Royal Hunt Cup

Handicap race
Royal Hunt Cup

Location	Ascot Racecourse Ascot, England
Inaugurated	1843
Race type	Flat / Thoroughbred
Website	Ascot
Race information
Distance	1 mile (1,609 metres)
Track	Turf, straight
Qualification	Three-years-old and up
Weight	Handicap
Purse	£100,000 (2011) 1st: £62,310

The Royal Hunt Cup is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.

Contents 1 History 2 Records 3 Winners since 1980 4 Earlier winners 5 See also 6 References

History

The event was established in 1843, and it was originally contested on a right-handed course over 7 furlongs and 166 yards. The inaugural running was won by Knight of the Whistle, with a triple dead-heat for second between Bourra Tomacha, Epaulette and Garry Owen.

The race's distance was shortened to 7 furlongs and 155 yards in 1930, and it was extended to its present length in 1956. It is now run on a straight course, and it usually features a large field.

The Royal Hunt Cup is currently held on the second day of the five-day Royal Ascot meeting. It is one of three perpetual trophies at the meeting, along with the Gold Cup and the Queen's Vase, which can be kept permanently by the winning owners.

Records

Most successful horse (2 wins):

• Master Vote – 1947, 1948

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Leading jockey (4 wins):

• Charles Wood – Thuringian Prince (1875), The Mandarin (1879), Elzevir (1883), Gay Hermit (1887)
• Lester Piggott – Spaniard's Close (1963), Casabianca (1965), Kamundu (1969), Jumping Hill (1976)

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Leading trainer (5 wins):

• James Jewitt – Sweetbread (1882), Elzevir (1883), Shillelagh (1888), Suspender (1892), Knight of the Thistle (1897)

Winners since 1980

• Weights given in stones and pounds.

Year	Winner	Age	Weight	Jockey	Trainer	SP	Time
1980	Tender Heart	4	9-00	Joe Mercer	John Sutcliffe, Jr.	1006.5 13/2
1981	Teamwork	4	8-06	Greville Starkey	Guy Harwood	1008 8/1
1982	Buzzards Bay	4	8-12	Joe Mercer	Hugh Collingridge	1014 14/1
1983	Mighty Fly	4	9-03	Steve Cauthen	David Elsworth	1012 12/1
1984	Hawkley	4	8-06	Tyrone Williams	Patrick Haslam	1010 10/1
1985	Come On The Blues	6	8-02	Chris Rutter	Clive Brittain	1014 14/1
1986	Patriach	4	7-12	Richard Quinn	John Dunlop	1020 20/1	1:39.55
1987	Vague Shot	4	9-05	Steve Cauthen	Robert Williams	1010 10/1	1:46.53
1988	Governorship	4	9-06	John Reid	Charlie Nelson	1033 33/1	1:40.96
1989	True Panache	4	9-04	Pat Eddery	Jeremy Tree	1005 5/1 F	1:40.92
1990	Pontenuovo	5	7-07	Gary Bardwell	David Elsworth	1050 50/1	1:40.18
1991	Eurolink the Lad	4	8-09	John Reid	John Dunlop	1025 25/1	1:42.75
1992	Colour Sergeant	4	7-08	David Harrison	Lord Huntingdon	1020 20/1	1:38.07
1993	Imperial Ballet	4	8-12	Pat Eddery	Henry Cecil	1020 20/1	1:47.40
1994	Face North	6	8-03	Alan Munro	Reg Akehurst	1025 25/1	1:41.46
1995	Realities	5	9-00	Michael Kinane	Guy Harwood	1011 11/1	1:40.08
1996	Yeast	4	8-06	Kieren Fallon	William Haggas	1008 8/1 F	1:39.39
1997	Red Robbo	4	8-06	Olivier Peslier	Reg Akehurst	1016 16/1	1:40.30
1998	Refuse to Lose	4	7-11	Jason Tate	James Eustace	1020 20/1	1:43.21
1999	Showboat	5	8-06	Neil Pollard	Barry Hills	1014 14/1	1:38.59
2000	Caribbean Monarch	5	8-10	Kieren Fallon	Sir Michael Stoute	1005.5 11/2	1:41.91
2001	Surprise Encounter	5	8-09	Frankie Dettori	Ed Dunlop	1008 8/1	1:40.27
2002	Norton	5	8-09	Jimmy Fortune	Terry Mills	1025 25/1	1:40.31
2003	Macadamia	4	8-13	Dane O'Neill	James Fanshawe	1008 8/1	1:39.87
2004	Mine	6	9-05	Richard Quinn	James Bethell	1016 16/1	1:40.85
2005	New Seeker [a]	5	9-00	Philip Robinson	Clive Cox	1011 11/1	1:37.54
2006	Cesare	5	8-08	Jamie Spencer	James Fanshawe	1014 14/1	1:40.62
2007	Royal Oath	4	9-00	Jimmy Fortune	John Gosden	1009 9/1	1:39.78
2008	Mr Aviator	4	9-05	Richard Hughes	Richard Hannon	1025 25/1	1:39.63
2009	Forgotten Voice	4	9-01	Johnny Murtagh	Jeremy Noseda	1004 4/1 F	1:40.41
2010	Invisible Man	4	8-09	Frankie Dettori	Saeed bin Suroor	1028 28/1	1:37.16
2011	Julienas	4	8-08	Eddie Ahern	Walter Swinburn	1012 12/1	1:38.53

^a The 2005 running took place at York.

Earlier winners

* The race was run at Newbury in 1941.

See also

• Horseracing in Great Britain
• List of British flat horse races

References

• Racing Post:
  • 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
  • 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
  • 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

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• galopp-sieger.de – Royal Hunt Cup.
• pedigreequery.com – Royal Hunt Cup – Ascot.
• Abelson, Edward; John Tyrrel (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books. pp. 81–83. ISBN 1-873626-15-0.