2023 Ascot Gold Cup Tips - Former winner represents excellent value

Here's our free guide to the 2023 Ascot Gold Cup, including our best betting tips.

You can find the latest odds for the Ascot Gold Cup here on our website.

With Kyprios out injured and Stradivarius retired to stud, this year's Ascot Gold Cup is lacking in star quality. Coltrane, while admirably consistent, would be a 7/1 or 8/1 shot in most other years, and I feel he's very gettable at the head of the market.

The conundrum we're now posed with is, do you side with potential or take a chance on a proven stayer returning to form? Eldar Eldarov looks a little short in the market for me. As does Courage Mon Ami, who's been overbet due to the Frankie Dettori factor.

I've come down on the side of SUBJECTIVIST, who demolished his rivals when winning this race for Mark Johnston in 2021.

Subjectivist then missed the next 18 months through injury, making his highly anticipated comeback against the slightly surprising backdrop of Riyadh racecourse earlier this year. Joe Fanning's mount was always going to struggle to carry 9-11 from a wide draw in the Red Sea Turf Handicap and it was no surprise to see Subjectivist beat just one rival home having barely landed a blow.

A month later in the Dubai Gold Cup, Subjectivist produced a much-improved performance, where he was relegated back to second by Broome and Siskany on the run to the line. A return to the Gold Cup has been the plan ever since that effort and Charlie Johnston has maintained a 25% strike rate with his runners over the past month. 

Johnston's star is the only genuine front-runner in the field, which should allow the in-form Joe Fanning the chance to dictate the tempo like he did to great effect in 2021. If Subjectivist can replicate the performance we saw two years ago, or run anywhere close to that level, then he should be there or thereabouts.

If you want to watch Thursday's main event live on your mobile or tablet, then check out our 2023 Ascot Gold Cup Live Stream page.