Cheltenham Betting / Malcolm Pannett / 12 March 2009 / Leave a comment

Malcolm Pannett looks back on the long and glorious history of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup was initiated by the Cheltenham executive, under the aegis of F H Cathcart, to provide an annual championship for staying chasers. Previously the vast majority of races were handicaps and as such in races like the Grand National a lightweight could beat a better horse encumbered by a huge burden with no true champion emerging.

So on Wednesday March 12, 1924, a field of eight lined up for the first race which went to Red Splash, ridden by Dick Rees, who in a tight finish beat the previous year's Grand National-third Conjuror II by a head with just a neck back to Gerald L in third.

In the early years the Cheltenham Gold Cup was used as a Grand National trial by trainers however the exploits of the likes of Golden Miller and Cottage Rake changed that perception and the Cheltenham Gold Cup gradually evolved to become the universally recognised blue riband of the sport. The televised rivalry between Mill House and Arkle in the 1960s cemented the race into the public psyche.

Golden Miller holds the record of most wins having dominated the race between 1932 and 1936. The 1937 race was abandoned due to flooding and The Miller only failed by two lengths to record victory number six in 1938 when having to settle for second pace behind Morse Code.

Vincent O'Brien's Cottage Rake (1948-51), the peerless Arkle (1964-66) and Best Mate (2002-4) all won three in a row, with Easter Hero (1928 and 29) and L'Escargot (1970 and 71) winning two apiece.

The roll of honour is littered with the greats of yesteryear including; Prince Regent 1946, whose prime was lost during the suspension of racing due to World War II ; Fortina 1947, who went on to sire Gold Cup winners Fort Leney 1968 and Glencaraig Lady 1972; The Dikler (1970-76), who ran in seven consecutive Gold Cups winning one, finishing second once and third twice; Captain Christy 1974, brilliant but flawed; Bregawn 1983, who led home a Michael Dickinson-trained first five; Dawn Run 1986, who became the first horse to win the Champion Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup; and Desert Orchid 1989, the public's favourite.

There have been shocks along the way notably when Norton's Coin won at 100-1 in 1990. Tied Cottage was disqualified in 1980 after his eight-length victory over Master Smudge due to a positive test for theobromide. The banned substance was traced to a batch of contaminated feed and the horse's connections exonerated. Chinrullah who finished fifth, having won the Champion Chase the day before, was also disqualified from both races for the same reason.

The whole Festival was abandoned in 2001 due to a foot and mouth epidemic. While Denman won last year on a nine-race card hastily rearranged after high winds had forced Wednesday's card to be abandoned.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup first attracted a sponsor in 1972 in the form of champagne house Piper Heidsieck. The Tote took over in 1980 and in one guise or other remains in that position to the current day.

75 years ago: Golden Miller achieved arguably the greatest accomplishment by any chaser when winning both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season. The Miller's third Gold Cup was a cakewalk. A decent field tried to expose any weaknesses but there were none. Dorothy Paget's superstar came home hard held by six lengths from Avenger with a similar distance back to the previous year's Grand National-winner Kellsboro Jack. At Aintree Golden Miller, after being settled early, surged through the field to jump the last upsides Delaneige before sprinting away to win in record time.

50 years ago: Drama at the last as the leader Pas Seul crashed out hampering previous-winner Linwell and in turn Lochroe. Meanwhile Roddy Owen, under Bobby Beasley, was gifted a clear passage and went on to win by three lengths. Pas Seul made amends by winning the next year while Beasley, after a turbulent 15 year gap, doubled his Gold Cup tally on Captain Christy in 1974.

25 years ago: The first winner for a woman trainer as Jenny Pitman's Burrough Hil Lad won a thrilling duel with Brown Chamberlin. Burrough Hill Lad, ridden by Phil Tuck as regular partner John Francome had been claimed for Brown Chamberlin, stuck on well on the inside to win by three lengths from the tiring Brown Chamberlin who was hanging right towards the grandstand. Drumlargan was a further eight lengths back in third.

10 years ago: Blinkers first time focused See More Business on the task in hand. Paul Nicholls' talented chaser had been in the doldrums for a while however it was all change as he clawed his way past Go Ballistic, who was putting up a personal best display, to take victory by a length with the favourite Florida Pearl way back in third. This was apt compensation for See More Business who along with Indian Tracker had been carried out of the previous year's renewal when Cyborgo went lame.

Five years ago: Jim Lewis' popular but lightly raced champion Best Mate overcame adversity to become the first horse since Arkle to win three Gold Cups in a row. On the turn for home Best Mate, ridden by Jim Culloty, was tucked in behind the tiring pacesetter First Gold and with Paul Carberry on Harbour Pilot positioned on his outside there was seemingly nowhere to go. Culloty though kept cool and eased his charge around both of them and then hold the late challenge of Sir Rembrandt by half a length to take his place in the Gold Cup pantheon.

Last Year: A powerhouse performance by Denman and Sam Thomas to see of the previous year's winner Kauto Star. Denman and Kauto Star live in adjoining boxes at Ditcheat and with their close neighbour Neptune Collonges finishing in the frame it was a spectacular one two three for champion-trainer Paul Nicholls.