Royal Ascot 2026: Scandinavia lands O'Brien his 100th win in Gold Cup
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The 4-year-old colt Scandinavia caught the 8-year-old Trawlerman in the final strides to win a historic running of the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup at 2 1/2 miles at Royal Ascot on Thursday.
The victory gave Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien a record 100th win at Ascot, and was O’Brien’s 10th win in the Gold Cup, all for ownership groups that include the Coolmore syndicate.
“That’s just incredible really,” O’Brien told the press of his 100th win. “It is something that we wouldn’t dream of thinking about, because for that to happen you could not believe. Even this week, it’s literally one race at a time and you don’t even think what it could be or whether it could happen because it’s so competitive, so hard to win races here.”
Scandinavia, ridden by Ryan Moore, was sent off favored and paid $5.30. Moore had Scandinavia in third for more than two miles, stalking 5-2 Trawlerman who set the pace.
Turning into the stretch, Trawlerman led by more than a length but was challenged by Scandinavia who needed the entirety of the stretch to reach the front, winning by a head.
“This is a very special day for myself and everybody in Ballydoyle,” O’Brien told the press, referencing his training center.
“There are so many people involved to help a horse get this far.”
Scandinavia, a Kentucky-bred by Justify, won for the seventh time in his 11th start in the $924,000 Ascot Gold Cup.
Scandinavia has won his last six starts, a span that includes two other Group 1 races – the Goodwood Cup last July and the St. Leger Stakes at Doncaster last September.
O’Brien had his first winner at Royal Ascot in 1997, at a time when his stable consisted of flat and jump runners.
Through Thursday, the third day of the five-day Royal Ascot meeting, O’Brien, 56, has won with 4 of 16 runners. O’Brien has seven horses entered at Royal Ascot on Friday, and eight on Saturday’s final day.
Thursday’s program at Ascot did not start in O’Brien’s favor. The stable’s Aix La Chapelle was withdrawn at the start of the Chesham Stakes for 2-year-olds after becoming upset at the gate. Aix La Chapelle was the 5-2 favorite at the time.
The seven-furlong race was won by Nola Soul for Irish trainer Fozzy Stack and American owner Craig Bernick, who races in this country as Glen Hill Farms.
Nola Soul ($10) raced near the front and won by a half-length over 19-1 On Just Terms in a field of 14. Nola Soul, who was ridden by Seamie Heffernan, is unbeaten in two starts, beginning with a maiden race at Leopardstown on May 15.
The $165,000 Chesham Stakes is restricted to horses by stallions who won at distances of 1 1/4 miles or more. Nola Soul, bought for $220,000 as a weanling at Keeneland in 2024, is a Kentucky-bred by Justify, the 2018 Triple Crown winner.
In Thursday’s third race at Royal Ascot, Earth Shot, bought after a close second at Goodwood on May 23 by Wathnan Racing, won her graded stakes debut in the Group 2, $330,000 Ribblesdale Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/2 miles.
Earth Shot ($11.40) was ridden by James Doyle for trainer William Haggas. Doyle had Earth Shot in a stalking position, racing in fifth for the first mile. Entering the stretch, Doyle moved Earth Shot to the outside. Earth Shot steadily made progress on stretch leader Johanna Walsh to win by a head.
Johanna Walsh (10-1) finished a length in front of 4-1 Gilded Prize in a field of 12. Lady Roisia (66-1) unseated jockey Hector Crouch at the start. Crouch rode later on the Ascot program.
Legacy Link, who was second in the Group 1 English Oaks on June 5, finished seventh as the 6-5 favorite.
Earth Shot, by Time Test, has won 2 of 4 starts.
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