Royal Ascot 2018: Gold Cup latest declarations, race time, tv schedule, preview, betting and tips

THE Gold Cup is the feature race on day three of Royal Ascot and we've got all the latest news, views and top tips ahead of this year's renewal.

To get you in the mood for the contest - here's a run-down of the race.

When is the Gold Cup, what TV channel is it on, what's the distance and which sort of horses can enter?

The 2018 Gold Cup will take place on Thursday, June 21 at 4.20pm and will be live on ITV.

It's a Group 1 run over two and a half miles open to horses aged four and above.

STARTERS ORDERS Fancy going to Royal Ascot? Here's all you need to know about the meeting

Who is running in this year's race? 

What are the latest odds for this year's race?

Last year's second Order Of St George heads the market at 7-4. Next best is Stradivarius at 2-1 with Vaziribad in third at 5-1.

Who won the race last year?

Big Orange (5-1) won the race last year for trainer Michael Bell. In second was this year's favourite, Order Of St George (5-1), and in third was Harbour Law (33-1).

Which jockeys, horses and trainers have won the Gold Cup the most? 

Jockey Lester Piggott has won the race eleven times. Trainer Aidan O'Brien has won it seven times, while Yeats was the most successful horse, winning the race an astonishing four times.

What are the top tips for the race? 

We've got all of our tipsters to give you their hot fancy for the contest.

Templegate

Stradivarius -  'I think he will stay and he has bags of class’

Matt Chapman

Vazirabad - 'Jockey Christophe Soumillon is very confident'