eight-year-old now taking on a brilliant, talented new boy on the beat and he just got caught in the last 10 yards. Just there, the lack of a prep run cost him.

“He was in an intensive care unit throughout the Easter weekend and we’ve only been able to train him latterly. We’ve built up his work and he went a mile and a quarter on the July course, but that is not the same as having a two-mile prep run round Sandown (missed Henry II Stakes), I can tell you.

“Obviously you’re proud of the horse, he’s putting it up to them and that’s what you’re proud of.

“To me it was the most exciting race to watch and a phenomenal finish between two magnificent stayers. The staying division, when it’s like that, is beyond exciting.”

Last season Trawlerman supplemented his Gold Cup triumph with victories in the Lonsdale Cup at York and the Long Distance Cup at Ascot, but Gosden is in no rush to firm up plans for the rest of this year.

“He’s run an unbelievable race and I think it’s a great achievement for the horse to do that,” he said.

“We’ll see where we want to go, I don’t want to think of anything right now, I want to check he’s all right and get his goggles back on because the sun is coming out!”