Royal Ascot 2023 Gold Cup guide as three horses battle for immortality

They say there is a story behind every entry at Royal Ascot and that certainly applies to the big hitters in Thursday’s showpiece, the Gold Cup. The marquee title of the week, part of the Qipco British Champions Series, went the way of the Irish last time out, as Kyprios saw off the legendary Stradivarius for his maiden victory at the world-famous flat meeting.

The fantastic five-year-old will play no part this year however, throwing the race wide open in the beaming Berkshire sunshine. But while Kyprios is absent, the pair who masterminded his success and so many others at this track will be in town to pursue a second successive triumph.

Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien have combined for 39 winners at the meeting, and their latest contender is Emily Dickinson, who arrives with something to prove after a puzzling sixth-place finish in Group 3 fare at Leopardstown last month. The odds-on favourite struggled on quicker ground and with conditions likely to be similar this week, this will be a significant test for the four-year-old.

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If anyone can turn her fortunes around though it’s O’Brien. He helped a horse by the name of Yeats shake off Navan disappointment to claim a record fourth Gold Cup triumph in 2009, and the trainer is convinced his latest charge has the qualities to land him a record-extending tenth race win.

“We always thought this race would suit her well, because we think she stays very well,” O’Brien told Sky Sports Racing. “Obviously, she handles some ease in the ground well and when there is ease in the ground, stamina comes into it more."

According to O'Brien, the Saval Beg ride, run over a mile and three-quarters, while