It took a photo to separate them. When the judge called it, Scandinavia had beaten Trawlerman by a head, and in doing so handed Aidan O’Brien his 100th Royal Ascot winner.
The Gold Cup, run over 2 miles 3 furlongs 210 yards on Good to Firm ground on Thursday 18 June, was everything a flagship race should be. The defending champion chased by an unbeaten streak. A pacemaker setting up the race for one and ending up second. The finish line arriving just in time for the right horse.
Ryan Moore had Scandinavia settled in third position throughout the two miles, tracking Trawlerman, who set the pace. That was the plan. Trawlerman, the 2025 Gold Cup winner, had come into this race without a prep run for the season. He wore ski goggles in the paddock to protect his sensitive eyes from the sunlight. He travelled well, he set a strong gallop, and he held his advantage all the way down the straight.
But Scandinavia was not done. Moore pressed in the final furlong and Scandinavia, winner of his last six races, the last two at Group 1 level, wore Trawlerman down in the final strides. A head. Photo. Landmark.
O’Brien’s Century
The numbers around Aidan O’Brien’s record at Royal Ascot are remarkable. This was his 100th winner at the meeting and his 10th success in the Gold Cup specifically. No trainer in history has won the Gold Cup more times. For Moore, it was another major winner at the meeting that has defined his partnership with O’Brien over two decades.
The Winner
Scandinavia is a Kentucky-bred by Justify and has now won seven of his 11 starts. His last six have all been victories — a streak that includes the Goodwood Cup last July and the St Leger Stakes at Doncaster in September. He arrived at this Gold Cup as the horse most likely to end Trawlerman’s reign, and he delivered.
The question now is where O’Brien targets him next. The Goodwood Cup in late July, where Scandinavia won last season, is the obvious summer target. He has shown he can handle different distances and conditions. This horse is not finished.
The Beaten Horse
Trawlerman ran with immense credit for a horse returning from an absence. The Gosden yard’s decision to go straight to the Gold Cup without a prep run was a calculated gamble, and it very nearly paid off. The defending champion held every position he was asked to hold until the final few strides when Scandinavia simply had more in reserve. Sweet William, also trained by John and Thady Gosden, finished third.
Trawlerman will have options later in the season if connections choose to campaign him, and his run here suggests his 2025 form was no fluke.
On the Drift
Trawlerman went off as the 5-2 favourite on the morning of the race. Scandinavia came in at slightly longer odds for those who backed the form. The market respected the defending champion’s credentials more than the absence of a prep run suggested it should. The result offers a useful lesson: fitness is one element, class and a race-hardened winning streak are another.
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