We take a look ahead to the Royal Ascot Gold Cup, the top contenders, where to find the best odds, the trends and past winners.
The Gold Cup is the feature race on day three of Royal Ascot and remains one of the most important staying races in the flat calendar.
First run in 1807, it’s the oldest race at the meeting and a key target for the top staying horses in Britain, Ireland and across Europe.
Run over two miles, three furlongs and 210 yards (roughly 2m4f), the Gold Cup is a serious test of stamina, especially on Ascot’s stiff finish.
It’s a race that suits genuine stayers, with past winners including Sagaro, Stradivarius, and Yeats, who remains the only four-time winner after completing the remarkable feat in 2009.
In 2013, Estimate made headlines by winning for Queen Elizabeth II, the first time a reigning monarch owned the winner.
With £650,000 in prize money up for grabs in 2025, including over £340,000 to the winner, the Gold Cup continues to attract strong fields and high-quality competition.
In this preview, we’ll look at the major contenders, form lines to follow, and key trends ahead of the 2025 Royal Ascot Gold Cup.
Ascot Gold Cup Top Contenders
This Group 1 contest often unfolds with a sedate early pace, only for the tempo to surge from Swinley Bottom, a mile from home, where the uphill finish sorts the stayers from the rest.
With Kyprios’ retirement on May 27, 2025, after an injury scare, the 2025 renewal feels wide open, and four horses - Illinois, Candelari, Trawlerman and Sweet William - have emerged as the best chances.
Illinois
Illinois, a 4yo Galileo colt trained by Aidan O’Brien, carries the weight of Coolmore’s ambition to land a tenth Gold Cup.
His 2024 campaign was marked by consistency: a Group 3 Ormonde Stakes win at Chester, a Group 2 Qatar Prix Chaudenay triumph at Longchamp, and runner-up efforts in the Group 1 St Leger and Grand Prix de Paris.
Rated 116, he’s just shy of the 117+ benchmark of most recent winners but fits the 4–6yo “sweet spot” (17/20 winners).
His stamina, showcased over 1m7f in France and recently in thr Ormonde Stakes, has many suggesting that the Gold Cup’s 2m4f trip is within reach, though his lack of Ascot experience - unlike 9/12 recent winners - is a question mark.
“He’s a very versatile horse,” said Paul Smith, representing Coolmore, after the Ormonde Stakes win. “We’ve just been speaking to Aidan, and there are plenty of options. He could drop back in trip for something like the Coronation Cup, or we could step him up to Cup races over further. He’s the type who’ll do whatever you ask of him.”
Ryan Moore, likely to ride, brings unmatched Royal Ascot experience (second most wins in Royal Ascot History), and Illinois’ odds have tightened to 7/4 (Betfred) since Kyprios’ exit.
Candelari
Candelari, a 4yo trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, represents France’s strongest hope after a demolition job in the Group 1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at Longchamp on May 25, 2025.
His routing of rivals like Sevenna’s Knight and Trueshan over 1m7½f saw his odds slashed from 25/1 to 10/3 (bet365).
However, like Illinois, he’s untested at Ascot, and adapting to its right-handed track from France’s predominantly left-handed courses is a challenge.
“In terms of both numbers and quality, it was a proper staying Group One. He won well, and it’s a really encouraging sign for the future,” said Graffard after the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier.
As for what that future might hold, he added: “He’s better on good, fast ground, which opens up plenty of options.
“The distance at Ascot wouldn’t be an issue — the only consideration is that he’s still a baby and still learning. We’ll see how he comes out of the race, but I wouldn’t mind taking him over.”
Graffard’s growing reputation in big races adds intrigue, and if Maxime Guyon rides, expect Candelari to settle mid-pack, leveraging his late surge in a race where pace dynamics will favour closers.
Trawlerman
Trawlerman heads to the 2025 Ascot Gold Cup as a serious contender following an eye-catching victory in the Group 3 Henry II Stakes at Sandown on 29th May which saw his odds cut from as long as 8/1 into 5/1 best price for the big one at Royal Ascot. He is now 11/4 second favourite (bet365).
Thady Gosden said after Trawlerman’s recent Sandown success: “He is a grand old boy now and hopefully he can win a big one at some point.” And that “big one” is now firmly in sight, with connections eyeing the prestigious Ascot Gold Cup.
He added: “He has had a bit of a break since Dubai and that should hopefully put him spot on for a couple of weeks’ time if all goes well,” suggesting the team has timed his campaign perfectly to peak at Royal Ascot.
