Ascot Gold Cup

The 2021 Ascot Gold Cup is a Listed 1800m event held at Ascot Racecourse in Perth each November.

2021 Ascot Gold Cup Results

  • 1st: #8 Midnight Blue
  • 2nd: #7 Bad Wolf
  • 3rd: #10 Playing Marika



The Ascot Gold Cup is a Listed 1800m event held at Ascot Racecourse in Perth at the beginning of the Perth Summer Racing Carnival in mid-November on WA Champion Fillies Stakes Day.

Open to all horses aged three years and older, the Ascot Gold Cup is a quality handicap event that cannot be missed serving as an early lead-up to the coveted Group 2 Perth Cup (2400m) run around New Year’s.

With $125,000 prize money on offer, the Ascot Gold Cup field is held alongside the Group 3 Champion Fillies Stakes, Group 3 Colonel Reeves Stakes and Group 3 R.J. Peters Stakes races at Ascot.

Following the Ascot Gold Cup, many of the better types will have their sights set on the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) or other equivalent feature races.

In 2020 the Ascot Gold Cup winner Too Close The Sun ran a next-up second in the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m).

The 2021 Ascot Gold Cup was held on Saturday November 13, 2021 and won by the favourite Midnight Blue ($3.60F). 

Ascot Gold Cup 2021
Date: Saturday November 13, 2021
Track: Ascot Racecourse
Distance: 1800m
Race Type: 3YO+ Qlty
Status: Listed
Prizemoney: $125,000

2021 Ascot Gold Cup Results

  • 1st: #8 Midnight Blue ($3.60F)
  • 2nd: #7 Bad Wolf
  • 3rd: #10 Playing Marika
Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
1 8 MIDNIGHT BLUE Grant & Alana Williams William Pike 3 54kg $3.60F
2 7 BAD WOLF Ashley Maley Ryan Hill 1.52L 1 54kg $12
3 10 PLAYING MARIKA Stephanie Bakranich Steven Parnham 2.33L 5 54kg $18
4 12 STAFFORD’S LAD Daniel Morton Joseph Azzopardi 2.63L 13 54kg $101
5 11 POULTON LE SANDS Alan Mathews Patrick Carbery 3.27L 6 54kg $26
6 1 PADDY’S SHADOW Raquel Williams Shaun O’Donnell 4.29L 11 58kg $81
7 9 MR DELEGATOR Todd Harvey Brad Parnham 4.5L 9 54kg $3.90
8 5 MEDIA BARON David Harrison Ms Kyra Yuill 4.84L 10 55kg $21
9 4 MAROCCHINO Lou Luciani Jason Whiting 4.94L 7 57kg $11
10 2 TAXAGANO Fred Kersley Brad Rawiller 5.18L 2 58kg $10
11 13 TEMPTACION Daniel Morton Chris Parnham 6.63L 4 54kg $6
12 3 ROYAL COMMAND Adam Durrant Clint Johnston-Porter 8.06L 12 57.5kg $26
13 6 UTGARD LOKI Adam Durrant Peter Knuckey 8.23L 8 55kg $61

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2021 Ascot Gold Cup Betting

Betting on the Ascot Gold Cup is open the week of the race following acceptances with links to the markets at Ladbrokes.com.au to be provided below.

Too Close The Sun ($2.20 in 2020) followed by Midnight Blue ($3.60 in 2021) are the latest favourites in Ascot Gold Cup betting to salute for the punters.

2021 Ascot Gold Cup Field

The Ascot Gold Cup field usually attracts a fairly diverse range of runners. While there is rarely a maximum capacity Ascot Gold Cup field, you can still get some quality types squaring off. However, many trainers enter their horses into the Ascot Gold Cup field as a means of returning them to race fitness prior to stepping up in class to contest the major feature events of the Perth Summer Racing Carnival.

The 2021 Ascot Gold Cup field is released the Wednesday of race week and will be published in full below.

