Cheltenham Gold Cup 2015

The 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup, sponsored by Betfred, featured 16 runners and had the distinction of being the first to be won by a novice since Captain Christy in 1974. The novice in question, on this occasion, was Coneygree, an 8-year-old gelding bred by the late John Oaksey and trained by his son-in-law Mark Bradstock at Lettcombe Bassett, near Wantage, Oxfordshire.

Prior to running in the Gold Cup, Coneygree had returned from a 671-day break to win all three starts over fences, including the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, making all and jumping well on each occasion. Toying with the idea of running Coneygree in the “Blue Riband” event, Bradstock said, “Touching wood, he is a very good jumper. He’s only had three runs [in steeplechases], but looks like he knows what he's doing, and he's not won over fences here [at Cheltenham] but has won twice over hurdles.”

Silviniaco Conti, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Ruby Walsh, was sent off 3/1 favourite to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup at the third time of asking. Nicholls’ charge had fallen at the third last when travelling well in 2013 and finished fourth, beaten 1¾ lengths, behind Lord Windermere in 2014, having only been headed in the final hundred yards or so. The Dom Alco gelding had 7lb and upwards in hand of his rivals on official figures, but otherwise the Gold Cup had a distinctly open look to it. Coneygree and Many Clouds were sent off joint second favourites at 7/1, with Holywell and Road To Riches joint third favourites at 8/1, and 10/1 bar.

In any event, regular jockey Nico De Boinville soon had Coneygree in his customary position at the head of affairs and, although drifting right up the famous Cheltenham hill, never really looked like being beaten. He stayed on very gamely in the closing stages to beat Djakadam by 1½ lengths with Road To Riches a further 2 lengths away in third. Bradstock said afterwards, “I’m numb, it’s wonderful. It won’t sink in for a while, but it’s great.”

As a footnote, perennial champion jockey A.P. McCoy, riding in his last Cheltenham Gold Cup, finished ninth on Carlingford Lough.

Cheltenham Gold Cup 2014

The 2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup, sponsored by Betfred, featured 13 runners and was a dramatic race with an historic, if controversial, finish. After two false starts, five horses, headed by 11/4 second favourite Silviniaco Conti, still held a chance jumping the final fence. However, on the run to the line, Silviniaco Conti veered right towards the centre of the track, while his nearest pursuer, 6/4 favourite Bobs Worth, became unbalanced after ducking away from the yellow jacket of member of security staff, handing the initiative to the horses that would eventually fill the first three places.

Lord Windermere, a largely unconsidered 20/1 chance, despite winning the RSA Chase at the 2013 Cheltenham Festival, had been left with plenty to do after the third last fence, but made relentless progress under pressure to lead inside the final half a furlong and held on, all out, to beat On His Own by a short head. However, in his exhausted state, Lord Windermere hung badly right on the run-in, carrying On His Own and the eventual third, The Giant Bolster, with him towards the stands rail.

The resulting stewards’ inquiry, which was televised, lasted 15 minutes, adding to the melodrama, but the result was ultimately allowed to stand. Stewards’ secretary Paul Barton said afterwards, “There was interference, without a doubt, but on balance we believe it was insufficient to cause us to change the result.”

Victory for Lord Windermere was an historic achievement for trainer Jim Culloty. Ten years after riding Best Mate to the third of his Cheltenham Gold Cup victories, the Kerryman became one of just five men – the others being Danny Morgan, Fred Winter, Jonjo O’Neill and Pat Taaffe – to have ridden and subsequently trained a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner. Lord Windermere had been completely outpaced in the early stages of the race and, commenting on the ride Davy Russell had given the horse, Culloty said, jokingly, “To be fair now, halfway round, Davy was getting the sack.” 

Speaking of the sack, Davy Russell rode Lord Windermere to victory just 10 weeks after losing his job as retained rider to Gigginstown House Stud and completed a 3,926/1 treble on the day.

Most Competitive Cheltenham Gold Cup

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is, of course, a ‘conditions’ race, in which entire horses and geldings carry the same weight, regardless of their previous form. Consequently, while it would be unfair the ‘Blue Riband’ contest ‘uncompetitive’ on occasions – it is, after all, the most valuable steeplechase of its kind run in Britain – only twice in its history has the number of runners ever approached the maximum allowed field of 24. With the festival just around the corner, which brings to mind these free bets from YesBets, let's take a look at the most competitive Cheltenham Gold Cup.

On the most recent occasion, in 2006, despite, or perhaps because of, the absence of Best Mate and Kicking King, 22 runners went to post. They were headed by Beef Or Salmon, trained by Michael Hourigan, who, despite being tailed off when pulled up behind Kicking King in the 2005 renewal, was officially the highest-rated horse in the field and was sent off 4/1 favourite.

