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G1 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Facts & Figures

Press Release 14th March 2019 Cheltenham

By Racenews

Background Information
The G1 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup is the most valuable non-handicap chase in Britain. The total prize money for the 2019 running is £625,000, with £351,687 to the winner and prize money down to the eighth home. Magners is the new sponsor in 2019, succeeding Timico (2016-2018). Betfred (2012-2015) inherited the sponsorship after taking over the Tote which backed the race from 1980. Piper Champagne was the first sponsor from 1975 to 1979.
 
The initial Cheltenham Gold Cup was a three-mile Flat race in 1819, won by Mr Bodenham's Spectre. The chase, as we now know it, was introduced in 1924, with Red Splash successful. The winning prize money then was £700. The 1924 Gold Cup trophy, acquired by Cheltenham Racecourse in 2018 after being kept in a bank vault for years, will be presented to the winning connections of the 2019 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup. The 2019 winning owner will receive a replica of the original Cheltenham Gold Cup to keep, with the 1924 Cheltenham Gold Cup, the new perpetual trophy, remaining on display at Cheltenham Racecourse.
 
Biggest Field
The joint biggest Cheltenham Gold Cup field ever was in 2006, when 22 runners went to post.Since the chase was first run in 1924, there has only been one other renewal with more than 18 runners - in 1982 when Silver Buck defeated 21 rivals. There are 16 declared runners this year.
 
Multiple Winners
In the Cheltenham Gold Cup's history, seven horses have won the race more than once. Golden Miller holds the record for the most Gold Cup victories, with five consecutive wins from 1932-36. The other horses with two or more successes have been Kauto Star, who took the spoils in 2007 and 2009 and is the only horse to ever regain the Gold Cup, Best Mate (2002/03/04), L'Escargot (1970/71), Arkle (1964/65/66), Cottage Rake (1948/49/50) and Easter Hero (1929/30). The 2018 winner Native River runs again this year.
 
Most Successful Owner
Golden Miller's owner, Dorothy Paget, has been the most successful owner in the race with an amazing seven victories, with Roman Hackle (1940) and Mont Tremblant (1952) adding to Golden Miller's five wins.
 
Most Successful Trainer
The most successful trainer has been Tom Dreaper, who won five Gold Cups with three horses, namely Prince Regent (1946), Arkle (1964, 1965 and 1966) and Fort Leney (1968).
 
Paul Nicholls is the most successful current handler with four wins from three horses - See More Business (1999), Kauto Star (2007 & 2009) and Denman (2008). He saddles Clan Des Obeaux tomorrow.
 
Most Successful Jockey
The most successful jockey has been Pat Taaffe, who recorded four victories on - Arkle (1964, 1965 & 1966) and Fort Leney (1968).
 
The three most successful current jockeys with two wins each are Ruby Walsh (Kauto Star 2007 & 2009), Barry Geraghty (Kicking King 2005 & Bobs Worth 2013) and Richard Johnson (Looks Like Trouble 2000 & Native River 2018). Each can go one better this year, with Walsh riding Bellshill, Geraghty on Anibale Fly and Johnson hoping to win for the second year running on Native River.
 
Ridden & Trained Winner
Five winning jockeys went on train the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner.
 
Rode
Trained
Danny Morgan
Morse Code (1938)
Roddy Owen (1959)
Fred Winter
Saffron Tartan (1961), Mandarin (1962)
Midnight Court (1978)
Pat Taaffe
Arkle (1964, 1965, 1966), Fort Leney (1968)
Captain Christy (1974)
Jonjo O'Neill
Alverton (1979), Dawn Run (1986)
Synchronised (2012)
Jim Culloty
Best Mate (2002, 2003, 2004)
Lord Windermere (2014)
 
 
Mares
A total of four mares have won the Cheltenham Gold Cup - Ballinode (1925), Kerstin (1958), Glencaraig Lady (1972) and Dawn Run (1986). Shattered Love, trained by Gordon Elliott, tries to add to that total this year.
Longest & Shortest-Priced Winners, Fate Of The Favourites
The longest-priced winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup has been 100/1 chance Norton's Coin in 1990.
 