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 475312x06x PADDY’S SHADOW Raquel Williams Shaun O’Donnell 11 58kg 95
2 48x0804x86 TAXAGANO Fred Kersley Brad Rawiller 2 58kg 95
3 020x2310x0 ROYAL COMMAND Adam Durrant Clint Johnston-Porter 12 57.5kg 94
4 5211111×67 MAROCCHINO Lou Luciani Jason Whiting 7 57kg 93
5 5127×47447 MEDIA BARON David Harrison Ms Kyra Yuill 10 55kg 89
6 28320543×9 UTGARD LOKI Adam Durrant Peter Knuckey 8 55kg 89
7 4034112563 BAD WOLF Ashley Maley Ryan Hill 1 54kg 80
8 x2411233x4 MIDNIGHT BLUE Grant & Alana Williams William Pike 3 54kg 85
9 50×6132511 MR DELEGATOR Todd Harvey Brad Parnham 9 54kg 83
10 458314×751 PLAYING MARIKA Stephanie Bakranich Steven Parnham 5 54kg 83
11 x805403x55 POULTON LE SANDS Alan Mathews Patrick Carbery 6 54kg 63
12 6224132526 STAFFORD’S LAD Daniel Morton Joseph Azzopardi 13 54kg 72
13 1132×55631 TEMPTACION Daniel Morton Chris Parnham 4 54kg 78

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

Ascot Gold Cup History

The Ascot Gold Cup has had a fairly long and healthy history of racing at Ascot Racecourse.

It has almost always been known as the Ascot Gold Cup, with the exception of 1983, ’84 and ’85 when it was known as the Penfold’s Gold Cup. It held the WATC prefix until 2011, when the Western Australian Turf Club became Perth Racing.

Originally held over 11 furlongs, the race distance was adjusted to 2400m in 1973. In 1979 it was dropped to 2200m, and then dropped again to 2100m in 1982. In 1983 and 1984 the Ascot Gold Cup returned to 2400m, before dropping again to 2200m in 1985. It held that distance until 2007 (with the exception of 1997, when it ran at 1800m) before changing to the modern 1800m distance. Holding the race over 1800m opens the Ascot Gold Cup up to a lot more horses so early in the carnival, and allows it to be more widely used as a preparatory race.

A Principal race until 1979, the Ascot Gold Cup has held listed status since the group system came into play.

Notable Ascot Gold Cup winners include Royal Coral (1965), Kabooki (1973), Swift Knight (1982), Flying Grau (1994), Cat In A Hat (2007) and Pop Culture (2012). Ascot Gold Cup results, place getters and winning times since 2000 are provided below.

Ascot Gold Cup Results

Year Place Horse Time
2021
Ascot Gold Cup
1st Midnight Blue 1 minute 47.98 seconds
2nd Bad Wolf
3rd Playing Marika
2020
Ascot Gold Cup
1st Too Close The Sun 1 minute 54.25 seconds
2nd Utgard Loki
3rd Royal Command
2019
Ascot Gold Cup
1st Taxagano 1 minute 50.35 seconds
2nd Forceful
3rd Missile Launch
2018
Ascot Gold Cup
1st Prize Catch 1 minute 50.22 seconds
2nd Elegant Blast
3rd Dark Musket
2017
Ascot Gold Cup
1st Gatting 1 minute 52.07 seconds
2nd Dark Alert
3rd Ihtsahymn
2016
Ascot Gold Cup
1st Tonto 1 minute 51.08 seconds
2nd Bedamijo
3rd Dark Alert
2015
Ascot Gold Cup
1st Drive West 1 minute 49.34 seconds
2nd Young Lionel
3rd Rebelson
2014
Ascot Gold Cup
1st Pop Culture 1 minute 50.30 seconds
2nd Rebelson
3rd Fancy Feet
2013
Ascot Gold Cup
1st Moonlight Bay 1 minute 49.45 seconds
2nd Finnegans Gold
3rd Doutable
2012
Ascot Gold Cup
1st Pop Culture 1 minute 50.43 seconds
2nd Rosie Rocket
3rd Moonlight Bay
2011
Ascot Gold Cup
1st Rocky Range 1 minute 50.24 seconds
2nd Gum Nut Guru
3rd Mega Steel
2010
Ascot Gold Cup
1st Colour Correct 1 minute 51.47 seconds
2nd West River Charley
3rd Mighty Rossa
2009

