Ascot Silver Cup Betting Tips

With the National Hunt season in full swing heading into December, Ascot plays host to one of the most targeted pre-Christmas handicaps. Here we take a look at the best odds and offers available, and provide our betting tips for the Ascot Silver Cup.

This Listed Class Chase was first run at Ascot back in 1965. The 3m event acts as stepping stone to Graded company for the up and coming chasers as well as a legitimate target for those not quite up to the top level. The £100,000 in total prize money on offer makes this a prize well worth winning.

If you’re interested in this meeting be sure to check out our Long Walk Hurdle Tips too!

Ascot Silver Cup Betting Tips

Odds correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.

  • Give Me A Copper to win at 8/1 with Ladbrokes
  • Regal Encore each way at 16/1 with bet365

Silver Cup Betting Offers

Silver Cup Handicap Tips and Betting Offers, 3:00, 21st December 2019

The Long Walk Hurdle takes top billing on Saturday’s card at Ascot but it’s the Silver Cup that is getting punters most excited. This 3 mile handicap chase is always a tricky betting puzzle to unpick and that is most certainly the case this year. Whenever there’s a big challenge there is also big opportunity with several horses worth considering at tempting prices.

What to Look For in a Silver Cup Winner

The Silver Cup has been run at Ascot since 1965. Over the years it’s been won by some big names including Arkle, the best racehorse of all time. All that history has left punters with a fairly good picture of the sort of horse who is well suited to the Silver Cup.

The most important things to consider when drawing up a shortlist for the Silver Cup are that horses who haven’t run in the two months leading up to the race rarely win and previous winning form over 3 miles is a real boost. Favourites have a decent record in terms of finishing in the places and two have won in the last decade. However, we’ve also had recent winners at 20/1 and 33/1 so this is a race that can produce surprises.

Give Me A Copper to Continue a Potentially Huge Season

Paul Nicholls knows exactly what it takes to train a winner of the Silver Cup. The multiple champion trainer won this race in 1998 and 2011 and may well have more success in 2019 with Give Me A Copper.

The nine-year-old kicked off his season in style, holding off the challenge of Soupy Soups to win the Badger Beers Silver Trophy by a neck. That performance delighted Nicholls who was watching on with Sir Alex Ferguson who owns a share of Give Me A Copper.

All of those connected to Give Me A Copper are hopeful that he will have many more successes in the months to come. He has the combination of stamina and jumping ability to suggest that a crack at the Grand National is not out of the question. Another win on Saturday is by no means out of the question and the 8/1 that Ladbrokes are quoting looks more than fair.

Don’t Count Out the Experienced Regal Encore

Regal Encore’s first attempt to win the Silver Cup did not go to plan. With a starting price of 9/1 he was rated as having a real chance by the bookies but was pulled up when it was clear his race was run. That was two years ago and a more experienced Regal Encore is ready to go much better this time around.

Anthony Honeyball has kept his 11-year-old busy so far this season following on from wind surgery over the summer. It’s not always gone to plan and he was pulled up following a jumping mistake last time out. However, Regal Encore tends to save his best for Ascot and is well worth each way support for small stakes at 16/1 with bet365.

Betting Predictions

The Silver Cup is the big betting heat of the weekend. The competitiveness of this contest means that it’s well worth having more than one option in the betting. Give Me A Copper (8/1 with Ladbrokes) and Regal Encore (16/1 with bet365) will need to be at their best but could prove to be a good team at Ascot.

Recent Winners

  • 2018 – Valtor – jockey James Bowen, trainer Nicky Henderson
  • 2017 – Gold Present – jockey Nico De Boinville, trainer Nicky Henderson
  • 2016 – Regal Encore – jockey Barry Geraghty, trainer Anthony Honeyball
  • 2015 – Wakanda – jockey Danny Cook, trainer Sue Smith
  • 2014 – The Young Master – jockey Barry Geraghty, trainer Neil Mulholland
  • 2013 – Houblon Des Obeaux – jockey Aidan Coleman, trainer Venetia Williams
  • 2012 – Wyck Hill – jockey Tom Scudamore, trainer David Bridgewater
  • 2011 – The Minack – jockey Ruby Walsh, trainer Paul Nicholls
  • 2010 – No Race
  • 2009 – No Race
  • 2008 – Niche Market – jockey Harry Skelton, trainer Bob Buckler
  • 2007 – Vodka Bleu – jockey Timmy Murphy, trainer David Pipe
  • 2006 – Billyvoddan – jockey Leighton Aspell, trainer Henry Daly

Ascot Silver Cup History

Initially run under the glamourous title of the Scaffolding Great Britain Handicap Chase back in 1965, this Listed contest has had numerous sponsors over the years and remains a valuable target for those chasers who boast stamina as their strong suit.

1997 winner Cool Dawn made rapid strides through the handicapping ranks between 1997 and 1998. Such was his ascent that he not only took part in, but actually won the 1998 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Cool Dawns feats aren’t enough for him to be rated the best winner in the history of the race however. That honour belongs to the 1966 hero. A horse by the name of Arkle. 27 career wins, including three Cheltenham Gold Cups, a King George VI Chase, two Hennessy Gold Cups and an Irish Grand National mark Arkle out as the greatest chaser of his – or any other – era. The fact that he won this race despite carrying the welter burden of 12st7lbs is testament to his incredible ability.

1973 winner Mocharabuice may not have possessed quite the talent of some of the others to have prevailed here. At ten years of age at the time of his triumph however, he earns his place in the record books as the oldest winner in the history of the race.

Training greats such as Fred Rimmel, Fred Winter, Gordon Richards and Martin Pipe have all tasted success here over the years. It is however Josh Gifford who leads the way amongst the handlers with four wins between 1980 and 1988. Joining him on that mark after back to back wins in 2017 and 2018 is Nicky Henderson and we wouldn’t bet against the Lambourn man moving out in front sooner rather than later.

Much like in the training ranks, no single jockey has really stamped their authority on this contest. Andrew Thornton, Carl Llewellyn, Norman Williamson, Pat Taffe and Richard Rowe have all won the race twice. One step ahead though – as he so often was – is the incomparable Sir AP McCoy with three victories here.