13.20

9/1

Place: £1.50

Form: -31321

Last run: 36 days

W: 9st 9lb

5 yo Colt

OR: 115

Form & Verdict

No ground worries; has had headgear and Rab Havlin for all starts; not a straightforward ride but he's only once failed to give his running, when well-beaten third in this race last year; has taken well to the visor lately, with this season's two wins including the Doncaster Cup in good style on latest start; however, he played third and second fiddle behind Kyprios at Royal Ascot and Goodwood and needs that rival to underperform.

Place / No / Draw	Date / Going / Distance / Class	Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer	Verdict	Starting price
3rd 5 (9)	18th Jun 2026 Good To Firm 2m 3f 210y Class 1	16:15 Ascot Sweet William 9st 4lb J: Robert Havlin T: John & Thady Gosden	Third and fourth in the last two renewals of this race and his 19l defeat last year was the only time in his career that he's finished out of the top three; being ridden closer to the pace that day seemingly backfired, as he's usually smuggled into each-way contention in the closing stages; beat Caballo De Mar (who gave 2lb) in one tight finish this year and not quite able to reel in Dubai Future in another; probably as good as ever but winning the Gold Cup may again prove a bit beyond him.	16/1
2nd 1 (4)	28th May 2026 Good 2m 0f 50y Class 1	18:12 Sandown Sweet William 9st 9lb J: Robert Havlin T: John & Thady Gosden	Won this in 2024 and has added three more Group-race wins, the latest on reappearance in this month's Sagaro Stakes at Ascot (2m, good to firm) where he was clear with subsequent Group 1 winner Caballo De Mar; leading claims despite 5lb penalty.	Evs
1st 2 (9)	1st May 2026 Good To Firm 1m 7f 209y Class 1	14:35 Ascot Sweet William 9st 9lb J: Robert Havlin T: John & Thady Gosden	Headgear and Rab Havlin all starts; not straightforward but he nearly always gives his running, including at this track; he did not have the top stayers to worry about last September when winning his second Doncaster Cup and the same seems to apply today, so he's a leading player.	2/1

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

3rd

5

(9)

18th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

2m 3f 210y

Class 1

16:15 Ascot

9st 4lb

Third and fourth in the last two renewals of this race and his 19l defeat last year was the only time in his career that he's finished out of the top three; being ridden closer to the pace that day seemingly backfired, as he's usually smuggled into each-way contention in the closing stages; beat Caballo De Mar (who gave 2lb) in one tight finish this year and not quite able to reel in Dubai Future in another; probably as good as ever but winning the Gold Cup may again prove a bit beyond him.

16/1

2nd

1

(4)

28th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 50y

Class 1

18:12 Sandown

9st 9lb

Won this in 2024 and has added three more Group-race wins, the latest on reappearance in this month's Sagaro Stakes at Ascot (2m, good to firm) where he was clear with subsequent Group 1 winner Caballo De Mar; leading claims despite 5lb penalty.

Evs

1st

2

(9)

1st May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 7f 209y

Class 1

14:35 Ascot

9st 9lb

Headgear and Rab Havlin all starts; not straightforward but he nearly always gives his running, including at this track; he did not have the top stayers to worry about last September when winning his second Doncaster Cup and the same seems to apply today, so he's a leading player.

2/1

3rd

7 (1)

5/1

Place: £1.60

Form: 111-32 CD

Last run: 121 days

W: 9st 9lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict

Can make the running; rallied to win this race last year by a neck from Kyprios and the positions were reversed in another sustained duel here in this season's Gold Cup, so there's twice not been much between them; rested since their latest clash, in preparation for today; unraced on worse than good to soft, which could pose a major question if there's been further rain; otherwise looks set for a bold show.

Place / No / Draw	Date / Going / Distance / Class	Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer	Verdict	Starting price
2nd 7 (8)	28th Jul 2026 Good 2m 0f 0y Class 1	15:35 Goodwood Trawlerman 9st 12lb J: William Buick T: John & Thady Gosden	Can make the running (he doesn't have to) to maximise the emphasis on stamina; won a handicap at this meeting in 2022 in his only appearance at Goodwood and has battled it out in the top staying contests since autumn 2023; unbeaten in four British races last season, but reappearance this term was delayed until his repeat bid for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and he lost out to Scandinavia in only the dying strides; he didn't look far off his best that day but there's clearly an argument that he will have come on from the run.	2/1
2nd 6 (2)	18th Jun 2026 Good To Firm 2m 3f 210y Class 1	16:15 Ascot Trawlerman 9st 4lb J: William Buick T: John & Thady Gosden	High class, a thorough stayer and a right battler, the powerful combination of which were seen to prime effect here as a 7yo last year when he made the running (he doesn't have to) to win the Gold Cup on good to firm by 7l, having been a close second the year before; just as good when he won here on final start last term; it's seemingly been touch and go whether he defends his crown, as he has been denied a preliminary run this time round and has developed a rare eye problem which makes him sensitive to sunlight, but he's the one to beat if judged on those sterling performances of 2025.	7/2
3 (2)	18th Oct 2025 Good 1m 7f 209y Class 1	12:55 Ascot Trawlerman 9st 9lb J: William Buick T: John & Thady Gosden	Battling 7yo who can front-run (doesn't have to) and did so to pulverising effect in the Gold Cup here (2m4f) this June, winning by 7l; that's his career-best form but several runs are not far behind it, including his two other wins this season; latest was from Sweet William at York (2m); won this race in 2023, fair third last year and very much the one to beat this time.	4/9

Place /
No / Draw

Date / Going /
Distance / Class

Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer

Verdict

Starting price

2nd

7

(8)

28th Jul 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 1

15:35 Goodwood

9st 12lb

Can make the running (he doesn't have to) to maximise the emphasis on stamina; won a handicap at this meeting in 2022 in his only appearance at Goodwood and has battled it out in the top staying contests since autumn 2023; unbeaten in four British races last season, but reappearance this term was delayed until his repeat bid for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and he lost out to Scandinavia in only the dying strides; he didn't look far off his best that day but there's clearly an argument that he will have come on from the run.

2/1

2nd

6

(2)

18th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

2m 3f 210y

Class 1

16:15 Ascot

9st 4lb

High class, a thorough stayer and a right battler, the powerful combination of which were seen to prime effect here as a 7yo last year when he made the running (he doesn't have to) to win the Gold Cup on good to firm by 7l, having been a close second the year before; just as good when he won here on final start last term; it's seemingly been touch and go whether he defends his crown, as he has been denied a preliminary run this time round and has developed a rare eye problem which makes him sensitive to sunlight, but he's the one to beat if judged on those sterling performances of 2025.

7/2

3

(2)

18th Oct 2025

Good

1m 7f 209y

Class 1

12:55 Ascot

9st 9lb