Royal Ascot’s Gold Cup Set to Feature Ten Top Contenders
Thursday’s Gold Cup at Royal Ascot promises to be an exciting event, with ten talented horses vying for the top prize. According to Sporting Life, warm favourite Illinois is among the contenders, looking to establish himself as a leading staying horse.
Illinois, a four-year-old, has had an impressive career so far, winning the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot last season, as well as the Prix Chaudenay at ParisLochamp in the autumn. On his return this season, he showed remarkable form, beating Al Qareem in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester. As Sporting Life reports, “He won the Queen’s Vase at the meeting last season and the Prix Chaudenay at ParisLochamp in the autumn and was better than ever when beating Al Qareem on his return in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester.”
One of Illinois’ main rivals is likely to be stablemate Jan Brueghel, who finished ahead of him in the St Leger last season. Jan Brueghel has also had a successful season, winning last week’s Coronation Cup at Epsom. As Sporting Life notes, “Stablemate Jan Brueghel, who edged out Illinois in the St Leger last season and won last week’s Coronation Cup at Epsom, also stands his ground.”
The field for the Gold Cup also includes Candelari, the winner of the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier, who represents France. Trainers John and Thady Gosden will be hoping to build on last year’s success with Trawlerman and Sweet William. Rounding out the field are Coltrane, Dubai Future, Trueshan, Wonder Legend, and Yashin.
With such a talented field, the Gold Cup is shaping up to be an exciting and unpredictable event. As Sporting Life reports, Illinois will be racing over two-and-a-half miles for the first time, which may pose a challenge for the four-year-old. However, given his impressive form so far, he will undoubtedly be a strong contender.
In related news, Sporting Life also reminds readers of the importance of responsible gambling. As the publication notes, “We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.” For those concerned about their gambling habits, resources such as the National Gambling Helpline and GamCare are available.
The Gold Cup at Royal Ascot is set to take place on Thursday, with ten top contenders vying for the top prize. With Illinois as the warm favourite, the event promises to be an exciting and closely contested competition.
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