Westerner wins Gold Cup

Westerner, trained by Elie Lellouche and ridden by Olivier Peslier, won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot at York this afternoon.

French challenger Westerner justified 7-4 favouritism to lift the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot at York today.

The Elie Lellouche-trained six-year-old travelled powerfully up the straight and was produced to perfection by a confident Olivier Peslier to beat Distinction by a neck.

Vinnie Roe was a brave third for Ireland.

Johnny Murtagh struck for home on Distinction with three furlongs to run, but Peslier never panicked and made smooth progress to join issue two from home.

He looked to hold all the aces and so it proved as Westerner picked up sweetly to win a shade easier than the winning margin would suggest.

Vinnie Roe was a further five lengths away as the winner became the first to take the big prize across the Channel since Sagaro completed a hat-trick of victories in 1977.