Europe’s greatest staying race, the 4000-metre Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, could bear more than a passing resemblance to the Melbourne Cup when it is staged as the centrepiece of the strangest Royal meeting ever run later this week.
The fixture is taking place at its usual spot in the calendar, but for the first time ever there will not be any crowds in attendance – not even the Queen, who has never missed a Royal Ascot meeting since coming to the throne in 1952.
The nine entries for the contest for the cream of Europe’s equine distance stars include one previous Melbourne Cup winner – Godolphin’s Cross Counter – and one dual placegetter, Charlie Fellowes’ Prince of Arran.
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