You know how punters get lost in too much data or bet blindly? I break down the stats and trends so you can feel confident you’re betting with more than just gut instinct.
2026 Esher Cup Preview
Run over a trip of one mile and open to runners who are aged three years old is the Esher Cup, which is a Class 2 handicap that takes place at Sandown during April, and is a race that can throw up a surprise result despite the smallish fields that we get each year.
Esher Cup Information:
If you are interested in other predictions at Sandown, then head over to the Sandown tips page to see which runners are being supported by the OLBG racing tipsters and also compare those predictions to the runners that make the trend shortlist when added below. You may also be interested in other preview blogs that we have packed full of information. Head down to the Other Principal Races at Sandown Racecourse section for links to these.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2026
How competitive is the Esher Cup market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2004, when the race had an over-round of 109%. The race in 2007 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 124%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Esher Cup, the over-round has been 115%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £115 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2026 Esher Cup Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the Esher Cup Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Esher Cup races over the last 20 renewals:
- Desert Dew (1:42.74) in 2007
- Racketeer (1:42.92) in 2009
- Prince Samos (1:43.22) in 2005
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the Esher Cup next time out, then you would have backed a total of 4 winners. Backing all 21 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of -8.75. Remember to use the racing predictions along with the information on this page to find a bet on the 2026 Esher Cup.
The runner that holds the record over the past 20 renewals for the slowest time in the race was set in the 2012 renewal when Grey Mirage from Marco Botti under the guidance of Silvestre De Sousa, won in a time of 1:54.30, whilst at the other end of the spectrum, Desert Dew, trained by B W Hills and ridden by Michael Hills set the quickest time of 1:42.74 in the 2007 renewal.
What the expert says...
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
Esher Cup Past Winners
Here are the Esher Cup past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the race year, the winning horse, and the horse's age & weight. Also detailed is the stall from which the horse came and the total number of runners in the race. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Esher Cup are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
Race Notes: The 2023 renewal was abandoned due to unsafe ground.
| Year | Horse (Drawn) | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 1:45.35 | Fifth Column (IRE) 3yo 9-0 (7 of 8) 5/2F | William Buick John & Thady Gosden (GB) |
| 2024 1:45.48 | Hand Of God (GB) 3yo 8-12 (4 of 5) 1/1F | Ryan Moore Harry Charlton (GB) |
| 2022 1:46.25 | Wanees (GB) 3yo 8-12 (5 of 10) 100/30 | Jim Crowley Charles Hills (GB) |
| 2021 1:46.52 | Naamoos (FR) 3yo 9-7 (7 of 9) 11/2 | Ben Curtis Mark Johnston (GB) |
| 2019 1:43.94 | Masaru (GB) 3yo 9-7 (5 of 10) 9/1 | Ryan Moore Richard Hannon (GB) |
| 2018 1:45.16 | Epic (GB) 3yo 8-10 (5 of 8) 4/1 | Silvestre De Sousa David Elsworth (GB) |
| 2017 1:45.39 | Atty Persse (IRE) 3yo 9-1 (1 of 13) 6/4F | James Doyle Roger Charlton (GB) |
| 2016 1:45.19 | Czabo (GB) 3yo 8-10 (7 of 9) 11/1 | Silvestre De Sousa Mick Channon (GB) |
| 2015 1:43.99 | Mutarakez (IRE) 3yo 8-9 (6 of 9) 7/1 | Frankie Dettori Brian Meehan (GB) |
| 2014 1:48.42 | What About Carlo (FR) 3yo 9-2 (5 of 8) 12/1 | Jimmy Fortune Eve Johnson Houghton (GB) |
Esher Cup Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Esher Cup over the last 20 renewals is John Gosden, who has won the race two times, with those two winners coming from Racketeer (2009) and Fallen Idol (2010). One trainer has not had the best of times in the Esher Cup; Andrew Balding has sent a total of 10 runners to the race without recording a win.
Here are some of the top Esher Cup trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Gosden | 8-2-3 | +1.33 | -0.91 |
| Richard Hannon | 12-1-4 | -2.00 | -1.07 |
| Charles Hills | 5-1-2 | -0.67 | -0.62 |
| Roger Charlton | 5-1-3 | -2.50 | +0.34 |
| Brian Meehan | 4-1-2 | +4.00 | +3.30 |
| Clive Cox | 4-1-1 | +2.50 | +0.44 |
| David Elsworth | 4-1-1 | +1.00 | -0.60 |
| Sir Michael Stoute | 4-1-1 | -0.25 | -1.35 |
| Eve Johnson Houghton | 3-1-2 | +10.00 | +7.30 |
| Marco Botti | 3-1-1 | +4.00 | +1.75 |
Esher Cup Jockey Statistics
There are two leading jockeys in the Esher Cup over the last 20 renewals, with both Ryan Moore and Silvestre De Sousa, who have both won the race three times. Ryan Moore winners have been with Prince Samos (2005), Masaru (2019) and Hand Of God (2024). Silvestre De Sousa winners have been with Grey Mirage (2012), Czabo (2016) and Epic (2018). The only other jockey to have recorded multiple wins in the Esher Cup is William Buick (2 wins).
