Gold Cup

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The Gold Cup, the chasing crown, is a grade 1 race over 3 miles 2 furlongs and 70 yards and 22 fences of the New Course and is open to 5-year-olds and above. Although the first race at Cheltenham known as the Gold Cup was in July 1819, it was a flat race over 3 miles on the Cleeve Hill course and was won by Spectre owned by Mr Bodenham, and the race did continue for a number of years afterwards. However, it has no real connection with the present day pinnacle of National Hunt racing which was first contested on 12th March 1924 over 3 miles 3 furlongs. The race was not staged in 1931 due to frost, nor in 1937 due to flooding, and the Second World War prevented the race being held in both 1943 and 1944.
Early history:- The inaugural running of the Gold Cup was on 12th March 1924 over 3 miles 3 furlongs and was won by Red Splash (5/1) owned by Major Humphrey Wyndham, trained by Fred Withington and ridden by Dick Rees, beating Conjuror II (7/1) and Gerald L (5/1).
Gold Cup 1952 Grade 1 3 miles 2 1/2 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 MONT TREMBLANT D V Dick Fulke Walwyn Miss Dorothy Paget 8/1
2 SHAEF Fred Winter Gosden Mr G Hemsley 7/1
3 GALLOWAY BRAES R Morrow Kilpatrick Lady Orde 66/1
4 NAGARA R Black Payne-Gallwey Mrs J P Philipps 66/1
5 CUSHENDON Bryan Marshall Bobby Renton Mrs L Brotherton 100/7
6 CAFE CREME P Hieronimus France Mrs F B Watkins 66/1
7 SILVER FAME T Molony George Beeby Lord Bicester 6/1
8 GREENOGUE G Kelly Horris Mr James V Rank 100/6
9 LORD TURBOT Mr H E Craig-Harvey Ron Smyth H Craig Harvey 66/1
10 KNOCK HARD Mr A S O'Brien O'Brien (Ire) Mrs M H Keogh 5/1
11 INJUNCTION J A Bullock M Vasey Mr G Munro 33/1
12 ESB Michael Scudamore T F Rimell Mrs G Kohn 8/1
13 FREEBOOTER J Power Bobby Renton Mrs L Brotherton 7/2 fav
        Over round 107%
This race took place on Thursday 6th March 1952 when Mont Tremblant beat Shaef and Galloway Braes by 10 lengths and 4 lengths