The shortest-priced winner was Arkle, the 1/10 favourite in 1966. In the 90 runnings, 30 favourites have won -just over 33 per cent.
 
Greys
The only grey Cheltenham Gold Cup winner was Desert Orchid in 1989. Bristol De Mai attempts to be the second in 2019.
 
Age
The breakdown of winners by age is as follows:
5yo - 3 victories - none this year
6yo - 5 victories - none this year
7yo - 17 victories - Al Boum Photo, Clan Des Obeaux, Elegant Escape, Kemboy
8yo - 22 victories - Bristol De Mai, Invitation Only, Presenting Percy, Shattered Love
9yo - 25 victories - Anibale Fly, Bellshill, Double Shuffle, Native River, Yala Enki
10yo - 11 victories - Definitly Red, Might Bite
11yo - 5 victories - Thistlecrack
12yo - 2 victories - none this year
 
Overseas-Trained Winners
The winners of 25 Cheltenham Gold Cups have been trained overseas.
 
IRELAND (24): Ballinode (1925), Prince Regent (1946), Cottage Rake (1948, 1949, 1950), Knock Hard (1953), Roddy Owen (1959), Arkle (1964, 1965, 1966), Fort Leney (1968), L'Escargot (1970, 1971), Glencaraig Lady (1972), Captain Christy (1974), Ten Up (1975), Davy Lad (1977), Dawn Run (1986), Imperial Call (1996), Kicking King (2005), War Of Attrition (2006), Lord Windermere (2014), Don Cossack (2016) & Sizing John (2017). There are seven Irish runners this year.
 
FRANCE (1): The Fellow (1994)
 
Gold Cup/Champion Hurdle Double
Dawn Run is the only horse to have won both the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup. She was successful in 1984 and 1986 respectively.
 
Fastest Time
The fastest winning time is 6 minutes 29.7 seconds, set by Long Run in 2011.
 
Did You Know?
A P McCoy's Champion Hurdle/Cheltenham Gold Cup double in 1997 on Make A Stand and Mr Mulligan was the 11th time that the big-race double has been landed by one jockey in the same year. The other jockeys to have achieved the feat were Dick Rees (1929), Tom Cullinan (1930), Ted Leader (1932), Bill Stott (1933), Gerry Wilson (1935), Aubrey Brabazon (1949 and 1950), Tim Molony (1953), Fred Winter (1961) and Norman Williamson (1995).
 
Alderbrook and Master Oats in 1995 enabled Norman Williamson and Kim Bailey to join a very select group of jockey and trainer partnerships who have won both the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup in the same year. The other successful partnerships were Tommy Cullinan and Jack Anthony in 1930, Ted Leader and Basil Briscoe in 1932, Bill Stott and Basil Briscoe in 1933, and Aubrey Brabazon and Vincent O'Brien in both 1949 and 1950.
 
Michael Dickinson saddled the first five horses home in the 11-runnner 1983 renewal - Bregawn (Graham Bradley - 100/30F), Captain John (David Goulding - 11/1), Wayward Lad (Jonjo O'Neill - 6/1), Silver Buck (Robert Earnshaw - 5/1) and Ashley House (Mr Dermot Browne - 12/1).
 
Willie Mullins has yet to win the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup, but has saddled the runner-up on six occasions - Florida Pearl (2000), Hedgehunter (2006), Sir Des Champs (2013), On His Own (2014) and Djakadam (2015 & 2016).
 
Three of the last five trainers to win the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup - Jim Culloty (Lord Windermere 2014), Gordon Elliott (Don Cossack 2016) and Jessica Harrington (Sizing John 2017) - did so with their first runner in the race.
 
