Legendary trainer Aidan O’Brien officially secured his landmark 100th career winner at Royal Ascot on Thursday. The milestone arrived in the meeting’s two-and-a-half-mile feature event as his four-year-old colt Scandinavia overtook defending champion Trawlerman in the final 50 yards to claim the Gold Cup.
The historic victory completely eclipses the previous all-time record of 82 winners, which was held by the retired Sir Michael Stoute. Jockey Ryan Moore executed a patient and perfectly timed ride to avoid being boxed in, securing his own 96th Royal Ascot victory and inching closer to a century of his own. Trawlerman’s trainer, John Gosden, currently sits as the closest active trainer to O’Brien on the all-time Royal Ascot list with 72 winners.
Trawlerman attempted to dictate the pace from the front in what was his first start of the 2026 season. He faded late in a gruelling final stretch against Scandinavia, according to the Independent, resulting in heavy payouts for bookmakers taking action on the feature race.
Scandinavia, a son of Justify and the 2025 St Leger winner, went off as the 11-8 favourite. One reported £120,000 bet struck at 5-2 returned £300,000 following the final sprint. The result marks O’Brien’s record-extending 10th win in the prestigious Gold Cup, adding to a legacy built by his past staying champions like four-time winner Yeats and Kyprios.
O’Brien’s journey to 100 wins at the royal meeting spans nearly three decades. His streak began with his first victory in 1997 when Harbour Master took the Coventry Stakes.