Royal Ascot 2026: Scandinavia stands tall among Ascot Gold Cup entrants

For an American audience, Thursday’s kind of the weak link in the five-day Royal Ascot meeting. There often have been American-based 2-year-olds in the Chesham Stakes, which kicks off the card, but not this year, and the feature, the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup, hits harder with an overseas crowd.

While Europe has a true staying division every year, rare are the American races at two miles and beyond, and none of them hold nearly the importance of the Gold Cup, which dates to the early 19th century.

The Gold Cup provides a true test, even by European staying standards, a 2 1/2-mile race that can stretch the stamina of horses who regularly race over two miles. And if the antepost betting market is a guide, the result is all but a foregone conclusion.

:: Subscribe to the DRF Post Time Email Newsletter: Get the news you need to play today's races!

Monday, even before the final field had been assembled and post positions assigned, bookmakers had Scandinavia listed at just over even money, quite the short proposition three days out from the actual race.

Moreover, among Scandinavia’s potential opponents is the 2025 Ascot Gold Cup winner, Trawlerman. After tallying in this race a year ago, Trawlerman went on to victory in the 16 1/2-furlong Lonsdale Cup, an important summer staying race at York, and capped his campaign with one final Group 1 staying success at Ascot, in the British Champions Long Distance Cup over two miles. But where Trawlerman came into Royal Ascot last season with two runs behind him, he starts Thursday unraced since the Ascot score in October.

Also attracting some betting: Rahiebb, a 4-year-old Frankel colt whose star appears to be rising. Rahiebb came within a neck of winning the Group 1 St. Leger last fall and launched his 2026 campaign last month with a convincing 1 3/4-mile score over the capable Al Nayyir, who also races in the Gold Cup. Rahiebb, though, has yet to race farther than 14 1/2 furlongs – and the horse who beat him in the St. Leger at that distance is none other than Scandinavia.

Star stayers often do not flower until later in their racing career, but 4-year-old Scandinavia, if the many signs point the right direction, cleaves to a different path. By American Triple Crown winner Justify, Scandinavia laid down his marker last summer at Goodwood, winning the Goodwood Cup over two miles in his first start beyond 1 3/4 miles. Granted, he got a 14-pound weight break from older rivals, but coming back to capture the St. Leger validated the Goodwood showing.

And Scandinavia has done nothing so far this season to suggest anything but continued improvement. Trainer Aidan O’Brien has given him two comfortable runs in Ireland, both over 1 3/4 miles, each against lesser competition than he meets Thursday. Scandinavia can come from off the pace but looked comfortable leading the St. Leger, too.

A colt named after a swath of Northern Europe who runs Thursday in England just might have the staying talent to make his name known, even in an American racing audience.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.