Ascot Gold Cup
Group 1, Ascot 16:25 £375,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 4f, Class 1
Thursday 19th June 2014

1 Leading Light 10/11F
2 Estimate 8/1
3 Missunited 40/1
NR: Pale Mimosa (IRE), Tac De Boistron (FR)
13 ran Distances: nk, shd, 4½l
TIME 4m 21.09s (slow by 1.09s)

What a race! Leading Light is the Gold Cup champion for 2014 at Royal Ascot. Massive run from Missunited.

Leading Light edges thrilling Gold Cup to become only the 3rd St Leger winner to follow up in 100 yrs.

The Queen's Estimate was later disqualified from her second place

Leading Light
© Caroline Norris

A stunning renewal of the Gold Cup will be remembered for a brilliant ride by Joseph O'Brien on the winner, Leading Light.

Niggling his mount before the home turn, O'Brien responded as The Queen's runner Estimate, ridden by Ryan Moore, manoeuvred into position as the bend unfolded.

Estimate
© Caroline Norris

Estimate came alongside on Leading Light's inner, going slightly better and apparently bound to take a vital advantage, but O'Brien galvanised his willing partner and kept Estimate from pulling around the weakening Brown Panther. Moore was forced to switch inside and squeeze through a gap between that Brown Panther and leader Missunited, while Leading Light enjoyed a clear run on the outside.

He wandered left before straightening in the final furlong, but did enough to prevail by a neck and a short-head from Estimate and Missunited.

The winning jockey said modestly: "When you win, it's a good ride. They say that there is no such thing as a bad winning ride. When you have a tough horse on your side it's easier.

"Ryan was looking for a bit of room, as he was well entitled to, and I was well entitled to keep the room I had. When I got to the front, my horse had a little look and he just wandered a little bit left, probably because he was getting tired. I was rowing away on him but I had some left and I was trying to hold off using my whip for as long as I could. Ryan gave me a little help when he was on my inside by pushing me along a bit.

"My fellow is as tough as nails, but I think his optimum trip is probably a mile and three-quarters to two miles. At that trip he would have a bit more zip at the end, but he's as tough as old boots and keeps pulling it out. I was always holding on.

"It's a brilliant feeling to win this race - unbelievable. Ryan is probably the best jockey in the world, and I've finished behind him on many occasions."

Sep 25 The Queen's Estimate was disqualified from her second place following a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel hearing in London on September 25.

A post-race sample containing morphine had been produced by Estimate, although trainer Sir Michael Stoute did not face a penalty as the source of the positive test had been found to be contaminated feed, with the BHA satisfied all reasonable precautions had been taken to avoid any breach of the rules.

Despite that, the Rules of Racing state that horses producing a positive sample for a prohibited substance should be disqualified from relevant races.

Stoute's Russian Realm was ninth in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at the Royal fixture and was another to be disqualified.

The BHA tweeted: "The horses have been disqualified from the races in question. No financial penalty has been imposed upon the trainer."

Gold Cup (British Champions Series)
£375,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 4f, Class 1
13 ran
Going: Good to Firm, Good in places

THE GOLD CUP - Past Results

2013-WINNER-ESTIMATE 4-8-11 Owner-The Queen; Trainer-Sir Michael Stoute; Jockey-Ryan Moore; SP-7/2 Fav
2ND-Simenon 6-9-02 Owner-Wicklow Bloodstock Limited; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Johnny Murtagh; SP-5/1
3RD-Top Trip 4-9-00 Owner-J Vasicek; Trainer-Francois Doumen FR; Jockey-Mickael Barzalona; SP-7/1
14 ran; Time-4m 20.51s; Dist-nk, 1

2012-WINNER-COLOUR VISION 4-9-00 Owner-Godolphin; Trainer-Saeed bin Suroor; Jockey-Frankie Dettori; SP-6/1
2ND-Opinion Poll 6-9-02 Owner-Godolphin; Trainer-Mahmood Al Zarooni; Jockey-Mickael Barzalona; SP-5/1
3RD-Saddler’s Rock 4-9-00 Owner-Michael O’Flynn; Trainer-John Oxx IRE; Jockey-Johnny Murtagh; SP-9/2
9 ran; Time-4m 42.05s; Dist-½, nk 4/5 Fav Fame And Glory (7th)

2011-WINNER-FAME AND GLORY 5-9-02 Owner-Derrick Smith/Sue Magnier/Michael Tabor/Fitri Hay; Trainer-Aidan
O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Jamie Spencer; SP-11/8 Fav
2ND-Opinion Poll 5-9-02 Owner-Godolphin; Trainer-Mahmood Al Zarooni; Jockey-Mickael Barzalona; SP-16/1
3RD-Brigantin 4-9-00 Owner-Team Valor; Trainer-Andre Fabre FR; Jockey-Pierre-Charles Boudot; SP-16/1
15 ran; Time-4m 37.51s; Dist-3, 4½

