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"There's nothing like it" - Nicholls
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"I want to make more history" - Blackmore
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Betfair ambassadors Rachael Blackmore and Paul Nicholls are joined by Ruby Walsh as they explain what it takes to win the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival.
The Festival, which runs 12-15 March, is the biggest four days in the National Hunt racing season and the Gold Cup is its most illustrious race.
This year the race is celebrating its centenary so we brought together some of the biggest names in racing to talk about it what makes it great. Watch the film and read a short summary of our experts' comments below.
Watch Icons of the Gold Cup with Betfair
Rachael Blackmore (first woman jockey to win the Gold Cup)
"I used to listen to Cheltenham on an earpiece (I had my hair down to hide it) while I was in class at school. For the Gold Cup on the Friday, I went down to my aunt's house to watch it. This was during the rivalry between Paul Nicholls' Kauto Star and Denman.
"As a jockey, the build-up to the Gold Cup is incredible. You work with the horses all season in the hope that they will get to the race. I finished second on A Plus Tard in 2021 and all the talk in the build-up to 2022 was about whether we could do it that year. It feels incredibly special to win the race and be part of its history.
"I would love to make more Gold Cup history."
Paul Nicholls (four-time Gold Cup winning trainer)
"Watching the Gold Cup as a boy with my granddad got me hooked on racing.
"It was so special to train both Denman and Kauto Star for the Gold Cup when they were taking on each other. Kauto Star was absolutely imperious the first time he won it in 2007.
"Going in the winners' enclosure when you have won the Gold Cup, there is nothing else like it.
Ruby Walsh (Gold Cup-winning jockey 2007 and 2009)
"Horse racing was lucky to have the rivalry between Denman and Kauto Star. It was a huge field [when I rode Kauto Star in 2007] and there were so many unknowns. But he was an incredible horse. The way he we won it in 2007 then went back and regained it in 2009 made him that little bit different.
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