According to the official handicapper, Beef Or Salmon had just 1lb in hand of the 169-rated Kingscliff, trained by the late Robert Alner, who started at 12/1, following two disappointing runs since beating Beef Or Salmon in the Betfair Chase at Haydock the previous November. Michael Hourigan’s 10-year-old likewise had 4lb in hand of the 166-rated Monkerhostin, trained by Philip Hobbs, who had only just failed when beaten a neck by Kicking King in the King George VI Chase, run at Sandown, the previous December, and started 13/2 second favourite.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup looked an unusually open race on paper and, from flagfall, was notable for its generous pace, thank in large part to several runners who liked to race on, or close to, the pace. Ollie Magern and Lord Of Illusion, both 33/1 outsiders, took the field along until the water jump on the circuit and, although only one horse came to grief – Celestial Gold, who unseated Timmy Murphy at the tenth fence – on going officially described as ‘good’, plenty of them found things happening just a shade too quickly.

The race was littered with costly mistakes and blunders. The well-backed Forget The Past, trained by the late Michael O’Brien, who had taken up the running at the end of the back straight, proceeded to spoil his chance by hitting the next fence and the fourth-last, while Cornish Rebel, trained by Paul Nicholls, was still well in contention when brought to a standstill by a shuddering blunder at the latter fence.

Meanwhile, another well-backed Irish raider, War Of Attrition, trained by Michael ‘Mouse’ Morris, put in an exemplary round of jumping, taking the lead at the bypassed third-last fence and staying on strongly to eventually beat Hedgehunter, trained by Willie Mullins, by 2½ lengths. The winning time was 6 minutes and 31.70 seconds, 5.30 seconds faster than the standard time for 3 miles 2½ furlongs on the New Course at Prestbury Park.

Cheltenham Gold Cup 2013

The 2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup, sponsored by Betfred, featured nine runners and was won, in convincing style, by Bobs Worth, trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Barry Geraghty. In so doing, the 11/4 favourite was completing a notable Cheltenham Festival treble, having won the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle in 2011 and the RSA Chase in 2012.

Bobs Worth ran just twice during the 2012/13 season, readily accounting for Tidal Bay by 3¼ lengths in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on his seasonal reappearance in December before lining up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup 104 days later. His main opposition came from stable companion, and King George VI Chase winner, Long Run, who started 7/2 second favourite, and Betfair Chase winner Silviniaco Conti and Irish Hennessy Gold Cup winner Sir Des Champs, who were sent off at 4/1 joint third favourites.

Early on the second circuit, Long Run was in the lead, jumping well, although hotly pursued by Sir Des Champs in a close second. Silviniaco Conti fell at the third last, when still travelling well and, in so doing, hampered Bobs Worth, who was 8 lengths down at that point. Briefly, it appeared that Long Run and Sir Des Champs may have the race between them, but Bobs Worth came with a strong run approaching the second last, jumped the final fence in front and powered clear on the run-in to beat Sir Des Champs by 7 lengths, with Long Run a further 2¾ lengths in third.

Winning trainer Nicky Henderson had always expressed his concern that Bobs Worth would be better on good going, rather than the prevailing soft going. That sentiment was echoed by a nonetheless delighted Barry Geraghty, who said of Bobs Worth, “He’s a great attitude, he struggled on the ground but he kept fighting. I was hunting and I knew coming into the second last I would win. He's as game as a lion and he loves the job.”

Hailed by Henderson as “amazing, an absolute legend”, Bobs Worth was retired from racing in 2016 and has since enjoyed a happy retirement with Tracy Vigors at Hillwood Stud.

Cheltenham Gold Cup 2012

The 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup, sponsored, for the first time, by Betfred, featured 13 runners and was won by Synchronised, trained by Jonjo O’Neill and ridden by A.P. McCoy. The race also featured the final racecourse appearance by Kauto Star, winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup twice and the King George VI Chase five times, who was eventually retired from racing the following October.

Kauto Star was sent off 3/1 second favourite, behind defending champion and 7/4 favourite Long Run but, after losing a prominent early position at the seventh fence, weakened after a mistake at the next fence and was pulled up before halfway.

Meanwhile, Midnight Chase made the running until headed by Time For Rupert at the fourth last, where he blundered, but Time For Rupert, too, was swamped on the run to the second last fence. At that point, 50/1 outsider The Giant Bolster took the lead and looked, momentarily, as if he might cause an almighty surprise. However, Long Run, on his inside, jumped upsides at the last, while Synchronised, who’d been ridden along in sixth as the field turned back towards home, came home strongly on the outside under a vintage McCoy drive. The 8/1 chance fought his way into the lead shortly afterwards and kept on gamely up the hill for a dramatic win. The Giant Bolster rallied for second, beaten 2¼ lengths, with Long Run a further three-quarters of a length away in third.

McCoy, who celebrating his second win in the race, after Mr. Mulligan in 1997, said of Synchronised, “He’s an amazing horse and it was an amazing performance. He’s really delivered.”

Jonjo O'Neill, who became the latest of a select group of men to ride, and train, a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, said, “AP [McCoy] was brilliant on him, he knows him so well. Our big worry was keeping him in the race as, if he makes mistakes, he gets behind.”

Tragically, Synchronised next ran in the Grand National at Aintree less than a month later; ridden, once again, by A.P. McCoy, he was sent off 10/1 second favourite, but fell at Becher’s Brook on the first circuit and, despite getting up and galloping away, broke a hind leg after falling again, when running loose, five fences later and was put down.