2010-WINNER-RITE OF PASSAGE 6-9-02 Owner-Dr Ronan Lambe; Trainer-Dermot Weld IRE; Jockey-Pat Smullen;
SP-20/1
2ND-Age Of Aquarius 4-9-00 Owner-Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Eduard Mordukhovitch; Trainer-Aidan
O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Johnny Murtagh; SP-8/1
3RD-Purple Moon 7-9-02 Owner-Craig Bennett; Trainer-Luca Cumani; Jockey-Kieren Fallon; SP-12/1
12 ran; Time-4m 16.92s; Dist-nk, 6 11/4 Fav Ask (5th)

2009-WINNER-YEATS 8-9-02 Owner-Sue Magnier & Diane Nagle; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Johnny Murtagh;
SP-6/4 Fav
2ND-Patkai 4-9-00 Owner-Ballymacoll Stud; Trainer-Sir Michael Stoute; Jockey-Ryan Moore; SP-9/2
3RD-Geordieland 8-9-02 Owner-A Taylor, K Conlan, D Carberry; Trainer-Jamie Osborne; Jockey-Shane Kelly; SP-11/4
9 ran; Time-4m 20.73s; Dist-3½, 15

2008-WINNER-YEATS 7-9-02 Owner-Sue Magnier & Diane Nagle; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Johnny Murtagh;
SP-11/8 Fav
2ND-Geordieland 7-9-02 Owner-Mountgrange Stud; Trainer-Jamie Osborne; Jockey-Shane Kelly; SP-15/2
3RD-Coastal Path 4-9-00 Owner-Khalid Abdullah; Trainer-Andre Fabre-FR; Jockey-Stephane Pasquier; SP-2/1
10 ran, Time-4m 21.14s, Dist-5, 4½,

2007-WINNER-YEATS 6-9-02 Owner-Sue Magnier & Diane Nagle; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Michael Kinane;
SP-8/13 Fav
2ND-Geordieland 6-9-02 Owner-Mountgrange Stud; Trainer-Jamie Osborne; Jockey-Jamie Spencer; SP-12/1
3RD-Le Miracle 6-9-02 Owner-Gestut Hachtsee; Trainer-Werner Baltromei GER; Jockey-Dominique Boeuf; SP-50/1
14 ran, Time 4m 20.78s, Dist 1½, 3½

2006-WINNER-YEATS 5-9-02 Owner-Sue Magnier & Diane Nagle; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Kieren Fallon;
SP-7/1
2ND-Reefscape 5-9-02 Owner-Khalid Abdullah; Trainer-Andre Fabre FR; Jockey-Christophe Soumillon; SP-100/30
3RD-Distinction 7-9-02 Owner-Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Ltd; Trainer-Sir Michael Stoute; Jockey-Michael Kinane;
SP-5/2 Fav
12 ran, Time-4m 20.45s, Dist-4, hd

2005-WINNER-WESTERNER 6-9-02 Owner-Ecurie Wildenstein; Trainer-Elie Lellouche FR; Jockey-Olivier Peslier; SP-7/4
Fav
2ND-Distinction 6-9-00 Owner-Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Ltd; Trainer-Sir Michael Stoute; Jockey-Johnny Murtagh;
SP-33/1
3RD-Vinnie Roe 7-9-02 Owner-Seamus Sheridan; Trainer-Dermot Weld IRE; Jockey-Pat Smullen; SP-9/2
17 ran, Time-4m 19.49s, Dist- nk, 5 (Run at York)

2004-WINNER-PAPINEAU 4-9-00 Owner-Godolphin; Trainer-Saeed bin Suroor; Jockey-Frankie Dettori; SP-5/1
2ND-Westerner 5-9-02 Owner-Ecurie Wildenstein; Trainer: Elie Lellouche FR; Jockey-Gerald Mosse; SP-13/2
3RD-Darasim 6-9-02 Owner-Markus Graff; Trainer-Mark Johnston; Jockey-Joe Fanning; SP-28/1
13 ran, Time-4m 20.90s, Dist-1½, 2½ 5/4 Fav Mr Dinos (6th)

2003-WINNER-MR DINOS 4-9-00 Owner-Constantinos Shiacolas; Trainer-Paul Cole; Jockey-Kieren Fallon; SP-3/1
2ND-Persian Punch 10-9-02 Owner-Jeff Smith; Trainer-David Elsworth; Jockey-Martin Dwyer; SP-20/1
3RD-Pole Star 5-9-02 Owner-D I Russell; Trainer-James Fanshawe; Jockey-Pat Eddery; SP-12/1
12 ran, Time: 4m 20.15s, Dist-6, ¾ 5/2 Fav Mamool (5th)