Ascot Gold Cup 2023 - Winner

Ascot Gold Cup Odds & Runners

Coltrane

Coltrane (3/1 favourite) made a successful seasonal reappearance when landing the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes at Ascot last month and he will bid for back-to-back victories at this meeting after landing the ultra-competitive Ascot Stakes over this course and distance 12 months ago.

Andrew Balding’s progressive six-year-old also landed the Group 2 Coral Doncaster Cup Stakes last year and only found Trueshan too good in the Group 2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup in October.

Coltrane remains unexposed over this trip and clearly thrives around Ascot. This race has been his target for some time and further progression remains a distinct possibility. 

Eldar Eldarov

The lightly raced Eldar Eldarov is yet to race beyond two miles and is yet to win beyond two miles and six furlongs. However, he looked like a true Group 1 performer when landing the Cazoo St Ledger Stakes at Doncaster in September and he is clearly open to further improvement.

The Roger Varian trained four-year-old won his first three starts and was sent of favourite for the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris on his fourth outing, when placing fourth.

Eldar Eldarov made a satisfactory return to action when chasing home Giavellotto at York last month and that race was simply a stepping stone to this contest. He is undoubtedly a big player if his stamina holds out.

Emily Dickinson

No trainer can better Aiden O’Brien’s eight victories in this race and Group 3 scorer Emily Dickinson is seemingly Ballydoyle’s leading contender this year according to the betting.

The experienced Dubawi filly made a successful seasonal reappearance in Listed company at Navan and was sent off a 2/5 favourite in Group 3 company subsequently. However, she was beaten three and three quarter lengths on that occasion.

Interestingly, her two most recent victories were achieved on heavy ground and her defeat at Leopardstown came on good ground. Therefore ground conditions may play a big factor in her performance.

Haskoy

Haskoy has won three of her four career starts with her solitary defeat coming in the Group 1 Cazoo St Ledger Stakes at Doncaster in September, when placing fourth behind Eldar Eldarov.

Ralph Beckett’s promising filly landed the Group 3 Al Rayyan Stakes on her reappearance at Newbury and she clearly remains open to significant improvement given how lightly raced she is.

Whether she is ready for this trip - having never completed beyond one-mile-and-six-furlongs - and level of competition remains to be seen. However, she could be anything at this stage and is clearly one for the shortlist. 

Courage Mon Ami

Courage Mon Ami rates a fascinating contender having won all three of his previous outings culminating with his turf debut at Goodwood, where he ran out a cosy winner of one-mile-six-furlong handicap.

An 8lbs rise to a mark of 106 still leaves the Frankel gelding with something to find on official ratings. However, he really could be anything at this stage of his career and connections clearly feel that he wouldn’t be out of place in this contest.

Like with many of these, the trip is an unknown and his lack of experience in Group company is a slight concern. But that may not prove a barrier to success if the ability is there.

Broome

The battle-hardened Broome landed the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan during the spring and he will look to make his experience count in this prestigious contest.

The Ballydoyle contender placed second in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes in 2021 and went one place better 12 months ago, demonstrating his liking for this meeting.

The globe-trotting seven-year-old placed eighth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf and eighth in the Hong Kong Vase last season and he could easily run well at a price.

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Subjectivist

Subjectivist landed the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup en route to landing this prize in 2021, but could only place third behind Broom in the same contest this spring.

Charlie Johnston’s stayer is entitled to come on for that run (and the one prior when placing 11th of 12) given that he missed the entirety the 2022 season through injury.

However, he faces a younger and potentially more progressive group of rivals this year and he will need to be at the peak of his powers in order to regain the crown.

Yibir

Yibir has won seven of his 17 career starts over trips ranging from seven furlongs to one-mile-and-five-furlongs and he shaped as through he was merely blowing away the cobwebs when fourth on his seasonal reappearance at Newbury.

The Godolphin owned five-year-old’s solitary victory last season came in the Group 2 Princess Of Wales’s Close Brothers Stakes at Newmarket. However, he did demonstrate his class when landing the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2021.

This trip remains a question mark and he will clearly have to improve from his seasonal bow. But he does possess significant ability and could easily feature.

Echoes In Rain

Willie Mullins is obviously best known for being a behemoth of the jumping scene. However, he is no stranger to success at the Royal meeting and he boasts an intriguing contender for this race in the form of Grade 1 winning hurdler Echoes In Rain.

The keen-going seven-year-old landed a competitive flat handicap at Galway last summer before placing second in the Irish Cesarewitch, beaten just a neck.

This will clearly demand much more. However, Echoes In Rain enjoyed a productive spring campaign landing the Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas and the Grade 1 Mares Hurdle at Punchestown either side of a solid fourth placed effort in the Grade 1 Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Stamina shouldn’t be an issue and she could easily outperform market expectations providing she settles early on.

Point Lonsdale

Point Lonsdale landed the Group 3 Alleged Stakes and Group 2 Huxley Stakes prior to placing third in The Coronation Cup at Epsom and he rates a fascinating contender if staying this longer trip.

Aidan O’Brien’s promising four-year-old has won six of his nine career starts including the Listed Chesham Stakes at this meeting in 2021.

The Australia colt is a full brother to stablemate Broome (also entered here) and he could easily have a lot more to offer this year.

Trueshan

The ever popular Trueshan has landed the Group 2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup in each of the last three years but is yet to contest this race after being declared a non-runner in each of the last two years on account of the quick ground.

Alan King’s seven-year-old posted one of the best weight carrying performances in recent history when defying a mark of 120 (10-8) in the Northumberland Plate last season and he is clearly a top class performer given his ideal set of circumstances.

However, he was turned over as a 4/9 favourite on his seasonal reappearance at Nottingham and he could only place fourth, as an even money favourite, behind Coltrane in the Sagaro Stakes last month, which leaves him with questions to answer.

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Royal Ascot 2023 Tips: Ascot Gold Cup Prediction

The progressive Coltrane ran out a good winner of the Sagaro Stakes last month and is already a course and distance winner at this meeting.

He will have been trained with this race in mind and naturally commands the utmost respect.

Emily Dickinson’s chance may be weather dependent. While Broome brings experience but may prove vulnerable to less exposed types - for all that he could improve for the trip.

Point Lonsdale is arguably the most intriguing Ballydoyle contender given his impressive record and recent form.

He too could easily improve over staying trips and he may represent good each-way value for the winning most trainer in this race’s history.

2021 victor Subjectivist and three times Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup hero Trueshan undoubtedly possess the ability to run well, but may ultimately give way to up-and-coming rivals who have their best days ahead of them.

Both Haskoy and Courage Mon Ami fit that bill and rate intriguing contenders. 

However, ELDAR ELDAROV also ticks that box and he gets the vote on this occasion. Roger Varian’s charge is already a Group 1 winner by virtue of his St Leger success last year and I would be inclined to forgive his subsequent outing in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup which may have come too soon after his Doncaster triumph.

Eldar Eldarov proved his liking for Ascot when landing the Group 2 Queens Vase at this meeting last year and he ran a perfectly respectable race on his reappearance with a view to coming here.

This has likely been the plan all winter long and Roger Varian is a master at preparing his horses for specific races.