Who are the best multiple winners of the Goodwood Cup?

The Goodwood Cup is the highlight of the opening day of racing at the Goodwood Festival on Tuesday, July 28.

The two-mile contest is a premier race for stayers, and attracts many stamina-laden horses whose connections are keen on retaining their crown.

Back in a time where people weren’t that bothered about stats, Bucephalus claimed three editions of what was to become known as the Goodwood Cup in the early 1800s and was awarded the original silver cup to keep.

Jumping forward to the modern day, superstar stayer Stradivarius missed out on an historic fifth Goodwood Cup, after being withdrawn from the race because the ground was too soft.

John Gosden’s hero was dominant in the race between 2017 and 2020, and his four consecutive victories are unlikely to be topped.

Here we choose the five best winners of the race, tough enough to clinch the modern gold cup at Goodwood more than once. 

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Le Moss (1979 & 1980)

Le Moss was never the easiest horse to deal with. Famously described by jockey Joe Mercer as a “cantankerous bugger”, the tough stayer could be a handful at home, but once he reached the racecourse, his attitude was transformed.

Trained by the legendary Henry Cecil, Le Moss completed the coveted Stayers’ Triple Crown in both 1979 and 1980, a feat that required back-to-back victories in the Goodwood Cup. It remains one of the greatest staying achievements in British racing history.

His first Goodwood Cup success in 1979 was an emphatic display of stamina. 

Travelling strongly throughout, Mercer was able to ease his mount close home as Le Moss powered seven lengths clear of Arapahos, underlining his dominance over the staying division.

Twelve months later, the task was far tougher. 

Le Moss renewed his rivalry with the outstanding Ardross, conceding 2lb to Kevin Prendergast’s star in a race that developed into a memorable duel. 

As so often, Mercer found more from his mount in the closing stages, and Le Moss battled on relentlessly to prevail by a neck.

However difficult he may have been away from the track, Le Moss possessed an unbreakable will to win. 

His back-to-back Goodwood Cup victories formed the cornerstone of two Stayers’ Triple Crowns and cemented his reputation as one of the greatest stayers of the modern era

Persian Punch (2001 & 2003)

Few horses have captured the public’s imagination quite like Persian Punch. 

Although he never won at Group 1 level (the race only gained G1 status in 2017), David Elsworth’s immensely popular stayer earned a devoted following through his remarkable career.

Renowned for giving everything in every race, Persian Punch claimed the Goodwood Cup as both an eight-year-old in 2001 and again as a 10-year-old in 2003.

His first success came in dramatic fashion. 

Under Richard Quinn, Persian Punch made the running before being headed three furlongs from home. 

Many horses would have folded, but as torrential rain swept across Goodwood, the veteran dug deep, rallying bravely to regain the lead and wear down the younger Double Honour in a stirring finish.

If that victory showcased his resilience, his second Goodwood Cup win elevated him to racing folklore. 

Returning as a 10-year-old, Persian Punch renewed his rivalry with the previous year’s winner, Jardines Lookout, and the pair served up an unforgettable duel. 

Neither horse was willing to give an inch, but Persian Punch’s trademark courage carried him to victory by a short head in one of the most memorable finishes in the race’s history.

The bond between Persian Punch and Goodwood endures to this day. 

His ashes were scattered at the Sussex course, a fitting tribute to a horse whose courage, honesty and indomitable spirit made him one of the most beloved stayers of the modern era.

Yeats (2006 & 2008)

If Persian Punch was revered for his courage, Yeats was admired for his sheer class. 

Aidan O’Brien’s outstanding stayer combined stamina with an effortless cruising speed, qualities that carried him to two dominant Goodwood Cup victories.

Fresh from the first of his record four Ascot Gold Cup triumphs, Yeats arrived at Goodwood in 2006 as the 10/11 favourite and duly justified that status under Mick Kinane.

Settled comfortably in midfield, Yeats travelled powerfully throughout before Kinane asked him to lengthen approaching the two-furlong marker. 

The response was immediate as he swept clear to defeat Geordieland by five lengths with something to spare.

As commanding as that performance was, Yeats raised the bar even higher when he returned in 2008. 

Once again, Kinane waited patiently before pressing the button two furlongs from home, and the response was devastating. 

Yeats quickly put the race to bed, stretching seven lengths clear as his rivals were left toiling in his wake.

Reflecting on another masterclass, Kinane summed up the great stayer perfectly when saying: “Yeats is a true warrior. The crowds were out to see him and he didn’t let them down.”

