Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the feature race on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival. It is a Grade 1 chase, open for horses aged five and older. Run over an approximate distance of 3 miles and 2 1/2 furlongs, stamina will be throughly tested with twenty-two fences to be negotiated by the horses as they aim to enter the history books.
Not only is the Cheltenham Gold Cup the feature race of the fourth day, it is arguably the feature race of the whole festival, and even the whole jump racing season. It is the most prestigious race a horse can win and it really is the pinnacle for the chasers. The list of previous winners is a roll call for some of the finest horses to have graced the sport. Golden Miller won the race five times (1932-1936 consecutively) and that remains a feat that hasn’t been matched and may not be matched for a long time. Other greats of the race include Mill House and the three-timers winner Arkle who of course has a race named in his honour at the Cheltenham Festival.
In more recent years we have seen the Henrietta Knight trained Best Mate rack up a treble of success from 2002-2004. The last four Gold Cup winners have all been different horses: Denman, Kauto Star, Imperial Commander and Long Run. Kauto Star was winning the race for the second time, becoming the first horse in history to regain the Gold Cup. The others remain with the single victory. Kauto’s victory in 2009 was described by Timeform as “the best Gold Cup winning figure since the Arkle era in the mid-1960s”.
With such a vast history it is very hard to sum up all the brilliant facts about the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Unsurprisingly there are many interesting stats about the race. The biggest ever winner was Norton’s Coin, who won the 1990 race at a starting price of 100/1. Even more unlikely was the feat achieved by trainer Michael Dickinson, who trained the first five horses home in the 1983, the race won by Bregawn.
Claiming Gold Cup Glory – The Big Two Lock Horns Again
There’s no better place to start looking for the 2012 Gold Cup winner than the two market leaders: Long Run and Kauto Star. Previous winners of the prestigious event, they both warrant the upmost respect and many people will be looking at them battling it out for glory. The form is there to be seen and it’s not a hard task to appreciate why people expect the victory to go to one of these two. At the start of the season, last year’s winner Long Run was well fancied to make it back to back wins, however Kauto Star clearly has other intentions.
Things weren’t looking too good for Kauto Star last season, having been beaten eleven lengths by Long Run on the 2011 Gold Cup and then being pulled up at Punchestown. He went to Haydock for this season’s Grade 1 Betfair Chase where many doubts were cast about his participation. Long Run would put Kauto in his place, they said. However, trainer Paul Nicholls issued positive bulletins about Kauto’s well-being and how he had been primed for this race, something that could not be said for Long Run. Still, Kauto was treated with trepidation, many backing him with sentimental money. As the race unfolded, jockey Ruby Walsh had him settled nicely at the front. He set a good pace and jumped to perfection. Long Run could not live with him and Kauto recorded a brilliant eight-length win, followed by rapturous applause. A month later and the pair are set to do battle again in the King George. The build up tells us that Long Run will be fitter, sharper, stronger. History confirms this much. But once again, the vibes for Kauto are positive. In equally brilliant style to his Betfair Chase win, King Kauto claims glory and rewrites the record books with an unprecedented fifth King George win. You couldn’t have scripted it any better. But will Long Run get his revenge in the one that really matters.
It was clear to see that Long Run was closing down Kauto Star with every stride to the finishing post at Kempton. It was a clear improvement from the run at Haydock. With the extra two furlongs to be run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup it’s hard not to picture Long Run being able to take advantage with his younger age. As brilliant and captivating as Kauto has been this year, I still feel Long Run will have the measure of him. He will need to make sure he keeps up the standard of his jumping though, otherwise Kauto’s far greater fluency will punish him.
The Pretenders For The Gold Cup
Despite the obvious appeal of the top two, there is still a number of challengers that warrant respect and have to be considered. The most interesting potential challenger is Grands Crus, who may still opt to stay in novice company and race in the RSA Chase. If connections do opt for the Gold Cup route then he has to be respected. Only finding Big Buck’s too good last season over hurdles, the grey has made a great transition to fences, winning all three starts. It still represents a big task in his novice season, and it is certainly best to wait until connections confirm his target race at the festival.
Captain Chris ran a good race when tackling 3 miles for the first time, finishing third behing Kauto and Long Run in the King George. That experience will have treated him well, but making up 18 lengths over a further stamina testing trip will be a big ask for him this year. Weird Al made a fantastic start for new trainer Donald McCain Jr when winning the Grade 2 Charlie Hall chase. He beat Time For Rupert well, and he is certainly no mug. He then finished third in the Betfair Chase, just ten lengths behind Kauto Star. He seems to run better fresh and strikes me as being one of the most likely outsiders to upset the big two.
There are a whole host of other horses that will come in to consideration. Synchronised caused an upset when winning the Grade 1 Lexus Chase over in Ireland. However it’s easier to feel the Irish contingent were either not at their best and didn’t enjoy the trip. I’d sooner take that view rather than considering Synchronised as a potential Gold Cup winner. The rest of the likely contenders have a lot to make up and connections will likely be pleased if they can finish in the places.
Long Run Tastes Gold Cup Glory in 2011
In a brilliant 2011 Cheltenham Gold Cup, we saw the young challenger Long Run put his name in to the record books. A pulsating affair, Kauto Star took the lead with a way to go and always remained prominent. One by one, the challengers started to drift off, but Denman kept to the task, as did Long Run. Denman threw down a typically brute challenge, one that we’ve come to love from the 2008 Gold Cup winner. He battled with stablemate Kauto at the front, but Long Run loomed large. As they hit the final two flights Long Run asserted and his youth told as he powered clear. It was a quite brilliant finish, accompanied by the huge roar of the Cheltenham crowd.
There will be high hopes that Kauto Star and Long Run have another brilliant tussle this year. And I also hope that we see one of the other challengers step forward and make it as good as last year’s renewal. I have no doubts that it will once again be a fantastic day at the Cheltenham Festival.