What Is The Gold Cup Horse Race?

In the betting world, many people ask about the Gold Cup horse race. The Gold Cup horse race is a Group 1 race run over 2 miles, 3 furlongs, and 210 yards at Royal Ascot. This race is the actual Gold Cup but is often called the Ascot Gold Cup.

That is because there are also several other gold cups in horse racing. The second most famous gold cup in horse racing is the Cheltenham Gold Cup. This is also a grade 1 race, as are the Irish Gold Cup and the Punchestown Gold Cup.

There is also the Bet365 Gold Cup and the Ayr Gold Cup, which, by being handicaps, some would argue, dilutes the idea that the Gold Cup is the most prestigious race to win in horse racing.

What Is The Ascot Gold Cup?

The Ascot Gold Cup is open to horses aged four and older and is regarded as the most prestigious race to win for staying horses on the flat.

The Gold Cup is also the first leg of the Stayers’ Triple Crown, with the winner needing to go on to win the Goodwood Cup at Glorious Goodwood and the Doncaster Cup at the St Leger Meeting to become a Triple Crown winner.

What Day is the Ascot Gold Cup?

The Ascot Gold Cup is now traditionally run on Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot and was established in 1807. This is the third day of Royal Ascot.

Who Has Won the Ascot Gold Cup?

The first winner of the Gold Cup was Master Jackey.

Yeats is the most-winning horse, with four wins in consecutive years between 2006 and 2009. Those wins by Yeats contribute to four of the seven wins registered by leading Gold Cup trainer Aidan O’Brien. O’Brien’s winners were also achieved in the colours of leading Gold Cup owner Sue Magnier.

Despite claiming his last Gold Cup victory in 1982, Lester Piggott remains the leading Gold Cup jockey with 11 wins. Piggot’s victories came aboard Zarathustra, Gladness, Pandofell, Twilight Alley, Fighting Charlie, Saguaro (three), and Le Moss, Ardross (two).

Ascot Gold Cup

What Is The Cheltenham Gold Cup?

If you ask National Hunt fans what is the Gold Cup horse race, most will say the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Jump racing’s blue riband event takes place over 3 miles 2½ furlongs on the Friday of the Cheltenham Festival and is the race that most national hunt owners would love to win.

Despite being a jumps race, the Cheltenham Gold Cup was originally a flat race over 3 miles. It was established in 1819, 12 years after the Gold Cup at Ascot. The first winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup was a horse called Spectre.

Who Has Won the Cheltenham Gold Cup?

It wasn’t until 1924 that the Cheltenham Gold Cup became a jumps race, with Red Splash being the first winner over fences. Horses that the Cheltenham Gold Cup has immortalised are five-time winner Golden Miller and three-time winners Cottage Rake, Arkle, and Best Mate. Kauto Star also became a Gold Cup legend by becoming the first horse to regain his title when winning the 2009 edition.

What Is The Irish Gold Cup?

The popularity of the Cheltenham Gold Cup inspired other big national hunt racing festivals to create their own gold cups. If you ask an Irish racing fan what is the Gold Cup horse race, many may say the Irish Gold Cup is run at Leopardstown as part of the Dublin Racing Festival in February.

Who Has Won the Irish Gold Cup?

The Irish Gold was created in 1987, with Forgive ‘n’ Forget winning the inaugural running. Run over 3 miles, the race quickly established itself as a great race in its own right and a potential stepping-stone to the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which comes just under six weeks later. Three horses have completed this prestigious double: Jodami, Imperial Call, and Sizing John.

Several horses have also managed to win more than one Irish Gold Cup: Nick The Brief (2), Jodami (3), Florida Pearl (4), Beef Or Salmon (2), and Carlingford Lough (2).

What is The Punchestown Gold Cup?

The success of the Irish Gold Cup led to the creation of the Punchestown Gold Cup in 1999. It is run at the Punchestown Festival, and the finish is often fought out by horses that have run in either the Cheltenham Gold Cup or the Irish Gold Cup or both.

The Punchestown Gold Cup is run over 3 miles and ½ a furlong.

Who Has Won the Punchestown Gold Cup?

Imperial Call won the first edition. High-profile winners since then have included Florida Pearl, Beef Or Salmon, Kicking King, War Of Attrition, Don Cossack, Carlingford Lough, and Sizing John.

Neptune Collonges is the only horse to win more than one Punchestown Gold Cup, while Sizing John is the only horse to have won the Irish Gold Cup, Cheltenham Gold Cup, and Punchestown Gold Cup in the same season.

What is The Bet365 Gold Cup?

The Bet365 Gold Cup traditionally takes place on the final day of the national hunt season at Sandown, and though it offers a decent prize to the winner, it does not carry the prestige of the other national hunt gold cups. That’s because it is a handicap, meaning the horses carry different weights.

The race takes place over 3 miles, 4 furlongs, and 166 yards.

Who Has Won the Bet365 Gold Cup?

Legends such as Arkle and Mill House carried huge weight to victory in the 1960s. Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Desert Orchid and Grand National winner Mr Frisk have also claimed it. However, it is more often won by an unexposed handicapper than the Cheltenham Gold Cup class horses.

What is The Ayr Gold Cup?

If you asked horse racing fans in Scotland what is the Gold Cup horse race, some would say the Ayr Gold. Some may say it with a twinkle in their eyes, as this race is only a handicap. However, it’s worth noting that the race was created three years before the Gold Cup at Ascot.

The Ayr Gold Cup also remains the top race of the flat season at Ayr and is often contested by group or listed race-class horses. The irony of the Ayr Gold Cup is that it is run over six furlongs, whereas the Gold Cup at Ascot is run over more than three times as far.

What are the best bookies for Gold Cup betting?

Several bookies are highly recommended for those interested in Gold Cup betting due to their reliable services and competitive odds. Among the top bookies for Cheltenham Gold Cup betting are:

Bet365: Known for its excellent service, Bet365 is a top-rated choice. They often provide enticing offers for new customers, such as “Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets.” On the big race, they also feature Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) on Gold Cup ante-post betting and Non-Runner No Bet (NRNB), making them a solid option for Gold Cup betting tips and wagers.

Betfred: This bookie is recognised for its honesty and trustworthiness. Betfred is another recommended option for placing bets on the Cheltenham Gold Cup. They provide good betting offers, especially during the Cheltenham Festival.

BetVictor: A dependable bookmaker, BetVictor offers good services and is a reliable option for Gold Cup betting.

William Hill: As one of the most established and safe bookies, William Hill is an excellent choice for betting on the Gold Cup. They often provide various betting options and specials for major racing events like the Gold Cup.

Each of these bookies offers unique features, betting options, and special deals, making them ideal for those looking for Gold Cup betting tips and opportunities. It’s always advisable to compare the odds and offers from multiple bookies to find the best deals and enhance your betting experience.

Final Summary

As you can see, there isn’t just one Gold Cup horse race, so answering the question “What is the Gold Cup horse race?” isn’t simple. Instead, we have covered various popular Gold Cup horse race events, including Ascot, Cheltenham, Ayr and Punchestown.


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