Here are some of the top Esher Cup jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Moore | 18-3-5 | +9.00 | +1.14 |
| Silvestre De Sousa | 6-3-4 | +18.00 | +11.05 |
| William Buick | 11-2-5 | -2.50 | -0.90 |
| James Doyle | 5-1-1 | -2.50 | -3.06 |
| Jim Crowley | 4-1-1 | +0.33 | -1.00 |
| Jimmy Quinn | 2-1-1 | +13.00 | +7.40 |
| Adam Kirby | 1-1-1 | +5.50 | +3.44 |
| Ben Curtis | 1-1-1 | +5.50 | +3.30 |
| Nicky Mackay | 1-1-1 | +3.33 | +2.00 |
| Joe Fanning | 8-0-1 | -8.00 | -6.60 |
2026 Esher Cup Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 3, 8, 4, 3, 7, 2, 6, 1, 2, 5, 5, 8, 4, 1, 3, 4, 5, 3, 1, 1
The percentage shown is the proportion of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 21 / 21 (75%) - Won within last 2 starts
- 21 / 21 (76%) - No bigger than 14/1
- 21 / 21 (77%) - In a field of 7 - 18 (Last Win)
- 21 / 21 (81%) - Within the first 7 of the market
- 21 / 21 (83%) - Fewer than 2 placings (Hcps)
- 21 / 21 (84%) - Placed within last 2 starts
- 21 / 21 (84%) - Fewer than 2 races (Class)
- 21 / 21 (85%) - Not in a LST/Cl3 (Last Win)
- 21 / 21 (86%) - Fewer than 3 races (Hcps)
- 21 / 21 (86%) - Highest Won is not LST/Cl3
- 21 / 21 (86%) - Fewer than 2 races (Higher Class)
- 21 / 21 (88%) - Not on HY/SFT (Debut)
- 21 / 21 (89%) - Off a break of 13 - 251 days
- 20 / 21 (88%) - Ran in England (LTO)
- 19 / 21 (81%) - No bigger than 16/1 (Career Place)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Sandown racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Esher Cup. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Esher Cup by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
Esher Cup Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +27.66, is when runners finished in 1st last time out.
❌ The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners carried 128lbs when last winning, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-23.
Here are the most recent winning draws, along with the further placings in brackets:
- 2025: Winner in 7 (2,6) [8 Runners]
- 2024: Winner in 4 (5) [5 Runners]
- 2022: Winner in 5 (1,4) [10 Runners]
- 2021: Winner in 7 (2,8) [9 Runners]
- 2019: Winner in 5 (11,10) [10 Runners]
The course which has produced the most winners of the Esher Cup is Kempton (AW); there have been a total of 6 winners of this race who ran at Kempton (AW) last time out. The next best courses, which have produced the second most winners, are Newbury and Doncaster; there have been a total of 3 winners from each of those courses.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 20 winners from a total of 167 runners, while female runners have produced 1 winner from a total of 6 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, there is only one stallion whose offspring have been disappointed with multiple attempts but no wins in the Esher Cup; that stallion is Kodiac, who has failed to produce a winner from 6 runners.
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Barathea Dreams in 2004, winning for J S Moore at odds of 14/1 under the guidance of Jimmy Quinn. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 4 winning favourites in the race. Before placing your bet on the 2026 Esher Cup, head over to see which runners the best racing tipsters are tipping today.
Route to the Esher Cup
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Esher Cup. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2025 - Fifth Column Kempton (AW) - 1st of 14 (5/4) | Try Unibets New Improved Acca Boosts Maiden Stakes |
| 2024 - Hand Of God Newmarket (Rowley) - 1st of 11 (9/1) | Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily British EBF Maiden Stakes |
| 2022 - Wanees Salisbury - 1st of 10 (11/10) | William Hill Play Responsibly British EBF Novice Stakes |
| 2021 - Naamoos Musselburgh - 1st of 7 (11/2) | Betway Royal Mile Handicap |
| 2019 - Masaru Kempton (AW) - 1st of 11 (1/3) | Bet At racingtv.com Novice Median Auction Stakes |
| 2018 - Epic Doncaster - 9th of 12 (66/1) | Futurity Trophy |
| 2017 - Atty Persse Sandown - 1st of 11 (10/11) | Willmott Dixon/British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes |
| 2016 - Czabo Newbury - 1st of 13 (16/1) | Betfred TV EBF Stallions Maiden Fillies Stakes |
| 2015 - Mutarakez Doncaster - 1st of 18 (6/1) | Betdaq 3% Commission Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Stakes |
| 2014 - What About Carlo Newbury - 4th of 5 (7/1) | Haynes, Hanson & Clark Conditions Stakes |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this Esher Cup Preview are Andy and James. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for Flat racing.
James Banting
Expert Guide
Andy Powell
Expert Guide
Other Principal races at Sandown Racecourse
Here are some other notable races at the Sandown racecourse throughout the racing season that you may be interested in.
