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 2004 | Grade 1 | 3 miles 2 1/2 furlongs | ||
| Pos. | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 1 | BEST MATE | Jim Culloty | Henrietta Knight | Mr Jim Lewis 8/11 fav |
| 2 | SIR REMBRANDT | Andrew Thornton | Robert Alner | Mr A Hordle 33/1 |
| 3 | HARBOUR PILOT | Paul Carberry | Noel Meade (Ire) | Kays Syndicate 20/1 |
| 4 | BEEF OR SALMON | Timmy Murphy | Michael Hourigan (Ire) | Mr B J Craig 10/1 |
| 5 | FIRST GOLD | Thiery Doumen | Francois Doumen | Mr John P McManus 12/1 |
| 6 | KEEN LEADER | Barry Geraghty | Jonjo O'Neill | Mrs Stewart Catherwood 10/1 |
| 7 | THEREALBANDIT | Tony McCoy | Martin Pipe | The Johnson Family 15/2 |
| 8 | ALEXANDER BANQUET | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins (Ire) | Mrs N O'Callaghan 80/1 |
| 9 | TRUCKERS TAVERN | Tony Dobbin | Ferdy Murphy | Mrs M B Scholey 22/1 |
| 10 | IRISH HUSSAR | Mick Fitzgerald | Nicky Henderson | Major Christopher Hanbury 16/1 |
| Over round 115% | ||||
| This race was held on Thursday 18th March 2004 when Best Mate beat Sir Rembrandt and Harbour Pilot by 1/2 length and 1 1/4 lengths | ||||