The seven-year-old, trained by John and Thady Gosden, has proven his staying credentials with a narrow defeat to Kyprios in last year's Gold Cup and a hard-fought win over the same rival in the 2023 Long Distance Cup.
His ability to perform over extended trips, combined with a clear preference for good to firm ground, makes him a strong fit for Ascot’s testing 2m4f.
While age isn’t on his side - with few horses older than six winning since 1929 - Trawlerman's form, stamina, and the Gosden yard’s proven Gold Cup record all point to a big run.
Sweet William
Sweet William, a 5yo Sea The Stars gelding from the John and Thady Gosden yard, brings course form that neither Illinois nor Candelari have.
His third in the 2023 Long Distance Cup over 2m at Ascot and a Group 3 Henry II Stakes win at Sandown in 2024 (2m) highlight his ability to handle the track and distance and bares resemblance to the past form of the stables other top chance, Trawlerman who has finished runner-up in this race.
Priced at 9/1 (William Hill), he’s a popular pick, especially given the Gosdens’ pedigree with Stradivarius’ three Gold Cup triumphs.
Ascot Gold Cup Odds
For the latest prices and the best odds across all bookmakers, be sure to check Oddschecker’s live odds page and stay up to date with the market for this race.
| Horse | Odds | Implied Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 7/4 | 36% |
| Trawlerman | 11/4 | 27% |
| Candelari | 10/3 | 23% |
| Sweet William | 9/1 | 10% |
| Yashin | 28/1 | 3.4% |
| Wonder Legend | 28/1 | 3.4% |
Ascot Gold Cup Trends
Age Profile: Every winner in the last 12 years has been aged between four and six.
Market Position: Eight of the last 12 winners were either favourites or joint-favourites, while 10 of the 12 came from the top three in the betting.
Last Time Out: 10 of the previous 12 Gold Cup winners arrived at Ascot off the back of a victory, with 11 of them having raced within the last 50 days.
Ascot Experience: Nine of the past 12 winners had previously raced at Ascot, and eight had already recorded a win at the course.
Proven Stamina: 9 of 12 had already tackled 2 miles (16f) or further at least once, while seven had two or more prior efforts at those longer trips. Nine had also posted at least one win over those extended distances.
Flat Racing Experience: A strong profile includes at least eight career runs on the Flat (9 of 12 winners) and five or more Flat victories (also 9 of 12).
Official Ratings: A rating of 117 or higher has been the mark of quality, achieved by nine of the last 12 winners.
Group Race Pedigree: Seven of the last 12 winners had a Group 1 win to their name, while 10 had scored at Group level (Group 1-3).
Seasonal Form: All 12 had run at least once during the current campaign, and 11 of those had already won that season.
Ascot Gold Cup Past Winners
| Year | Winner | Age | Weight | Draw | SP | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Kyprios (IRE) | 6yo | 9-4 | 8 of 9 | 11/10 Fav | Ryan Moore | Aidan O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2023 | Courage Mon Ami (GB) | 4yo | 9-3 | 9 of 12 | 15/2 | Frankie Dettori | John & Thady Gosden (GB) |
| 2022 | Kyprios (IRE) | 4yo | 9-3 | 5 of 9 | 13/8 Fav | Ryan Moore | Aidan O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2021 | Subjectivist (GB) | 4yo | 9-1 | 4 of 12 | 13/2 | Joe Fanning | Mark Johnston (GB) |
| 2020 | Stradivarius (IRE) | 6yo | 9-2 | 2 of 8 | 4/5 Fav | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden (GB) |
| 2019 | Stradivarius (IRE) | 5yo | 9-2 | 2 of 11 | 1/1 Fav | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden (GB) |
| 2018 | Stradivarius (IRE) | 4yo | 9-1 | 6 of 9 | 7/4 Fav | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden (GB) |
| 2017 | Big Orange (GB) | 6yo | 9-2 | 7 of 14 | 5/1 | James Doyle | Michael Bell (GB) |
| 2016 | Order Of St George (IRE) | 4yo | 9-0 | 10 of 17 | 10/11 Fav | Ryan Moore | Aidan O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2015 | Trip To Paris (IRE) | 4yo | 9-0 | 13 of 12 | 12/1 | Graham Lee | Ed Dunlop (GB) |
When is the Ascot Gold Cup?
The Ascot Gold Cup is scheduled for Thursday, June 19, 2025, as part of Royal Ascot.
It takes place on the third day of the meeting, known as Ladies' Day. The race is expected to start around 4:20 PM BST.
