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2023 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot: the runners, the odds, the verdict
A field of 12 go to post for the Gold Cup (4.20), the feature race of the week at Royal Ascot, on Thursday. The prestigious Group 1, run over a distance of 2m4f, will be shown live on ITV and Sky Sports Racing. Get the lowdown on every Gold Cup contender and a big-race tip from our experts here.
4.20 Royal Ascot, Thursday: Gold Cup racecard and betting
Gold Cup runners and odds: the full list of horses for Royal Ascot
1 Big Call
Probably versatile regarding the ground; last six races were at about 1m7f, winning two Group 3s at Longchamp; the latter win came when he made all in April and he was a respectable third in a Group 2 one month later; with the slower tempo of French races, it could be argued that his stamina might not have come fully into play yet; some improvement is needed, though.
Trainer: Christophe Ferland
Jockey: Stephane Pasquier
Forecast odds: 50-1
2 Broome
Acts on any going; spent most of the last two years over 1m4f, last season's highlight when winning the Group 2 Hardwicke at Royal Ascot; arriving late on the scene to grab the 2m Dubai Gold Cup this March opened up new horizons as a stayer and is among the best recent form in this line-up; however, he failed to back up in the 1m6f Yorkshire Cup; not totally dismissed.
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Jockey: Wayne Lordan
Forecast odds: 14-1
3 Coltrane
Winning the 2m4f Ascot Stakes here (good to firm) one year ago signalled the end of his handicapping days and now he's a rising force in Group races; sole appearance in a Group 1 when fourth in the Goodwood Cup last July, but taking care of Wise Eagle and others so impressively here (good to soft) in May confirmed he should now be ready to hold his own at the top level.
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Forecast odds: 7-2f
4 Lone Eagle
More to prove if the ground is firmer than good; caught close home in the 2021 Irish Derby; has had a troubled time since but, blinkered for new yard this season, his most positive performance over those nearly two years came on latest start when second in Group 3 at Chester (1m5f, soft) and he shaped as if he would stay further; much better will be required to win this but that Irish Derby form gives a little hope.
Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Jockey: Rossa Ryan
Forecast odds: 40-1
5 Nate The Great
Best efforts on good or firmer; ran at Royal Ascot at two, three, four and six, underperforming in the 2m5f Queen Alexandra on last two occasions and he has a major question to answer beyond 2m; hit career-best form elsewhere last term and reproduced it on the two occasions he's had his ground this season, but he's up against it at this level.
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Harry Davies
Forecast odds: 66-1
6 Subjectivist
Comprehensively on top in the Dubai Gold Cup (2m) and this contest (good to firm; by five lengths) in his only two races in 2021, as a four-year-old; tendon injury kept him off until early this year when he ran in Saudi Arabia and again in the Dubai Gold Cup, putting up a bold show long way in the latter before conceding five lengths to Broome; formidable at his peak and it is possible that he needed those runs before returning to concert pitch.
Trainer: Charlie Johnston
Jockey: Joe Fanning
Forecast odds: 9-1
7 Tashkhan
NON-RUNNER
Trainer: Brian Ellison
Jockey: James Doyle
Forecast odds: 50-1
8 Trueshan
NON-RUNNER
Trainer: Alan King
Jockey: Hollie Doyle
Forecast odds: 20-1
9 Wise Eagle
Acts on good to firm and good to soft; very productive and progressive for Adam Nicol in the last two and a half years and won last term on the two times he's gone up to 2m2f; this season he won a good 1m6f handicap at Musselburgh before his second of six to Coltrane here (2m) on first attempt at a Group race; while the latter was his best form, he received 5lb from the winner and was beaten five lengths, which adds up to a tough task today.
Trainer: Adam Nicol
Jockey: Danny Tudhope
Forecast odds: 40-1
10 Yibir
Best on good or firmer; 2021 victories included Breeders' Cup Turf but there were mixed messages (he looked less than straightforward) in his abbreviated 2022 campaign; had clearly the best form going into Newbury Group 3 last month when he came only fourth, admittedly after 317 days off; usually stays on well and his dam won at up to 2m, but it's hard to be confident that this test (7f further than he's gone before) will see him back in the best light.
Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Jockey: William Buick
Forecast odds: 11-1
11 Courage Mon Ami
The way he made light work in the end of two 1m4f novice races on the all-weather last autumn marked him down as a very serious prospect; handicap win at Goodwood (1m6f, good to firm; smart form) last month confirmed that in spades, as class and stamina came into play late on; 2m+ looks sure to suit and, although this company is of a radically higher order than in those three races, it is hard to put a ceiling right now on what he might achieve.
Trainer: John and Thady Gosden
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Forecast odds: 11-2
12 Eldar Eldarov
Acts on good to firm and good to soft; wins in the 2022 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot and St Leger at Doncaster, plus his close second in the Yorkshire Cup at York (clear best horse at the weights) five weeks ago, were all at about 1m6f and could not have suggested much more strongly that he will relish going over further; it didn't happen over 2m here last October but he's readily forgiven that end-of-season effort; serious form and potential.
Trainer: Roger Varian
Jockey: David Egan
Forecast odds: 4-1
13 Echoes In Rain
Very smart hurdler, never better than when running away with a 2m3f Grade 1 for her own sex at the Punchestown festival in April on latest outing (on good to yielding; unraced on firmer); her only Flat runs for current yard were in handicaps last term, including a 2m1f win at the Galway festival (soft) before she was pipped in the 2m Irish Cesarewitch; tendency to race freely is a nagging concern but she's not fully exposed in this sphere and could be open to further improvement, which is greatly needed.
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Tom Marquand
Forecast odds: 11-1
14 Emily Dickinson
Only fifth and third in her two runs on good to firm but they seemed creditable at the time; three-length fifth to Eldar Eldarov in the St Leger sums up her standing last term but markedly improved form when a five-length Listed winner (1m6f, heavy) on her return and that makes her a leading contender on form here; trainer is adamant that the run of the race explains her flop on good ground five weeks ago; 2m win in the mud last October was in lesser company but provides a tantalising glimpse of what she might achieve with major stamina test.
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Forecast odds: 5-1
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Verdict
By Richard Austen
The four-year-old ELDAR ELDAROV and six-year-old Coltrane have arrived at the Gold Cup via very different routes but look well worth their places at the head of the betting. Coltrane has nothing to prove over course and distance and has had to dig deep plenty of times before, but Eldar Eldarov looks thoroughly worth this second venture beyond the extended 1m6f of his St Leger triumph. He faced a daunting deficit entering the straight in last year's Queen's Vase at this meeting and the way he addressed that major problem to snatch victory shouted stamina, as did his close second when he reappeared last month in the Yorkshire Cup.
Read these next:
'We've talked about this for a year' - key trainer quotes for a wide-open Gold Cup
Royal Ascot 2023 tips: why this horse can win the Gold Cup on Thursday
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