Gold Cup Stakes 2017: Sweet each-way selection

Aidan O’Brien has dominated this race in recent years, winning seven of the last 11 renewals, and he seemingly holds all of the aces this year too with Order of St George. The relatively lightly-raced five-year-old has the potential to dominate the staying division for some time – just like his stablemate Yeats did between 2006 and 2009 – and he won his first Ascot Gold Cup last year in most impressive fashion.

Although he failed to win on his return at Navan in April, he proved much sharper when winning a listed race at Leopardstown for the second year running last month, not having to be anywhere near his best, but doing it in clear-cut fashion. He took that race on his way to Royal Ascot last year and he is rightly a short-priced favourite to make it successive wins in this year’s renewal, though he has been turned over at short odds more than once, so it could pay to seek out an each-way wager.  

The obvious starting point is second favourite Vazirabad, who won the Dubai Gold Cup in March and has since followed up in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at Chantilly. The latter race was run at a very slow pace (three-runner race) and he did well considering it turned into a speed test, but at odds of 1/5 it would have been most disappointing had he not prevailed. He’s a classy performer on his day, and stays well, though there is little juice in his price as a result.

Simple Verse was a very smart three-year-old (won back-to-back Group 1s), and she returned to that level when winning the Park Hill Stakes in September. Her second-place finish in the Yorkshire Cup shows she has returned as good as ever and, though she isn’t sure to stay this extreme trip on pedigree, she will likely stay 2m, and will be an interesting runner if taking her chance.

The quirky but very talented Sheikhzayedroad beat several of these – including Order of St George – when winning the Long Distance Cup here in October, and he performed creditably out in Dubai earlier this year. He ran right up to his best when third in this race last year after a similar preparation and he needs respecting again.

Michael Bell’s Big Orange made all to win the Henry II Stakes at Sandown last time, having the run of the race against lesser rivals, but still doing it in style, and that will set him up perfectly for a tilt at this, where a similar sort of ride could well pay dividends. He has never gone beyond 2m in his career, but he shapes as though he’s likely to stay 2½m.

Sweet Selection enjoyed a fantastic campaign last year, rising through the handicap and winning four of her seven starts, including the Cesarewitch at Newmarket. However, she returned better than ever when winning the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot last month on her return, and she is clearly set to be a contender in the top staying races this season. She is normally ridden prominently, which can be an advantage on the round course at Ascot and, on a steep upward curve at present, it’s hard to say she won’t find the requisite improvement to have a big say.  Freely available at 16/1 in the betting at present, she looks the each-way play.

 Recommendation:

Back Sweet Selection each way for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot at 16/1