Royal Ascot Day 3 recap: Trawlerman wires the Gold Cup

A tour-de-force performance from Trawlerman in the Gold Cup (G1) highlighted the Day 3 racing action at Royal Ascot in England.

Norfolk (G2)

Trainer Aidan O’Brien and jockey Ryan Moore have enjoyed strong success with two-year-olds at Royal Ascot. They nabbed their third juvenile group stakes win of the meet together when Coolmore’s Charles Darwin trounced the five-furlong Norfolk.

The Norfolk awarded a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1).

Favored at 1-2 in the World Pool off back-to-back victories at Navan and Naas, Charles Darwin left no doubt about his superiority. The son of No Nay Never carved out the pace and turned back all challengers with a strong finish to defeat the stretch-running Wise Approach by 2 1/4 lengths in :58.87 over good-to-firm turf.

“Charles Darwin is very fast—a big, powerful, strong horse. He has a very good mind as well, so he is very exciting,” said O’Brien. “Ryan has always loved him, and everyone at home loves him. He looks like a four-year-old racing against two-year-olds.

“We were hoping that he would get a lead. He never sees the front at home in his work. He is always very happy to sit but, but he is very strong and very quick. Ryan does his own thing always. The gates open and he decides, so he was very happy. Ryan said he powered through the line.”

Sandal’s Song, Ameeq, Comical Point, Afjan, Graft, Naval Light, Irish Fighter, First Legion, Clear Force, Lil Brother, Hey Tru Blue, Exclamation, and Star Material completed the order of finish. London Boy scratched.

Sandal’s Song, an American raider trained by George Weaver on behalf of Wathnan Racing, was beaten only three lengths after challenging Charles Darwin with a furlong remaining. Case Clay, the U.S. advisor to Wathnan Racing, indicated Sandal’s Song is a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) candidate.

"It was a valiant effort from Sandal’s Song. He ran very well,” said Clay. “He is a zippy horse and [jockey] James McDonald said, once he got to the rise, he got a little bit tired. He probably was not used to that. We were beaten by a very good horse, but we are very happy with the effort. We are going to take him back to the U.S. and try to get to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, with a race or two maybe in between.”

Ribblesdale (G2)

O’Brien and Moore struck again in the Ribblesdale, a 1 1/2-mile contest for three-year-old fillies. Bettors overlooked Garden of Eden as an 8-1 chance even though she entered off a victory in the 1 5/16-mile Naas Oaks Trial, and those odds proved misplaced as the daughter of Saxon Warrior relished the distance at Royal Ascot and delivered a powerful performance.

Indeed, Garden of Eden proved much the best in the end. After settling behind stablemate and runaway leader Island Hopping, Garden of Eden took over with a quarter-mile remaining and pulled clear to defeat Understudy and favored Catalina Delcarpio by 3 1/4 lengths in 2:28.91.

“I was impressed with that,” said O’Brien. “Garden Of Eden is getting better, which is great. We always thought stepping up in trip would help her. We stepped her up to a mile and a quarter the last day, and she improved a lot.

“She is by Saxon Warrior, and when they go up in distance, they do get better. The Irish Oaks would be a possibility, but she could also go to America for a Grade 1 over there—we will have to see.”

Go Go Boots, Life Is Beautiful, Serenity Prayer, Lady Vivian, Ecstatic, Hollys Graces, Island Hopping, and Caspi Star trailed the field.

Gold Cup (G1)

The feature event on Day 3 of Royal Ascot was the historic 2 1/2-mile Gold Cup. One year after finishing a gallant second to the sensational Kyprios over this marathon trip, Godolphin homebred Trawlerman nabbed a well-deserved Gold Cup trophy of his own.

Favored at 8-5 off a five-length demolition of the two-mile Henry II (G3) at Sandown, Trawlerman made all the running in the Gold Cup and found plenty left in the homestretch to power clear and defeat Illinois by seven lengths in 4:15.02, a course record. Dubai Future finished another seven lengths back in third place, followed by Sweet William, Coltrane, Candelari, Yashin, and Wonder Legend.

John and Thady Gosden train the seven-year-old son of Golden Horn, and William Buick was in the saddle.

“Trawlerman just goes off. I said to William 'what did you do?' and he said, 'I threw the reins at him, he can judge pace better than me', and off they went together and picked it up from five out,” said John Gosden. “He is an out-and-out galloper, and William judged it perfectly—it is not an easy thing to do over two and a half miles.

“He ran Kyprios to a length last year, and they were both all out. I think he deserved, with Kyprios not here, to come back and show that he is a proper horse. We like the Cup races and those lovely staying horses.”

Gosden indicated Trawlerman will likely be aimed for a defense of his Gold Cup title in 2026.

“I think he should be aimed at coming back next year, and he shouldn’t be over-raced at all in between,” said Gosden. “Do not be surprised if you don’t see him again until the Henry II next year. That could be a reality. I will discuss it with Sheikh Mohammed, but he doesn't need to be going to all these races. He might come back here in the autumn [for the British Champions Long Distance Cup (G2)], he’s won that before, and then put him away.”

Hampton Court (G3)

O’Brien and Moore returned to the winner’s circle following the Hampton Court. They teamed up to win the 1 1/4-mile race for three-year-olds with Trinity College, giving them three group stakes wins on the day.

Dropping in class off a close fourth-place finish in the Prix du Jockey Club (G1) in France, Trinity College found the Group 3 level more manageable. Moore sent the 2-1 favorite straight to the lead while tracked by Tornado Alert, and the order of the top two finishers never changed. Trinity College held plenty in reserve for the homestretch, and the son of Dubawi pulled clear to defeat Tornado Alert by 3 1/2 lengths in 2:04.30.

“Ryan gave Trinity College a beautiful ride,” said O’Brien. “He had him in a lovely rhythm and, when he started getting him to move, he really kept going to the line, so you would be very happy with him now.”

Glittering Legend, Tiberius Thunder, Great David, Sea Scout, Arabian Force, Reyenzi, Emit, Detain, Stardrop, and High Stock chased home the top pair. Al Shababi and Jackknife scratched.

Friday is the penultimate day of racing at the 2025 Royal Ascot meet. A quartet of group stakes, including the Commonwealth Cup (G1) and Coronation (G1), are on the agenda.