It was a fitting tribute to one of the finest staying horses of the modern era, whose Goodwood Cup victories were every bit as authoritative as his legendary exploits at Royal Ascot.

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Kyprios (2022 & 2024)

Kyprios cemented his place among the great modern stayers with two superb Goodwood Cup victories.

His first success came in 2022, when he arrived at Goodwood as the dominant force in the staying division following his Ascot Gold Cup triumph. 

Ridden by Ryan Moore and trained by Aidan O’Brien, Kyprios produced a determined performance to deny the great Stradivarius by a neck in a thrilling finish, ending the veteran’s bid for a record fifth Goodwood Cup.

After missing much of 2023 through injury, Kyprios returned to the top level in 2024 and showed he had lost none of his ability. 

Once again partnered by Moore, he travelled strongly before asserting his superiority in the closing stages, powering clear to defeat Sweet William and add a second Goodwood Cup to his remarkable record.

With victories at both Ascot, Goodwood, the Irish St Leger among eight Group 1 wins, Kyprios established himself as one of the outstanding staying champions of his generation

Double Trigger (1995, 1997, 1998)

Long before Mark Johnston masterminded Subjectivist’s Ascot Gold Cup triumph in 2021, the Scottish trainer had already established himself as a master of staying horses through the exploits of the brilliant Double Trigger.

A winner of the prestigious Stayers’ Triple Crown, Double Trigger endured injury setbacks during his career, but Johnston’s background as a veterinary surgeon proved invaluable.

Patient rehabilitation and stamina-building work brought the talented stayer back to his very best.

His first Goodwood Cup success came in 1995 when he justified favouritism at 2/1 with an emphatic front-running display. 

Making virtually every yard of the running under Michael Roberts, Double Trigger held off his stablemate and full brother Double Eclipse by a neck to complete a memorable one-two for Johnston.

After a hoof injury disrupted his 1997 campaign, Double Trigger returned to Goodwood with a point to prove. 

Despite hanging left under pressure in the closing stages, he showed trademark determination to pull clear of Classic Cliche by a length and a half, securing a second Goodwood Cup and confirming that his fighting spirit remained intact.

His finest Goodwood moment came a year later. 

As a seven-year-old in 1998, Double Trigger looked to be struggling with three furlongs still to run, but Johnston’s tough-as-teak stayer refused to surrender. 

Gradually responding to Roberts’ urgings, he rallied bravely to wear down Canon Can, prevailing by three-quarters of a length to complete a remarkable Goodwood Cup hat-trick.

With his distinctive white blaze and relentless will to win, Double Trigger became one of Goodwood’s greatest staying specialists. 

His three victories showcased not only exceptional stamina but also the resilience and courage that made him one of the defining stayers of the 1990s.

Stradivarius (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)

Few stayers have dominated their division quite like Stradivarius. 

Named after the legendary violin maker, John and Thady Gosden’s star struck all the right notes throughout a glittering career, becoming one of the greatest staying horses of the modern era.

A son of the outstanding Sea The Stars, Stradivarius won virtually every major staying prize on the calendar. 

His achievements included completing the coveted Stayers’ Triple Crown in 2019, with the Goodwood Cup playing a pivotal role in that historic campaign.

Partnered throughout his golden years by the charismatic Frankie Dettori, whose famous flying dismount became a familiar sight, Stradivarius developed an aura that often seemed to beat his rivals before the race had even begun. 

Between 2017 and 2020, he reeled off an extraordinary four consecutive Goodwood Cup victories, matching the race record.

His sequence began in 2017 when he defeated the formidable Big Orange, himself going for a Goodwood Cup hat-trick, before seeing off the Irish challenger Torcedor in 2018. 

He returned in 2019 to beat Dee Ex Bee, and completed the four-timer in 2020 with victory over another Mark Johnston-trained stayer, Nayef Road.

An attempt at a record-breaking fifth success was denied in 2021 when soft ground forced his withdrawal. 

Twelve months later, he came agonisingly close to creating history, finishing just a neck behind Kyprios after a stirring battle.

Re-partnered with Andrea Atzeni, Stradivarius returned to Goodwood in 2022, but Kyprios edged him out by a neck in what turned out to be the final race of his sparkling career.

Four Goodwood Cups, a Stayers’ Triple Crown and a string of unforgettable performances secured Stradivarius’ place among the immortals of the staying division. 

Few horses have combined such consistency, class and longevity, and his record at Goodwood may stand for many years to come.

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