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 2006 | Grade 1 | 3 miles 2 1/2 furlongs | ||
| Pos. | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 1 | WAR OF ATTRITION | Conor O'Dwyer | Mouse Morris (Ire) | Gigginstown House Stud 15/2 |
| 2 | HEDGEHUNTER | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins (Ire) | Mr Trevor Hemmings 16/1 |
| 3 | FORGET THE PAST | Barry Geraghty | M J P O'Brien (Ire) | Mr S Mulryan 9/1 |
| 4 | L'AMI | Mick Fitzgerald | Francois Doumen | Mr J A McCarthy 10/1 |
| 5 | TAKE THE STAND | Tony Dobbin | Peter Bowen | David Robbins, Frank Ridge 20/1 |
| 6 | MONKERHOSTIN | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs | M G St Quinton 13/2 |
| 7 | SIR REMBRANDT | Andrew Thornton | Robert Alner | Mr A Hordle 25/1 |
| 8 | ROYAL EMPEROR | Dominic Elsworth | Sue Smith | Widdop Wanderers 40/1 |
| 9 | ROYAL AUCLAIR | Christian Williams | Paul Nicholls | Mr Clive D Smith 20/1 |
| 10 | KINGSCLIFF | Robert Walford | Robert Alner | Mr A J Sendell 12/1 |
| 11 | BEEF OR SALMON | Paul Carberry | Michael Hourigan (Ire) | Mr B J Craig 4/1 fav |
| 12 | TIKRAM | Jamie Moore | Gary Moore | Mr Rodger Sargent 100/1 |
| 13 | JOES EDGE | Keith Mercer | Ferdy Murphy | Chemipetro Ltd 100/1 |
| 14 | BALLYCASSIDY | Graham Lee | Peter Bowen | Roddy Owen, Paul Fullagar 100/1 |
| 15 | IZNOGOUD | Tom Scudamore | Martin Pipe | County Stores Somerset 200/1 |
| 16 | CORNISH REBEL | Joe Tizzard | Paul Nicholls | Halewood International 16/1 |
| 17 | OLLIE MAGERN | Carl Llewellyn | Nigel Twiston-Davies | Mr Roger Nicholls 33/1 |
| 18 | LORD OF ILLUSION | Jason Maguire | Tom George | Mr M A Watts 33/1 |
| 19 | ONE KNIGHT | Paddy Brennan | Philip Hobbs | Mr R Gibbs 20/1 |
| 20 | LIMERICK BOY | Sam Thomas | Venetia Williams | Favourites Racing 150/1 |
| 21 | IRIS'S GIFT | Tony McCoy | Jonjo O'Neill | Mr Robert Lester 16/1 |
| 22 | CELESTIAL GOLD | Timmy Murphy | Martin Pipe | The Johnson Family 16/1 |
| Over round 126% | ||||
| This race was held on Friday 17th March 2006 when War of Attrition beat Hedgehunter and Forget The Past by 2 1/2 lengths and 7 lengths | ||||