Gold Cup Showdown Ignites Royal Ascot Fever: Stars Clash, Legends Reborn

June 19, 2025 – Royal Ascot witnessed its most anticipated event of the week: the prestigious Gold Cup. First run in 1807, the race remains the ultimate test of stamina in flat racing. This year, last year’s runner-up Trawlerman returned seeking redemption, while Illinois, the 2024 Queen’s Vase champion, emerged as a promising dark horse.

The Gold Cup has seen legends etched into turf history — Sagaro claimed a historic treble in the 1970s; Stradivarius matched the feat in 2020; and Yeats, trained by the iconic Aidan O’Brien, achieved an unmatched four consecutive wins from 2006 to 2009. Last year’s winner Kyprios was guided to victory by star jockey Ryan Moore.

The 2025 field boasted a glittering lineup including Coltrane, Dubai Future, Sweet William, Trawlerman, Wonder Legend, Yashin, Candelari (France), and Illinois. Notably, only one royal-owned horse has ever won the Gold Cup: Estimate, trained for Queen Elizabeth II, triumphed in 2013.

On Wednesday, trainer John Gosden secured his 70th Royal Ascot victory as his horse Ombudsman, ridden by William Buick, stormed to success in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

Ryan Moore returned today with seven rides: Charles Darwin, Serious Contender, Garden of Eden, Illinois, Serengeti, Trinity College, and Roi de France. For each of Moore’s wins, Ascot pledged a £5,000 donation to racehorse retraining charities — with £10,000 already donated so far.

Off the track, Ascot continues its sustainability push: the Village area runs on rechargeable batteries, and the Windsor section’s toilets feature solar-powered lighting. Profits from Gold Cup betting will be donated to seven charities; if no profit is made, a £200,000 minimum donation is guaranteed.

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of Sagaro’s first Gold Cup victory. Trained by François Boutin and ridden by Lester Piggott, Sagaro dominated endurance races from 1975–1977 and conquered major French contests such as the Prix du Cadran, Prix de Barbeville, and Grand Prix de Paris, earning him the title of a “once-in-a-lifetime legend.”

Today’s festivities also featured celebrity presenters including Joseph Fiennes, Jerry Hall, and Chesney Hawkes, alongside international competitors from France and the Middle East, making Day Three of Royal Ascot a true spectacle of style, sport, and celebration.