The Royal Hunt Cup is a
flat handicap horse race
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...
in Great Britain open to horses 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.
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
The Queen's Vase is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old horses. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 6 furlongs and 34 yards (2,847 metres), and it is schedu ...
, which can be kept permanently by the winning owners.
Records
Most successful horse (2 wins):
* Master Vote – ''1947, 1948''
Leading
jockey (4 wins):
*
Charles Wood – ''Thuringian Prince (1875), The Mandarin (1879), Elzevir (1883), Gay Hermit (1887)''
*
Lester Piggott
Lester Keith Piggott (5 November 1935 – 29 May 2022) was an English professional jockey and trainer. With 4,493 career flat racing wins in Britain, including a record nine Epsom Derby victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest ...
– ''Spaniard's Close (1963), Casabianca (1965), Kamundu (1969), Jumping Hill (1976)''
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.''
Earlier winners
* 1843: Knight of the Whistle
* 1844: The Bishop of Romford's Cob
* 1845: Evenus
* 1846: Leaconfield
* 1847: Tragical
* 1848: Conyngham
* 1849: Collingwood
* 1850: Hagley
* 1851: Sir Charles
* 1852: Ephesus
* 1853: The Friar
* 1854: Brocket
* 1855: Chalice
* 1856: Forbidden Fruit
* 1857: Rosa Bonheur
* 1858: Hesperithusa
* 1859: King at Arms
* 1860: Crater
* 1861: Buccaneer
* 1862: Canary
* 1863: Victor
* 1864: Gem of the Sea
* 1865: Gratitude
* 1866: Attache
* 1867: Jasper
* 1868: Satyr
* 1869: See Saw
* 1870: Judge
* 1871: Valuer
* 1872: Ripponden
* 1873: Winslow
* 1874: Lowlander
* 1875: Thuringian Prince
* 1876: Hopbloom
* 1877: Cradle
* 1878: Julius Caesar
* 1879: The Mandarin
* 1880: Strathern
* 1881: Peter
* 1882: Sweetbread
* 1883: Elzevir
* 1884: Acrostic
* 1885: Eastern Emperor
* 1886: Despair
* 1887: Gay Hermit
* 1888: Shillelagh
* 1889: Whitelegs
* 1890: Morion
* 1891: Laureate
* 1892: Suspender
* 1893: Amandier
* 1894: Victor Wild
* 1895: Clorane
* 1896: Quarrel
* 1897: Knight of the Thistle
* 1898: Jaquemart
* 1899: Refractor
* 1900: Royal Flush
* 1901: Stealaway
* 1902: Solicitor
* 1903: Kunstler
* 1904: Csardas
* 1905: Andover
* 1906: Dinneford
* 1907: Lally
* 1908: Billy the Verger
* 1909:
Dark Ronald
* 1910:
Bachelor's Double
Bachelor's Double (22 April 1906 – 3 February 1931) was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse that raced in Ireland and Britain and was a successful sire in the early 20th century. He won the Irish Derby as a three-year-old and also won the C ...
* 1911: Moscato
* 1912: Eton Boy
* 1913: Long Set
* 1914: Lie-a-bed
* 1915–18: ''no race''
* 1919:
Irish Elegance
* 1920: Square Measure
* 1921: Illuminator
* 1922: Varzy
* 1923: Weathervane
* 1924: Dinkie
* 1925: Cockpit
* 1926: Cross Bow
* 1927: Asterus
* 1928: Priory Park
* 1929: Songe
* 1930: The MacNab
* 1931: Grand Salute
* 1932: Totaig
* 1933: Colorado Kid
* 1934: Caymanas
* 1935: Priok
* 1936: Guinea Gap
* 1937: Fairplay
* 1938: Couvert
* 1939: Caerloptic
* 1940: ''no race''
* 1941: Time Step *
* 1942–44: ''no race''
* 1945: Battle Hymn
* 1946: Friar's Fancy
* 1947: Master Vote
* 1948: Master Vote
* 1949: Sterope
* 1950: Hyperbole
* 1951: Val d'Assa
* 1952: Queen of Sheba
* 1953: Choir Boy
* 1954: Chivalry
* 1955: Nicholas Nickleby
* 1956: Alexander
* 1957: Retrial
* 1958: Amos
* 1959: Faultless Speech
* 1960: Small Slam
* 1961: King's Troop
* 1962: Smartie
* 1963: Spaniard's Close
* 1964: Zaleucus
* 1965: Casabianca
* 1966: Continuation
* 1967: Regal Light
* 1968: Golden Mean
* 1969: Kamundu
* 1970: Calpurnius
* 1971: Picture Boy
* 1972: Tempest Boy
* 1973: Camouflage
* 1974: Old Lucky
* 1975: Ardoon
* 1976: Jumping Hill
* 1977: My Hussar
* 1978: Fear Naught
* 1979: Pipedreamer
* The race was run at Newbury in 1941.
See also
*
Horse racing in Great Britain
Horse racing is the second largest spectator sport in Great Britain, and one of the longest established, with a history dating back many centuries. According to a report by the British Horseracing Authority it generates £3.39 billion total di ...
*
List of British flat horse races
A list of notable flat horse races which take place annually in Great Britain, under the authority of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), including all conditions races
Conditions races are horse races in which the weights carried by the ...
References
* Paris-Turf:
**, , ,
*
Racing Post
''Racing Post'' is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing and sports betting publisher which is published in print and digital formats. It is printed in tabloid format from Monday to Sunday. , it has an average daily circulation of ...
:
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galopp-sieger.de– ''Royal Hunt Cup.''
pedigreequery.com– ''Royal Hunt Cup – Ascot.''
*
{{Royal Ascot
Flat races in Great Britain
Ascot Racecourse
Open mile category horse races
Recurring sporting events established in 1843
1843 establishments in England