Royal Ascot 2026: Scandinavia vs Trawlerman for the Gold Cup

The Ascot Gold Cup is headline act on day three of the 2026 Royal Ascot meeting and ITV Racing commentator Richard Hoiles has given his thoughts on the day’s action for Betway.

The middle and feature day of the week with the Gold Cup as the centrepiece.

Top billing for the staying contingent, with many lining up to add their name to an illustrious rostrum.

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Pikachu the Chesham catch

Another of Royal Ascot’s many two-year-old races, the Chesham can be hard to unravel.

Hoiles has his thoughts on who he thinks can take victory.

“Given their domination of the middle distance division, it is little surprise that Aidan O’Brien has won this race.

“Where the sire has to have won over 9/12f or over, no less than seven times.

“His runners are however always well found in the market as the overall record of 7/31 A/E 0.93 shows.

“When looking elsewhere the form patterns of the Charlie Johnston horses give a clue as to why Pikachu (14:30 Ascot) is worth supporting.

“Johnston saddles three in the race with the other pair, Sword Salute and Time For The Moon, both having form figures of 31 which displays a trend common with the stable’s juveniles – namely that they improve for a run.

“The well bred Pikachu forced Alfred Wallace (runs in the Windsor Castle on Wednesday) to pull out all the stops.

“The pair clear of the very green Whispering Moon who also lines up here, on his debut at Thirsk.

“If he makes the usual progression from that he looks over the odds.”

Wide draw the key

The King George V Stakes is one of the longer races during the week.

As such, Hoiles believes the draw will be key.

“As the Wolferton on Tuesday showed, races on the Round Course can be messy affairs.

“Whilst there is a longer run to the first bend over 1m 4f, it is the home bend where runners rushing up on the outside can create considerable traffic problems for those tracking the pace on the inner.

“Stall 10 therefore looks a decent berth for Ralph Beckett’s Tierra Del Toro (15:05 Ascot).

“He looked as if the step up in trip would suit well on his reappearance at Newbury.

“A fact that placed him on the shopping list of Wathnan in whose colours he races in for the first time.

“Beckett has twice saddled the winner of this race in recent seasons in Surefire (2021) and Going The Distance (2024), and granted luck in running Tierra Del Toro can give him the hat trick.”

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Legacy the Ribblesdale link

The Ribblesdale always features contenders fresh from the Oaks.

This year is no different and Hoiles is siding with the Oaks runner-up.

“Legacy Link (15:40 Ascot) is the clear form pick here.

“The main concern being whether she will have got over her Oaks exertions just 13 days ago.

“It is a path Gosden has walked before with six horses turning up in the Ribblesdale after running in the Oaks.

“Two of them, Michita 2008 and Coronet 2013 winning.

“Neither of them ran as well in the Oaks as Legacy Link but with four of the six achieving better RPR figures at Ascot than Epsom, there is not enough evidence of failing to back up to take on the clear form pick.

“Legacy Link has progressed with each run of her career and this year’s Oaks looks well up to scratch.

“So the niece of Frankel and Noble Mission can add to the family’s good Ascot record.

Ascot Gold Cup shootout

Feature race of the day is the Ascot Gold Cup.

The jewel in the staying calendar has been won by many great stayers.

Hoiles thinks that there could be a new name on the roll of honour, this year.

“After Kyprios retired the mantle of leading stayer was passed to Trawlerman who had spent the previous couple of seasons chasing his tail.

“This time the crown may be about to return to Ballydoyle through Scandinavia (16:15 Ascot), the winner of last season’s Leger.

“Cheekpieces were fitted after his defeat here in the Queens Vase last season and he has never looked back since.

“His wins are typified by never doing much more than is necessary so he will rarely impress in the trials.

“This trip should draw out even more of his main attribute, the ability to dig in and keep battling.

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Royal puzzle

The Britannia Stakes is always a frantic race.

Comprised of 30 runners, it is a a true pinstickers race.

Hoiles has cast his eye over the field and picked out one that could have gone under the radar.

“The big handicap of the day is the Britannia where Outback Heat’s  (16:50 Ascot) proven ability at the track counts in his favour.

“He won here on his handicap debut, on just his third career start.

“A 6lb rise does not look unreasonable given the fourth and fifth won next time out.

“Being drawn in stall 18 of 30 allows Kaiya Fraser to keep his options open.

“It is just a second Royal Ascot mount for the rider but on his only other one he finished second on Divine Comedy in the Ascot Stakes.

“His overall record at the track is 2/10, including when partnering this horse here to win in May.

“Five of the stables nine previous runners in Royal Ascot handicaps prior to this season made the first three and in an obviously tricky contest he has plenty going for him.

Hamton endorsement

A Group Three for three-year-olds, the race always attracts some classy sorts.

Most off the back of running in the Derby and others who have taken a different route.

It is the winning connections of the Derby who Hoiles sides with.

The indomitable duo of Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore.

“Avoiding a penalty and hence receiving weight from Oxagon looks the deciding factor here in siding with Endorsement (17:35 Ascot).

“He drops back to 10f but could well get his own way out in front.

“Which given the messy nature of races over this trip could be a significant advantage even in this smaller field.

“His recent runs have seemed to be as much about setting it up for higher profile stable mates like Pierre Bonard and Christmas Day.

“To whom he was second in the Ballysax and it is difficult to see which of his rivals would sacrifice their own chances by pestering him up front.

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Dance to storm his rivals

The Buckingham Palace Stakes is another chaotic handicap.

Hoiles is hoping that his selection will be on the right side of the draw.

“Another big field straight course handicap where Dance In The Storm (18:10 Ascot) should find ground conditions more to his liking.

“More than he did at Epsom, where his keen demeanour counted against him lasting home.

“His Chester victory has worked out well and he has twice placed in big field handicaps at Goodwood and York last season.

“The stable know the family well and sire Night of Thunder had a double on the first day of the meeting on Tuesday.

“He will be committed to the far side coming out of stall 2 with the only obvious pace being River King in stall 14, who rates a major danger as a result.

You can read Richard Hoiles’ thoughts on the second day of Royal Ascot on his Betway blog.