The Royal Ascot Gold Cup is one of the most prestigious events in horse racing today. It’s undoubtedly the most appreciated long-distance flat race on the calendar and dates back as far as 1807, with King George III watching on as Master Jockey crossed the finish line in first place.
Royal Ascot Gold Cup History
Since its inception in 1807, there have been in excess of two hundred renewals of the Royal Ascot Gold Cup. And, as you will expect when comparing the available purse from then to today’s racing, it’s pretty mind blowing. Over the years, the total prize pool has increased, and most recently, it was a stunning £600,000, with £340,260 going to the winner.
Believe it or not, the Royal Ascot Gold Cup has only ever not taken place on two occasions. It was cancelled in 1940 due to the ongoing World War and in 1964 because of a waterlogged track. It was, however, run at Newmarket in 1917-1918 and 1941-1944 and at York in 2005 while Ascot was undergoing renovations.
Royal Ascot Gold Cup Records
As far as trainers go, no one is as successful in the Royal Ascot Gold Cup as Ireland’s Aidan O’Brien. He’s managed to train eight winners so far, and there will be more from his yard for sure. And when there is, you can check out the Royal Ascot odds for the favourite runners right here at BetVictor.
Lester Piggott remains the most successful jockey in Royal Ascot Gold Cup history, having managed to ride eleven winners, a record that may never be eclipsed.
Frankie Dettori came close to getting to Piggott’s level and rode for the final time at the 2023 running, winning on board Courage Mon Ami to claim his ninth winner in the race.
Of racing horse owners, John Magnier teamed up at the right time with Aidan O’Brien, as it’s his eight horses that have seen both men achieve success and break records. Magnier has the most winners as an owner as a result.
Royal Ascot Winners List
| Year | Winner | Jockey |
| 1807 | Master Jackey | No info |
| 1808 | Brighton | No info |
| 1809 | Anderida | No info |
| 1810 | Loiterer | No info |
| 1811 | Jannette | No info |
| 1812 | Flash | No info |
| 1813 | Lutzen | No info |
| 1814 | Pranks | No info |
| 1815 | Aladdin | No info |
| 1816 | Anticipation | No info |
| 1817 | Sir Richard | No info |
| 1818 | Belville | No info |
| 1819 | Anticipation | No info |
| 1820 | Champignon | No info |
| 1821 | Banker | No info |
| 1822 | Sir Huldibrand | No info |
| 1823 | Marcellus | Will Wheatley |
| 1824 | Bizarre | Bill Arnull |
| 1825 | Bizarre | Bill Arnull |
| 1826 | Chateau Margaux | George Dockeray |
| 1827 | Memnon | Sam Chifney Jr. |
| 1828 | Bobadilla | Thomas Lye |
| 1829 | Zinganee | Sam Chifney Jr. |
| 1830 | Lucetta | Jem Robinson |
| 1831 | Cetus | Jem Robinson |
| 1832 | Camarine | Jem Robinson |
| 1833 | Galata | Bill Arnull |
| 1834 | Glaucus | William Scott |
| 1835 | Glencoe | Jem Robinson |
| 1836 | Touchstone | John Barham Day |
| 1837 | Touchstone | William Scott |
| 1838 | Grey Momus | William Day |
| 1839 | Caravan | Jem Robinson |
| 1840 | St Francis | Sam Chifney Jr. |
| 1841 | Lanercost | William Noble |
| 1842 | Beeswing | D Cartwright |
| 1843 | Ralph | Jem Robinson |
| 1844 | The Emperor | George Whitehouse |
| 1845 | The Emperor | George Whitehouse |
