# Royal Hunt Cup

The Royal Hunt Cup is a flat handicap horse race 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, 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 – 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 1979

* Weights given in stones and pounds.
| Year | Winner | Age | Weight | Jockey | Trainer | SP | Time |
| 1979 | Pipedreamer | 4 | 8-05 | Philip Waldron | Henry Candy | 1012 12/1 | 1:41.33 |
| 1980 | Tender Heart | 4 | 9-00 | Joe Mercer | John Sutcliffe, Jr. | 1006.5 13/2 | 1:44.11 |
| 1981 | Teamwork | 4 | 8-06 | Greville Starkey | Guy Harwood | 1008 8/1 | 1:41.64 |
| 1982 | Buzzards Bay | 4 | 8-12 | Joe Mercer | Hugh Collingridge | 1014 14/1 | 1:42.22 |
| 1983 | Mighty Fly | 4 | 9-03 | Steve Cauthen | David Elsworth | 1012 12/1 | 1:41.33 |
| 1984 | Hawkley | 4 | 8-06 | Tyrone Williams | Patrick Haslam | 1010 10/1 | 1:40.38 |
| 1985 | Come On The Blues | 6 | 8-02 | Chris Rutter | Clive Brittain | 1014 14/1 | 1:41.76 |
| 1986 | Patriach | 4 | 7-12 | Richard Quinn | John Dunlop | 1020 20/1 | 1:39.55 |
| 1987 | Vague Shot | 4 | 9-05 | Steve Cauthen | Richard F. Casey | 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 | 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 Sr. | 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 |
| 2012 | Prince of Johanne | 6 | 9-03 | John Fahy | Tom Tate | 1016 16/1 | 1:38.24 |
| 2013 | Belgian Bill | 5 | 8-11 | James Doyle | George Baker | 1033 33/1 | 1:38.68 |
| 2014 | Field Of Dream | 7 | 9-01 | Adam Kirby | Jamie Osborne | 1020 20/1 | 1:37.88 |
| 2015 | GM Hopkins | 4 | 9-03 | Ryan Moore | John Gosden | 1008 8/1 | 1:40.30 |
| 2016 | Portage | 4 | 9-05 | James Doyle | Michael Halford | 1010 10/1 | 1:43.01 |
| 2017 | Zhui Feng | 4 | 9-00 | Martin Dwyer | Amanda Perrett | 1025 25/1 | 1:37.82 |
| 2018 | Settle For Bay | 4 | 9-01 | Billy Lee | David Marnane | 1016 16/1 | 1:39.42 |
| 2019 | Afaak | 5 | 9-03 | Jim Crowley | Charles Hills | 1020 20/1 | 1:42.36 |
| 2020 | Dark Vision | 4 | 9-01 | William Buick | Mark Johnston | 1007.5 15/2 | 1:38.32 |
| 2021 | Real World | 4 | 8-06 | Marco Ghiani | Saeed bin Suroor | 1018 18/1 | 1:38.04 |
| 2022 | Dark Shift | 4 | 9-01 | James McDonald | Charles Hills | 1006.5 13/2 | 1:39.13 |
| 2023 | Jimi Hendrix | 4 | 9-05 | Rossa Ryan | Ralph Beckett | 1022 22/1 | 1:39.48 |
| 2024 | Wild Tiger | 5 | 9-00 | Oisin Murphy | Saeed bin Suroor | 1005.5 11/2 JF | 1:38.20 |
* ↑ The 2005 running took place at York

## 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
* 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
* The race was run at Newbury in 1941.