 
Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup runners with previous The Festival form
Year
Race
Pos
Jockey
SP
         
Al Boum Photo (Willie Mullins IRE)
2018
RSA Insurance Novices' Chase
F
Ruby Walsh
8/1
         
Anibale Fly (Tony Martin IRE)
2018
Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup
3rd
Barry Geraghty
33/1
         
Bellshill (Willie Mullins IRE)
2015
Weatherbys Champion Bumper
10th
Ruby Walsh
14/1
2016
Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle
13th
Paul Townend
11/1
2017
RSA Insurance Novices' Chase
3rd
Ruby Walsh
5/1
         
Bristol De Mai (Nigel Twiston-Davies)
2016
JLT Novices' Chase
2nd
Daryl Jacob
4/1 (CFav)
2017
Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup
7th
Daryl Jacob
16/1
         
Clan Des Obeaux (Paul Nicholls)
2016
JCB Triumph Hurdle
6th
Noel Fehily
12/1
         
Definitly Red (Brian Ellison)
2014
Weatherbys Champion Bumper
7th
A P McCoy
25/1
2015
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
PU
Richard Johnson
11/1
2016
National Hunt Chase
F
Mr Sam Waley-Cohen
12/1
2018
Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup
6th
Danny Cook
8/1
         
Double Shuffle (Tom George)
2016
Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase
3rd
Paddy Brennan
8/1
         
Elegant Escape (Colin Tizzard)
2017
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
7th
Tom Scudamore
100/1
2018
RSA Insurance Novices' Chase
3rd
Harry Cobden
9/1
         
Invitation Only (Willie Mullins IRE)
2018
JLT Novices' Chase
PU
Paul Townend
9/2
         
Kemboy (Willie Mullins IRE)
2017
Ballymore Novices' Hurdle
5th
David Mullins
16/1
2018
JLT Novices' Chase
4th
David Mullins
15/2
         
Might Bite (Nicky Henderson)
2017
RSA Insurance Novices' Chase
1st
Nico de Boinville
7/2 (Fav)
2018
Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup
2nd
Nico de Boinville
4/1 (Fav)
         
Native River (Colin Tizzard)
2015
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
9th
Brendan Powell
40/1
2016
National Hunt Chase
2nd
Mr Michael Legg
7/1
2017
Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup
3rd
Richard Johnson
7/2
2018
Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup
1st
Richard Johnson
5/1
         
Presenting Percy (Patrick Kelly IRE)
2017
Pertemps Network Final
1st
Davy Russell
11/1
2018
RSA Insurance Novices' Chase
1st
Davy Russell
5/2 (Fav)
 
 
 
 
 
Shattered Love (Gordon Elliott IRE)
2017
Ballymore Novices' Hurdle
12th
Bryan Cooper
8/1
2018
JLT Novices' Chase
1st
Jack Kennedy
4/1
 
 
 
 
 
Thistlecrack (Colin Tizzard)
2016
Sun Racing Stayers' Hurdle          
1st
Tom Scudamore
Evens (Fav)
         
Yala Enki (Venetia Williams)
2016
Ballymore Novices' Hurdle
PU
Aidan Coleman
25/1
2018
Ultima Handicap Chase
6th
Charlie Deutsch
12/1
 
Record of trainers with runners in the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup
(since 1997 plus any winners beforehand)
Year
Pos
Horse
Jockey
SP
         
Gordon Elliott IRE - Shattered Love
2016
1st
Don Cossack
Bryan Cooper
9/4 (Fav)
2017
10th
Outlander
Bryan Cooper
10/1
2018
PU
Outlander
Jack Kennedy
20/1
         
Brian Ellison - Definitly Red
2018
6th
Definitly Red
Danny Cook
8/1
         
Tom George - Double Shuffle
2006
18th
Lord Of Illusion
Jason Maguire
33/1
         
Nicky Henderson - Might Bite
2002
12th
Bacchanal
Mick Fitzgerald
6/1
2002
4th
Marlborough
Dean Gallagher
12/1
2003
11th
Marlborough
Mick Fitzgerald
20/1
2004
PU
Irish Hussar
Mick Fitzgerald
16/1
2009
7th
Barbers Shop
Barry Geraghty
10/1
2011
1st
Long Run
Mr Sam Waley-Cohen
7/2 (Fav)
2012
3rd
Long Run
Mr Sam Waley-Cohen
7/4 (Fav)
2012
4th
Burton Port
Barry Geraghty
8/1
2013
1st
Bobs Worth
Barry Geraghty
11/4 (Fav)
2013
3rd
Long Run
Mr Sam Waley-Cohen
7/2
2014
10th
Triolo D'Alene
A P McCoy
10/1
2014
5th
Bobs Worth
Barry Geraghty
6/4 (Fav)
2015
PU
Bobs Worth
Barry Geraghty
16/1
2018
2nd
Might Bite
Nico de Boinville
4/1 (Fav)
         
