Ascot Gold Cup Prediction: Preview, Betting Tips & Odds (2026)

🔮 Ascot Gold Cup Prediction

The Gold Cup was established in 1807. The famous Group 1 race is run over 2m 4f and is viewed as Britain’s most prestigious for staying horses. Lester Piggott is the most successful jockey to ride in the race, winning the event 11 times, while Aidan O’Brien’s 9 wins make him the most successful trainer in the race’s history.

Regarding this year’s race, it is hard to look past O’Brien taking his tally to 10 wins in the race with current race favourite Scandinavia. The four-year-old won last year’s Goodwood Cup and St Leger, beating his main rival in the betting for the Gold Cup, Rahiebb, by a neck in the latter, as he staked his claim to be Britain and Ireland’s new staying superstar.

He warmed up for the Gold Cup by narrowly taking the Group 3 Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes at Leopardstown on May 15th. Despite travelling smoothly through the race and moving to the front with a couple of furlongs left, the favourite did not shake off his rivals and only beat Happy Pharaoh by half a length. Hard-fought wins are nothing new for the favourite, however, but it is the way he relaxes into his races and cruises into position that is so impressive. That should deter any fears supporters may have about the prospect of Scandinavia running over 2 miles for the first time in Ascot, with the Saval Beg a proven testing ground for some of O’Brien’s best stayers.

Yeats, Kyprios and Order Of St George have all won the race before heading to Ascot, and O’Brien will hope Scandinavia can follow in their footsteps.

🪄 Ascot Gold Cup Betting Preview

The Gold Cup is easily one of the most anticipated races on the horse racing calendar each year as we seek to find the long-distance stars in training. Superstar stayers like Yeats, a four-time winner, and Stradivarius, who won the race three times, have lit up the festival in the past, and fans will be hoping some of this year’s Ascot Gold Cup runners will be capable of doing the same.

Recently the race has been one for the punters, with the last two Ascot Gold Cup favourites taking the spoils, while six out of the last ten winners of the famous race have either been the favourite or joint favourite. Scandinavia is currently priced at around 2.25 when we look at the latest Gold Cup betting odds ahead of the race, so he will certainly be a horse of interest for fans of favourite backers.

Scandinavia may be our pick as the winner this year, but Aidan O’Brien’s charge is not the only high-class contender in the 2026 renewal. With that in mind, below we have taken a look at some of the other horses due to start the 2026 Gold Cup.

Remember, before having a bet on any of this year’s Royal Ascot races, why not check out our comprehensive bookmaker reviews page? Here, lots of extra information about many of the top sportsbooks around can be found.

1️⃣ Rahiebb/Roger Varian

With doubts surrounding Trawlerman’s participation, Roger Varian’s striking four-year-old has been backed into second favourite off the back of his win in the Yorkshire Cup at York on May 15th. Rahiebb was a progressive but a raw second to Scandinavia in last year’s St Leger, and connections will hope that the marathon trip brings out even more improvement after his York success. His form and scope for improvement have seen him put up as one of the chief Ascot Gold Cup tips ahead of the race, with fans of Rahiebb hoping he relishes the prospect of taking on the favourite over the extended trip.

price of 5.00 with Livescorebet

price of 4.50 with Paripesa

2️⃣ Trawlerman/John and Thady Gosden

The John and Thady Gosden trained runner ran his rivals into the ground in the 2025 renewal, breaking the track record along the way to win the race ahead of Illinois. There are serious doubts about the eight-year-old’s participation in this year’s race, however, after he missed his prep runs due to him taking longer than expected to come to hand this spring. Despite his rumoured absence, last year’s champion has stayed prominent in the betting, and, at the time of writing, is the third favourite behind Scandinavia and Rahiebb with many of the best betting sites in Ireland.

price of 7.00 with Livescorebet

price of 7.00 with Paripesa

3️⃣ Sweet William/John and Thady Gosden

The seven-year-old will be bidding to follow up stablemate Trawlerman’s win at the same age last year when he lines up for this year’s race. Sweet William has run twice this year over two miles, beating fellow Gold Cup runner Caballo de Mar at Ascot in May before coming 2nd to another runner, Dubai Future, at Sandown. He was conceding five pounds to the winner that day, and while he struggled to live with Trawlerman in last year’s race, his solid overall form at Ascot means he can’t be completely ruled out.

price of 9.00 with Livescorebet

price of 9.00 with Paripesa

🥇 Ascot Gold Cup Past Winners

Finding out about previous winners can be a good tip for punters looking to have a bet in this year’s Gold Cup. That way you can see what horses, trainers and jockeys have had good experience running around the marathon trip at Royal Ascot.

Below is a list of the last five winners of the prestigious race, including the winning jockey, the winning trainer and the winning Ascot Gold Cup odds.