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 2016 | Grade 1 | 3 miles 2 1/2 furlongs | ||
| Pos. | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 1 | DON COSSACK | Brian Cooper | Gordon Elliott (Ire) | Gigginstown House Stud 9/4 fav |
| 2 | DJAKADAM | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins (Ire) | Mrs Susannah Ricci 9/2 |
| 3 | DON POLI | Davy Russell | Willie Mullins (Ire) | Gigginstown House Stud 9/2 |
| 4 | CARLINGFORD LOUGH | Barry Geraghty | John E Kiely | Mr John P McManus 25/1 |
| 5 | IRISH CAVALIER | Paul Townend | Rebecca Curtis | Mr A McIver 66/1 |
| 6 | SMAD PLACE | Wayne Hutchinson | Alan King | Mrs Peter Andrews 10/1 |
| 7 | O'FAOLAINS BOY | Noel Fehily | Rebecca Curtis | Trembath, Hyde, Hill et al 40/1 |
| 8 | ON HIS OWN | Mr P W Mullins | Willie Mullins (Ire) | Andrea & Graham Wylie 50/1 |
| 9 | CUE CARD | Paddy Brennan | Colin Tizzard | Mrs Jean Bishop 5/2 |
| Over round 120% | ||||
| This race was held on Friday 18th March 2016 when Don Cossack beat Djakadam and Don Poli by 4 1/2 lengths and 10 lengths | ||||