Patrick Kelly IRE - Presenting Percy
No runners since 1997
         
Tony Martin IRE - Anibale Fly
2018
3rd
Anibale Fly
Barry Geraghty
33/1
         
Willie Mullins IRE -Al Boum Photo, Bellshill, Invitation Only, Kemboy
1999
3rd
Florida Pearl
Richard Dunwoody
5/2 (Fav)
2000
2nd
Florida Pearl
Paul Carberry
9/2
2002
6th
Alexander Banquet
Barry Geraghty
12/1
2002
11th
Florida Pearl
Conor O'Dwyer
10/1
2004
8th
Alexander Banquet
Ruby Walsh
80/1
2006
2nd
Hedgehunter
Ruby Walsh
16/1
2010
5th
Cooldine
Paul Townend
10/1
2011
PU
Kempes
A P McCoy
9/1
2012
9th
The Midnight Club
Paul Townend
100/1
2013
2nd
Sir Des Champs
A P McCoy
4/1
2014
2nd
On His Own
David Casey
16/1
2015
2nd
Djakadam
Ruby Walsh
10/1
2015
5th
On His Own
Mr Patrick Mullins
33/1
2015
10th
Boston Bob
Paul Townend
33/1
2016
2nd
Djakadam
Ruby Walsh
9/2
2016
3rd
Don Poli
Davy Russell
9/2
2016
8th
On His Own
Mr Patrick Mullins
50/1
2017
4th
Djakadam
Ruby Walsh
3/1 (Fav)
2018
5th
Djakadam
Mr Patrick Mullins
25/1
2018
F
Total Recall
David Mullins
14/1
2018
F
Bachasson
Danny Mullins
33/1
2018
PU
Killultagh Vic
Paul Townend
8/1
         
Paul Nicholls - Clan Des Obeaux
1998
CO
See More Business
Timmy Murphy
11/2
1999
1st
See More Business
Mick Fitzgerald
16/1
1999
4th
Double Thriller
Joe Tizzard
9/1
2000
4th
See More Business
Mick Fitzgerald
9/4 (Fav)
2002
3rd
See More Business
Joe Tizzard
40/1
2002
PU
Shotgun Willy
Timmy Murphy
25/1
2003
4th
Valley Henry
Barry Geraghty
14/1
2003
8th
See More Business
Joe Tizzard
16/1
2005
4th
Royal Auclair
Christian Williams
40/1
2005
6th
Strong Flow
Ruby Walsh
5/1
2006
9th
Royal Auclair
Christian Williams
20/1
2006
16th
Cornish Rebel
Joe Tizzard
16/1
2007
1st
Kauto Star
Ruby Walsh
5/4 (Fav)
2007
8th
Neptune Collonges
Liam Heard
50/1
2007
12th
My Will
Sam Thomas
16/1
2008
1st
Denman
Sam Thomas
9/4
2008
2nd
Kauto Star
Ruby Walsh
10/11 (Fav)
2008
3rd
Neptune Collonges
Mick Fitzgerald
25/1
2009
1st
Kauto Star
Ruby Walsh
7/4 (Fav)
2009
2nd
Denman
Sam Thomas
7/1
2009
4th
Neptune Collonges
Christian Williams
15/2
2009
5th
My Will
Nick Scholfield
100/1
2009
13th
Star De Mohaison
Timmy Murphy
20/1
2010
2nd
Denman
A P McCoy
4/1
2010
7th
My Will
Nick Scholfield
80/1
2010
9th
Tricky Trickster
Barry Geraghty
12/1
2010
F
Kauto Star
Ruby Walsh
8/11 (Fav)
2011
2nd
Denman
Sam Thomas
8/1
2011
3rd
Kauto Star
Ruby Walsh
5/1
2011
4th
What A Friend
Daryl Jacob
25/1
2011
8th
Neptune Collonges
Robert Thornton
33/1
2012
F
What A Friend
Daryl Jacob
25/1
2012
PU
Kauto Star
Ruby Walsh
3/1
2013
F
Silviniaco Conti
Ruby Walsh
4/1
2014
4th
Silviniaco Conti
Noel Fehily
11/4
2015
7th
Silviniaco Conti
Noel Fehily
3/1 (Fav)
2015
PU
Sam Winner
Sam Twiston-Davies
20/1
2017
5th
Saphir Du Rheu
Sam Twiston-Davies
33/1
2018
PU
Saphir Du Rheu
Sam Twiston-Davies
66/1
         
