Scandinavia (11/8F) overhauled defending champion Trawlerman in a spellbinding edition of the Gold Cup, handing trainer Aidan O’Brien a remarkable 100th Royal Ascot success.
In what turned into a straight shootout between Scandinavia and Trawlerman, racegoers and the millions watching worldwide were treated to a pulsating battle at the end of two and a half miles.
On his first start of the year, Trawlerman attempted to draw out his younger rival’s stamina off the home turn and it was only inside the final 50 yards that Scandinavia was able to confirm his superiority under Ryan Moore.
Scandinavia and Trawlerman pulled nine lengths clear of Sweet William in third, with last year’s Irish St Leger victor Al Riffa taking fourth in a top-class renewal.
A son of Justify, Scandinavia has won six races on the bounce since finishing fifth in last year’s Queen’s Vase, with his sequence also featuring the Goodwood Cup and St Leger.
O’Brien said: “This is a very special day for myself and everybody in Ballydoyle. There are so many people involved to help a horse get this far.
“Ryan was incredible on Scandinavia – he nursed him and nursed him. He was perfect until Oisin [Murphy] came up and took his slot a little bit. Ryan had to manoeuvre round him, and at the same time he minded him and didn’t waste any gas. He got him into a position where he wanted him for one last surge.
“That’s just incredible really [100 Royal Ascot winners]. 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.
“We knew the second horse was a great horse, very brave. Scandinavia joined him and you don’t know until you go past that two-furlong marker what’s really going to happen, but we felt he was very brave. He always showed that in every race – he’s relentless, he cruises.
“It is an honour and a privilege for me to be involved with the team and be the small part that I am with everybody. The reality is everyone puts in the work, we watch it going on, and I can’t tell you how grateful we are to everybody.
“Any race you win… we love to be competitive. We love the competitive nature of everything, and we like everybody building up around the race because that’s what everyone has to feel. It was unusual today – we listened and I was able to hear everybody. The crowd was very big and the cheer went up when they turned in, but when he went to the front the sound went up, so I was very surprised at that and the noise got louder and louder, and that’s what it’s all about. What can I say? It was just an incredible feeling.”
Moore said: “Scandinavia should have won easier! I was happy where I was and then Oisin [Murphy] came up around me. I didn’t want us all going three in a line, which then he took me out of the race, and I’ve had to work to get to Trawlerman. I thought had it and then had to go again. Trawlerman is a brave horse, he kept coming. Scandinavia’s record since he got beat here last year… he keeps finding a way to win.
“Aidan identifies these horses and brings them here absolutely jumping out of their skins. I am lucky to ride them. The answer with Aidan is he won’t care [about 100 Royal Ascot winners]. He will probably be thinking about the next 100. That is what separates him.”
MV Magnier of Coolmore said: “It is incredible. For Aidan to get 100 winners here and win the Gold Cup – you have the King and Queen here – it is a very big deal. For Justify to have first and second in the Chesham and then to have the Gold Cup winner, it’s incredible. Aidan has always told me that Scandinavia is a very good horse, and Ryan gave him a great ride.”
Co-trainer John Gosden said of Trawlerman and Sweet William: “To me, it was the most exciting race to watch. A phenomenal finish between two magnificent stayers. The staying division when it’s like that is beyond exciting. To do that as an eight-year-old off no prep race, limited preparation time-wise, it was an unbelievable run. He just got caught in the last 10 yards — just there, the lack of a prep run cost him. Going a mile and a quarter on the July Course is not the same as having a two-mile prep run around Sandown, I can tell you!
“Trawlerman is like his father, Golden Horn. He has that kind of guts and courage. In the last 20 yards, he had given all and then he had the lead, and then it went back again. You can have nothing but enormous pride. It is great work by all the team, both the vets and all at Clarehaven, to produce him like this for the day. It’s an honour to be around a horse like that.”
On his emotions in the last quarter of a mile, Gosden said: “Obviously, you’re proud of the horse – he is putting it up to them, that’s what you’re proud of. Scandinavia has come, the other lovely horse has already had a go at him, George Scott’s horse, and then he’s putting up the fight. You could see right through the half-furlong, he’s held him and held him. Then the last 15 yards Ryan has gone the full drive. A phenomenal race — this is what racing needs, and it’s great for the crowd.”
Trawlerman has had issues with his eyesight caused by sunlight, which interrupted his preparation. Gosden said: “Having been sick, having looked like he would never, ever race again, it’s quite extraordinary. This horse… we thought, ‘What are we going to do? What are we going to do with him?’ He was in agony at Easter, unable to train him, left him alone, and only managed to train him in the last short period of time. It was the eye trouble. He was in some pain with it, but these goggles have helped, and the vets have done a brilliant job.”