The Mascot Gold Cup is a 220-yard mascot race held at Wetherby Race Course in West Yorkshire, as part of a family day at Wetherby Races. It is the world’s largest mascot race, holding the Guinness World Record for the title. Consequently, the field consists of individuals competing in large character costumes, not professional runners aiming for a specific time.
The course features six fences for the mascots to navigate. A handicap start is employed to prevent faster or more cumbersome costumes from determining the outcome before the race commences. The event runs alongside seven horse races. Entry options include participants bringing their own costume, renting one, or borrowing one via a Sue Ryder fundraising pledge. Finishers receive a mascot medal on an extra-long ribbon, a useful feature when the winner might be wearing a giant foam head.