2026 Victoria Cup Betting Tips
The third race on Saturday's Ascot card is the Victoria Cup and it will be contested by a large field. There's not much to distinguish the favourites in terms of price, although Mudbir has shown some strong previous form. There were wins at Chelmsford, Sandown Park and Goodwood last year, although the more recent effort was only seventh at the same track.
Power Fizz has a few wins to his name, with William Haggas no stranger to success at Ascot. The horse returned for the new campaign with a victory on the all-weather. The 2/1 favourite was able to score at Newcastle Racecourse and there was also a win at Ascot back in May. That was over seven furlongs and this is definitely one for the shortlist.
Shiplake has two recent wins to his name and the latest came in the new season. Kevin Philippart De Foy saddles a runner who was last seen winning at Southwell in January. That came after previously triumphing at the same track. This is an experienced four-year-old who will be carrying one of the lowest weights and further improvement could be on the cards.
Trainer Hamad El Jehani has a couple of lively chances for this encounter and that includes Defence Minister. The horse appeared for the new season when winning at Kempton Park on the all-weather at the end of March. The 9/4 favourite ran well after previously finishing ninth out of sixteen runners at Doncaster. Perhaps the horse is now back on an upward trajectory.
2025 Victoria Cup Betting Tips
Qirat makes a seasonal debut in the Victoria Cup and the four-year-old could run a blinder for Ralph Beckett. There was a second-placed finish out of seven horses at Nottingham at the end of October. This came after a really smart showing at Ascot at the beginning of this months, with the 100/30 shot travelling well on soft ground over seven furlongs.
Roi De France could be a prime contender for John & Thady Gosden, with the four-year-old having produced all his efforts on an all-weather surface. The horse was last seen finishing second out of fourteen horses at Newcastle in mid-April and this came after a third-placed finish out of nine horses at Kempton.
Myal was able to oblige in his previous performance and there was lots to like about the effort which came at Haydock Park recently. Sent off at odds of 3/1, the market leader achieved a slender victory over seven furlongs at Haydock Park. That came after a bright showing at Doncaster Racecourse where the horse was third out of twenty-one horses.
Gleneagle Bay is a five-year-old who also has solid credentials, with Stephen Thorne one of the horses carrying less weight and there could be a bold showing at Ascot on Saturday. The runner was last seen finishing fifth out of twenty-seven at the Curragh, with this coming after a runner-up performance at the beginning of November.
2023 Victoria Cup Tips
George Boughey is the trainer of Ascot Victoria Cup favourite Baradar, with Kevin Stott on board a horse who seems reasonably well-weighted, with the horse finishing third in the competitive Pertemps Network Lincoln at Doncaster racecourse, with this performance being fairly impressive and that came over one mile on heavy ground.
Last November, the horse was successful at Doncaster when winning over seven furlongs on heavy ground, with Kingdom Come coming next in the betting market. Clive Cox must be quietly confident that his horse will secure the spoils considering that there have been three consecutive wins on the all-weather surface at Kempton Park.
The horse was sent off at even money in a recent handicap over seven furlongs, with this race taking place in early April and that came after a six furlong win over the same distance although this is a big step up for a four-year-old who is trading fractionally shorter in the horse racing odds when it comes to the likes of Fresh and Vafortino.
Fresh is a six-year-old who was fifth in a handicap over six furlongs at Kempton, with the horse running pretty well at an enormous price when finishing midfield in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes, with this coming on good to soft ground over six furlongs. Vafortino finished second at Newmarket and the five-year-old is also one to watch.