Betchworth Kid handed cup assignment

The Betchworth Kid is set to take on the top stayers in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Owner Henry Ponsonby is looking forward to his six-year-old running in the Group One showpiece over two and a half miles on June 16, where he will be ridden by Hayley Turner, who has partnered The Betchworth Kid in both his starts on the Flat this season.

The gelding, trained by Alan King, is no stranger to big events as he has run most of the major Festivals, including Cheltenham.

He is no slouch on the level and made a winning seasonal debut at Nottingham in April and was a staying-on fourth to Askar Tau in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot.

“He’s really well. He had a nice break out in the paddocks since his last race and he’ll be 100% for the Gold Cup and Hayley Turner rides him,” said Ponsonby.

“She’s really looking forward to the ride on him because the race could just be run to suit him.

“We don’t know if he will stay two and a half miles, but the way he finishes his races, it looks as though if it was run to suit he could be the one that’s overtaking them in the straight.

“He wasn’t stopping in the Sagaro over two miles, he was staying on. And if there was any rain it would be even better.”