| 1846 | Alarm | Nat Flatman |
| 1847 | The Hero | Alfred Day |
| 1848 | The Hero | Alfred Day |
| 1849 | Van Tromp | Charles Marlow |
| 1850 | The Flying Dutchman | Charles Marlow |
| 1851 | Woolwich | Job Marson |
| 1852 | Joe Miller | George Mann |
| 1853 | Teddington | Job Marson |
| 1854 | West Australian | Alfred Day |
| 1855 | Fandango | Tommy Ashmall |
| 1856 | Winkfield | James Bartholemew |
| 1857 | Skirmisher | John Charlton |
| 1858 | Fisherman | John Wells |
| 1859 | Fisherman | William Cresswell |
| 1860 | Rupee | Harry Grimshaw |
| 1861 | Thormanby | Harry Custance |
| 1862 | Asteroid | John Wells |
| 1863 | Buckstone | Arthur Edwards |
| 1864 | Scottish Chief | Harvey Covey |
| 1865 | Ely | Harry Custance |
| 1866 | Gladiateur | Harry Grimshaw |
| 1867 | Lecturer | George Fordham |
| 1868 | Blue Gown | Tom Cannon |
| 1869 | Brigantine | F Butler |
| 1870 | Sabinus | Robert Rowell |
| 1871 | Mortemer | George Fordham |
| 1872 | Henry | George Fordham |
| 1873 | Cremorne | Charles Maidment |
| 1874 | Boaird | William Carver |
| 1875 | Doncaster | George Fordham |
| 1876 | Apology | John Osbourne Jr. |
| 1877 | Petrarch | Tom Cannon |
| 1878 | Verneuil | Jem Goater |
| 1879 | Isonomy | Tom Cannon |
| 1880 | Isonomy | Tom Cannon |
| 1881 | Robert the Devil | Tom Cannon |
| 1882 | Foxhall | Tom Cannon |
| 1883 | Tristan | George Fordham |
| 1884 | St. Simon | Charles Wood |
| 1885 | St. Gatien | Charles Wood |
| 1886 | Althorp | Tom Cannon |
| 1887 | Bird of Freedom | Billy Warne |
| 1888 | Timothy | Jack Robinson |
| 1889 | Trayles | Jack Robinson |
| 1890 | Gold | Frederic Webb |
| 1891 | Morion | John Watts |
| 1892 | Buccaneer | George Barrett |
| 1893 | Marcion | Seth Chandley |
| 1894 | La Fleche | John Watts |
| 1895 | Isinglass | Tommy Loates |
| 1896 | Love Wisely | Same Loates |
| 1897 | Persimmon | John Watts |
| 1898 | Elf | E Watkins |
| 1899 | Cyllene | Sam Loates |
| 1900 | Merman | Ted Sloan |
| 1901 | Santoi | Fred Rickaby |
| 1902 | William the Third | Morny Cannon |
| 1903 | Maximum | Archie McIntyre |
| 1904 | Throwaway | Willie Lane |
| 1905 | Zinfandel | Morny Cannon |
| 1906 | Bachelor’s Button | Danny Maher |
| 1907 | The White Knight | William Halsey |
| 1908 | The White Knight | William Halsey |
| 1909 | Bimba | Freddie Fox |
| 1910 | Bayardo | Danny Maher |
| 1911 | Willonyx | William Higgs |
| 1912 | Prince Palatine | Frank O’Neill |
| 1913 | Prince Palatine | William Saxby |
| 1914 | Aleppo | Freddie Fox |
| 1915 | Apothecary | Edward Lancaster |
| 1916 | ||
| 1917 | Gay Crusader | Steve Donoghue |
| 1918 | Gainsborough | Joe Childs |
| 1919 | By Jingo! | George Hulme |
| 1920 | Tangiers | George Hulme |
| 1921 | Periosteum | Frank Bullock |
| 1922 | Golden Myth | Charlie Elliott |
| 1923 | Happy Man | Victor Smyth |
| 1924 | Massine | Fred Sharpe |
| 1925 | Santorb | Steve Donoghue |
| 1926 | Solario | Joe Childs |
| 1927 | Foxlaw | Brownie Carslake |
| 1928 | Invershin | Brownie Carslake |
| 1929 | Invershin | Richard Perryman |
| 1930 | Bosworth | Tommy Weston |
| 1931 | Trimdon | Joe Childs |
| 1932 | Trimdon | Joe Childs |
| 1933 | Foxhunter | Harry Wragg |
| 1934 | Felicitation | Gordon Richards |
| 1935 | Tiberius | Tommy Weston |
