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 1971 | Grade 1 | 3 miles 2 1/2 furlongs | ||
| Pos. | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 1 | L'ESCARGOT | Tommy Carberry | D L Moore (Ire) | Mr R R Guest 7/2 co fav |
| 2 | LEAP FROG | V O'Brien | Tom Dreaper (Ire) | Mrs R K Mellon 7/2 co fav |
| 3 | THE DIKLER | Barry Brogan | Fulke Walwyn | Mrs D W August 15/2 |
| 4 | INTO VIEW | Paul Kelleway | Fred Winter | Mrs P P Brown 7/2 co fav |
| 5 | FORTINAS PALACE | P Jones | Michael Scudamore | Mr J N Davis 33/1 |
| 6 | HERRING GULL | J Crowley | Paddy Mullins (Ire) | Mrs G A J Wilson 33/1 |
| 7 | GLENCRAIG LADY | R Coonan | Francis Flood | Mr P Doyle 7/1 |
| 8 | ROYAL TOSS | Eddie Harty | H Handel | Mr H Handel 10/1 |
| Over round 105% | ||||
| This race took place on Thursday 18th March 1971 when L'Escargot beat Leap Frog and The Dikler by 10 lengths and 15 lengths | ||||