Andrew’s Ascot Gold Cup runner by runner betting guide ...Middle East

The Gold Cup, the blue ribbon event of Royal Ascot is the one race of the week that is known far and wide.

Superstars have been made on the back winning the flagship Royal Ascot race, but with the reigning and two-time champion stayers Kyprios forced into retirement, who will step up and fill the void of one of the greatest stayers of all time?

Get the best Ascot Gold Cup odds with the best online horse racing bookmakers here.

Gold Cup runner by runner guide – 2m4f

We run through all eight runners and talk about who has what it takes to win the 2025 Ascot Gold Cup.

8 ILLINOIS (1)

Just as you thought that Aidan O’Brien lost his chance of winning yet another Gold Cup, up steps the super sub, Illinois. The son of Galileo has some standout form from last season, which includes a second-place finish to Sosie in the Grand Prix de Paris and filled the same position when beaten a neck by Los Angeles in the Great Voltigeur and a neck second to Jan Brueghel in the St Leger.

He made a winning return at Chester when seeing off Al Qareem (who won his next start) at Chester. He has a profile that suggests that he will relish the step up to the Gold Cup trip, but nothing is guaranteed until you try it.

He is the most interesting runner in the lineup, but at his current odds with the slight question mark over the trip, there may be better value elsewhere.

Star rating:

Bet on Illinois at 13/8 to win the Ascot Gold Cup

4 TRAWLERMAN (2)

You can set your clock by Trawlerman, and he is a horse that rarely lets you down. He is one of the very few horses who got the better of Kyprois over staying distances and ran the Aidan O’Brien runner close on the two occasions that they clashed last season, which includes a one-length defeat in last season’s Gold Cup.

The Godolphin-owned runner made the perfect start to the season when running away with the Group 3 Henry II Stakes at Sandown, which will have set him up to go one place better than last season. He tends to race keenly, but even so, he sees out the Gold Trip well.

Should he be left alone on the lead to dictate his own fractions, he will be hard to pass at a track he knows well. He’s the one with the form in the book over this distance and the one to beat.

Star rating:

Bet on Trawlerman at 5/3 to win the Ascot Gold Cup

7 CANDELARI (4)

The lightly raced French raider Candelari is four from five in his short career and sent down a marker of what may be ahead of him with a dominant win in Group 1 company.

That win was built on a strong staying performance when snatching third place in Group 3 company at Longchamp. Based on what we saw on his last two outings, the Gold Cup trip should be well within reach of this fast-improving young stayer. He is one of the two young stars that looks ready for this test.

Star rating:

Bet on Candelari at 10/3 to win the Ascot Gold Cup

3 SWEET WILLIAM (8)

This six-year-old gelding has been a credit to connections over the years, but Sweet William lacks that little bit to make him a Group 1 winner. He has run with credit on his two tries at this level, finishing in the places on both occasions.

His return to the track this season was nothing special, but considering that the race was run at a crawl and turned into a test of speed rather than stamina, he was only one length off the winner. All things considered, the John & Thady Gosden-trained runner needs to pull out a clear career best to win here. However, he is a big player for a place finish once again.

Star rating:

Bet on Sweet William at 7/1 to win the Ascot Gold Cup

6 YASHIN (7)

In his younger days, Yashin showed signs that suggested he would develop into a high-class stayer. However, he failed to reach those heights for Jessica Harrington.

He moved to the UK in April to go into training for Michael Bell, and the change of scenery worked wonders as he won on his first start for new connections when taking the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes at Ascot. Even with that win under his belt, it’s hard to be confident that Yashin can back up that win, especially in this company.

Star rating:

Bet on Yashin at 25/1 to win the Ascot Gold Cup

1 COLTRANE (6)

It’s hard to make a case for Coltrane based on his two runs this season. Yashin has already beaten him at Ascot and then was seven lengths behind Trawlerman at Sandown on his latest start.

His third behind Kyprios at Longchamp in October would give him an outside chance of a place, but given the visual impression of his last two runs, age looks to be catching up with Coltrane.

Star rating:

Bet on Coltrane at 40/1 to win the Ascot Gold Cup

2 DUBAI FUTURE (5)

The nine-year-old second Godolphin-owned runner has found a new lease of life back over staying trips. He won his first two starts of the season in Meydan after 427 days off the track. On the back of that he was sent off 9/2 for a Longchamp Group 1, but finished last of nine, 30 lengths off Candelari. He will need to leave that run well behind him, but even so, he may fall well short of what is required here.

Star rating:

Bet on Dubai Future at 40/1 to win the Ascot Gold Cup

5 WONDER LEGEND (3)

Wonder Legend is one of the more interesting outsiders in the lineup. Four of his five wins have come on the all-weather, and he took his form to a new level when cruising to victory in the All-Weather Championship Marathon Handicap.

Yes, he needs to hit new heights back on turf, but given the manner of his win at Newcastle, there should be a lot more to come from this Sea The Stars gelding. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he were to battle it out for a place.

Star rating:

Bet on Wonder Legend at 22/1 to win the Ascot Gold Cup

Ascot Gold Cup verdict

A bit of shine may have been taken off the 2025 Gold Cup with the omission of Kyprios. However, that doesn’t detract from the competitive nature of the lineup that remains. Illinois and Candelari are two of the most interesting runners, given that there should be room for improvement over the Gold Cup trip.

Even so, the Gold Cup may be best left to last season’s runner-up, TRAWLERMAN. The Godolphin runner is proven over this trip and has also demonstrated that he can handle the pre-race build-up that comes with the Gold Cup. If he can conserve his energy early on, he will prove a tough nut to crack.

About the author

Andrew Halligan

My name is Andrew Halligan, horse racing pundit and founder of YouTube’s The Finishing Line Podcast. Horse racing is a thrilling spectacle that captivates audiences around the world with its blend of drama and excitement. Whether you’re a jumps or flat fan, I will use my experience of working within the horse racing industry to bring the best of what this sport has to offer.

You can follow Andrew on X (@Halligan88).

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