Events / Malcolm Pannett / 22 April 2009 /

Malcolm Pannett runs through the highlights of the 51-year history of the final big chase of the jumps season.

First run in 1957 as the Whitbread Gold Cup the race quickly became established as one of the big four alongside the Hennessy, King George and Cheltenham Gold Cup. Quality horses and sensational finishes remain the hallmark of this Grade 3 handicap that in modern times marks the end of the jumping season.

Colonel Bill Whitbread, Chairman of the brewing company and a keen amateur jockey who had ridden in the Grand National, founded the three mile five-and-a-half furlong-contest at Sandown with twin aims. To stage a decent race and promote his company - he succeeded in both.

The first winner was Much Obliged who beat Mandarin in the sort of ding-dong battle up the Sandown hill that typifies the allure of the Esher venue. Mandarin went on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1962.

Pas Seul (1961), Arkle (1965), What A Myth (1966) Mill House (1967) and Desert Orchid (1988) bettered Mandarin's feat by winning both of the big races along with The Dikler (1974) who was involved in one of the most controversial runnings of the Whitbread.

On the run-in, Proud Tarquin, ridden by John Lawrence, who had stuffed the opposition on Taxidermist in 1958, slightly veered towards Ron Barry's mount during a full-on head-to-head duel. The former just won by a head but the stewards after deliberating for some time decided to reverse the placings with The Dikler declared the winner, a decision Proud Tarquin's jockey, now better known as Lord Oaksey, felt 'was very unfair at the time'.

It was a similar story in 1991. Charlie Swan produced Cahervillahow to overhaul Docklands Express at the last but on the run-in Mouse Morris' charge hung right into Kim Bailey's nine-year-old who only went down by three parts of a length. Cahervillahow, who had already suffered bad luck when accidentally being withdrawn from the Cheltenham Gold Cup entries, was placed second by the Stewards much to the chagrin of his connections as well as many unbiased onlookers. An appeal was overturned and Cahervillahow went on to complete his hat-trick of bad fortune when finishing second in the Grand National - the void race in 1993.

Also in 1993, but back at Sandown, Givus A Buck and the previous year's-winner Topsham Bay sought different routes to the line and inevitably bumped. Just a head separated them at the line with Givus A Buck, under Paul Holley, prevailing.

For the third time though the Stewards had their say and it was Richard Dunwoody who collected the win percentage as Topsham Bay was promoted to become the third dual-winner after Larbawn (1968 and 1969), who won for the Gifford brothers, and Diamond Edge (1979 and 1981) trained by Fulke Walwyn who won the Whitbread seven times in all. In the early part of the new century the Paul Nicholls-trained Ad Hoc (2001 and 2003) became the fourth.

After Bill Whitbread's death a successful plea to the company's board by his wife Betty along with the Queen Mother prolonged the sponsorship for a while. Subsequently Attheraces took over in 2002 followed by Betfred with Bet 365 adding their name for the first time last year.

In 1973 the race was run at Newcastle and was won by 11-4 favourite Charlie Potheen.

25 years ago - An absolute thriller and arguably one of the best finishes of all time as the closely grouped Plundering, Lettoch, and Diamond Edge all took it in turns to hit the front on the run-in only to be collared in the last stride by the second wind of the Queen Mother's Special Cargo.

10 years ago - A year for the lightweights as the first eight home carried 10 stone with six of those out of the handicap. Barry Fenton stoked Eulogy along to take closer order turning out of the back straight but a mistake at the Pond, where Betty's Boy overtook Jathib, left the combination with a mountain to climb. Luckily the Sandown hill sufficed and Eulogy, relishing the climb, cut down Betty's Boy approaching the last running on strongly to win by three and a half lengths with Jathib a further length back in third.

Five years ago - The Martin Pipe-trained Puntal, who had lead for a long way, was headed by Kings Mistral over the railway fences but fought back to take it up again at the Pond fence. Danny Howard drove the 25-1 shot four lengths clear at the last but then Puntal weakened holding on by just a short head from Royal Auclair who would surely have won if he hadn't made mistakes at both of the last two fences.

Last Year - D'Argent and Without A Doubt cut out a steady pace setting up a bunch finish. Monkerhostin, who made good progress from the back, and Royal Auclair disputed the lead three out and were joined by Royal Auclair's stable companion Hoo La Balloo at the next. Monkerhostin, ridden by Richard Johnson, though stayed on the best to record his first victory since 2005 at 25-1 with fellow 11-year-old Royal Auclair outstaying Hoo La Baloo to take second place again. Favourite Iris De Balme, who had won the Scottish National, made rapid progress from the rear to finish fourth.

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