Ascot Gold Cup

1st Corporate Sam 1 minute 50.97 seconds
2nd Mikaldico
3rd Geyser Peak
2008

Ascot Gold Cup

1st Sentenza 1 minute 49.32 seconds
2nd Upgrade
3rd Mikaldico
2007

Ascot Gold Cup

1st Cat In A Hat 2 minutes 14.89 seconds
2nd Black Douglas
3rd Rossam
2006

Ascot Gold Cup

1st Zero Engagement 2 minutes 17.09 seconds
2nd Woodala
3rd Master Vision
2005

Ascot Gold Cup

1st My Thornbird 2 minutes 15.80 seconds
2nd Blevvo
3rd Power Mak
2004

Ascot Gold Cup

1st True Steel 2 minutes 17.49 seconds
2nd Laetare
3rd Zakarak
2003

Ascot Gold Cup

1st Desert Dreamer 2 minutes 16.03 seconds
2nd True Steel
3rd Bold Mirage
2002

Ascot Gold Cup

1st Alibi Bay 2 minutes 16.28 seconds
2nd Mr Tambourineman
3rd Dynaliebe
2001

Ascot Gold Cup

1st Special Jester 2 minutes 19.87 seconds
2nd So Canny
3rd Master Clan
2000

Ascot Gold Cup

1st National Surprise 2 minutes 16.02 seconds
2nd Zaruche
3rd Lottila Bay

Spring Racing

Military Mission Fires in 2023...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field �...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field & Odds Update: Vow And Declare Defends Title

Danny O’Brien’s 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare continues to show a...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbott...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbottom Stakes Field & Betting Markets

Bjron Baker’s The Everest performer Overpass is tipped to return to winning...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 R...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 Race Field & Betting

The Chris Waller-trained Pierro four-year-old Osipenko is firm favourite in...

2023 Railway Stakes Field ...

2023 Railway Stakes Field & Betting Update: Tuvalu Narrow Favourite

The Lindsey Smith-trained top-weight Tuvalu is narrow favourite in the latest...

Horse Racing Today

2024 The Galaxy Results: Zapat...

Golden Slipper Results 2024: L...

Golden Slipper Results 2024: Lady Of Camelot Beats Coleman, Storm Boy Third

Co-trainer Gai Waterhouse extended her record to eight victories in the 2024...

Imperatriz Defends Title in 20...

Imperatriz Defends Title in 2024 William Reid Stakes

Imperatriz made history celebrating her 10th Group 1 when going back-to-back...

2024 George Ryder Stakes Winne...

2024 George Ryder Stakes Winner Veight Beats Older Rivals

Veight joined an elite list of three-year-olds to beat home the older horses...

Rosehill Guineas 2024 Results:...

Rosehill Guineas 2024 Results: Riff Rocket Flies Home Late Ahead of ATC Derby

Chris Waller’s VRC Derby winner from the spring, Riff Rocket, now has the...

Race Results

2024 The Galaxy Results: Zapateo Upsets Sunshine In Paris

Golden Slipper Results 2024: Lady Of Camelot Beats Coleman, Storm Boy Third

Imperatriz Defends Title in 2024 William Reid Stakes

2024 George Ryder Stakes Winner Veight Beats Older Rivals

Rosehill Guineas 2024 Results: Riff Rocket Flies Home Late Ahead of ATC Derby

Race Previews

UK Raider Post Impressionist Heads Tancred Stakes Field & Odds

2024 Australian Cup Field & Betting Update: Pride Of Jenni v Mr Brightside

Golden Slipper 2024 Tips & Betting Update

The Galaxy 2024 Race Field & Odds: Ozzmosis Leads Betting on Slipper Day Sprint

2024 Rosehill Guineas Field & Betting Update: Riff Rocket Set to Take Off

Fields & Form

UK Raider Post Impressionist Heads Tancred Stakes Field & Odds

2024 Australian Cup Field & Betting Update: Pride Of Jenni v Mr Brightside

Golden Slipper 2024 Tips & Betting Update

The Galaxy 2024 Race Field & Odds: Ozzmosis Leads Betting on Slipper Day Sprint

2024 Rosehill Guineas Field & Betting Update: Riff Rocket Set to Take Off