| 1936 | Quashed | Richard Perryman |
| 1937 | Precipitation | Patrick Beasley |
| 1938 | Flares | Bobby Jones |
| 1939 | Flyon | Eph Smith |
| 1940 | ||
| 1941 | Finis | Harry Wragg |
| 1942 | Owen Tudor | Gordon Richards |
| 1943 | Ujiji | Gordon Richards |
| 1944 | Umiddad | Gordon Richards |
| 1945 | Ocean Swell | Eph Smith |
| 1946 | Caracalla | Charlie Elliott |
| 1947 | Souverain | Marcel Lollierou |
| 1948 | Arbar | Charlie Elliott |
| 1949 | Alycidon | Doug Smith |
| 1950 | Supertello | Doug Smith |
| 1951 | Pan | Roger Poincelet |
| 1952 | Aquino | Gordon Richards |
| 1953 | Souepi | Charlie Elliott |
| 1954 | Elpenor | Jacques Doyasbere |
| 1955 | Botticelli | Enrico Camici |
| 1956 | Macip | Serge Boullenger |
| 1957 | Zarathustra | Lester Piggott |
| 1958 | Gladness | Lester Piggott |
| 1959 | Wallaby | Freddie Palmer |
| 1960 | Sheshoon | George Moore |
| 1961 | Pandofell | Lester Piggott |
| 1962 | Balto | Freddie Palmer |
| 1963 | Twilight Alley | Lester Piggott |
| 1964 | ||
| 1965 | Fighting Charlie | Lester Piggott |
| 1966 | Fighting Charlie | Greville Starkey |
| 1967 | Parbury | Joe Mercer |
| 1968 | Pardallo | Bill Pyers |
| 1969 | Levmoss | Bill Williamson |
| 1970 | Precipice Wood | Jimmy Lindley |
| 1971 | Random Shot | Geoff Lewis |
| 1972 | Erimo Hawk | Pat Eddery |
| 1973 | Lassalle | Jimmy Lindley |
| 1974 | Ragstone | Ron Hutchinson |
| 1975 | Sagaro | Lester Piggott |
| 1976 | Sagaro | Lester Piggott |
| 1977 | Sagaro | Lester Piggott |
| 1978 | Shangamuzo | Greville Starkey |
| 1979 | Le Moss | Lester Piggott |
| 1980 | Le Moss | Joe Mercer |
| 1981 | Ardross | Lester Piggott |
| 1982 | Ardross | Lester Piggott |
| 1983 | Little Wolf | Willie Carson |
| 1984 | Gildoran | Steve Cauthen |
| 1985 | Gildoran | Brent Thomson |
| 1986 | Longboat | Willie Carson |
| 1987 | Paean | Steve Cauthen |
| 1988 | Sadeem | Greville Starkey |
| 1989 | Sadeem | Willie Carson |
| 1990 | Ashal | Richard Hills |
| 1991 | Indian Queen | Walter Swinburn |
| 1992 | Drum Taps | Frankie Dettori |
| 1993 | Drum Taps | Frankie Dettori |
| 1994 | Arcadian Heights | Michael Hills |
| 1995 | Double Trigger | Jason Weave |
| 1996 | Classic Cliché | Michael Kinane |
| 1997 | Celeric | Pat Eddery |
| 1998 | Kayf Tara | Frankie Dettori |
| 1999 | Enzeli | Johnny Murtagh |
| 2000 | Kayf Tara | Michael Kinane |
| 2001 | Royal Rebel | Johnny Murtagh |
| 2002 | Royal Rebel | Johnny Murtagh |
| 2003 | Mr Dinos | Kieren Fallon |
| 2004 | Papineau | Frankie Dettori |
| 2005 | Westerner | Olivier Peslier |
| 2006 | Yeats | Kieren Fallon |
| 2007 | Yeats | Michael Kinane |
| 2008 | Yeats | Johnny Murtagh |
| 2009 | Yeats | Johnny Murtagh |
| 2010 | Rite of Passage | Pat Smullen |
| 2011 | Fame and Glory | Jamie Spencer |
| 2012 | Colour Vision | Frankie Dettori |
| 2013 | Estimate | Ryan Moore |
| 2014 | Leading Light | Joseph O’Brien |
| 2015 | Trip to Paris | Graham Lee |
| 2016 | Order of St George | Ryan Moore |
| 2017 | Big Orange | James Doyle |
| 2018 | Stradivarius | Frankie Dettori |
| 2019 | Stradivarius | Frankie Dettori |
| 2020 | Stradivarius | Frankie Dettori |
| 2021 | Subjectivist | Joe Fanning |
| 2022 | Kyprios | Ryan Moore |
| 2023 | Courage Mon Ami | Frankie Dettori |