Colin Tizzard - Elegant Escape, Native River, Thistlecrack
2007
PU
Bob Bob Bobbin
Joe Tizzard
100/1
2016
F
Cue Card
Paddy Brennan
5/2
2017
3rd
Native River
Richard Johnson
7/2
2017
F
Cue Card
Paddy Brennan
9/2
2018
1st
Native River
Richard Johnson
5/1
         
Nigel Twiston-Davies - Bristol De Mai
2006
17th
Ollie Magern
Carl Llewellyn
33/1
2008
6th
Knowhere
Paddy Brennan
25/1
2009
10th
Knowhere
Paddy Brennan
100/1
2010
1st
Imperial Commander
Paddy Brennan
7/1
2011
PU
Imperial Commander
Paddy Brennan
4/1
2017
7th
Bristol De Mai
Daryl Jacob
16/1
         
Venetia Williams - Yala Enki
1999
PU
Teeton Mill
Norman Williamson
7/2
2000
5th
Lake Kariba
Norman Williamson
150/1
2006
PU
Limerick Boy
Sam Thomas
150/1
2010
3rd
Mon Mome
Aidan Coleman
50/1
2014
11th
Katenko
Aidan Coleman
66/1
2014
9th
Houblon Des Obeaux
Liam Treadwell
50/1
2015
11th
Houblon Des Obeaux
Aidan Coleman
33/1
 
 
Record of declared jockeys in the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup
(since 1997 plus any winners beforehand)
 
Year
Pos
Horse
Trainer
SP
         
Nico de Boinville - Might Bite
2015
1st
Coneygree
Mark Bradstock
7/1
2018
2nd
Might Bite
Nicky Henderson
4/1 (Fav)
         
Jonathan Burke - Double Shuffle
No previous rides
         
Harry Cobden - Clan Des Obeaux
No previous rides
         
Danny Cook - Definitly Red
2018
6th
Definitly Red
Brian Ellison
8/1
         
Charlie Deutsch - Yala Enki
No previous rides
         
Barry Geraghty - Anibale Fly
2002
6th
Alexander Banquet
Willie Mullins
12/1
2003
4th
Valley Henry
Paul Nicholls
14/1
2004
6th
Keen Leader
Jonjo O'Neill
10/1
2005
1st
Kicking King
Tom Taaffe
4/1 (Fav)
2006
3rd
Forget The Past
Michael O'Brien
9/1
2007
10th
Forget The Past
Michael O'Brien
25/1
2009
7th
Barbers Shop
Nicky Henderson
10/1
2010
9th
Tricky Trickster
Paul Nicholls
12/1
2011
PU
China Rock
Mouse Morris
25/1
2012
4th
Burton Port
Nicky Henderson
8/1
2013
1st
Bobs Worth
Nicky Henderson
11/4 (Fav)
2014
5th
Bobs Worth
Nicky Henderson
6/4 (Fav)
2015
PU
Bobs Worth
Nicky Henderson
16/1
2016
4th
Carlingford Lough
John Kiely
25/1
2018
3rd
Anibale Fly
Tony Martin
33/1
         
Daryl Jacob - Bristol De Mai
2007
11th
The Listener
Robert Alner
14/1
2011
4th
What A Friend
Paul Nicholls
25/1
2012
F
What A Friend
Paul Nicholls
25/1
2017
7th
Bristol De Mai
Nigel Twiston-Davies
16/1
         
Richard Johnson - Native River
1999
7th
Escartefigue
David Nicholson
11/1
2000
1st
Looks Like Trouble
Noel Chance
9/2
2002
13th
Looks Like Trouble
Noel Chance
9/2 (Fav)
2003
5th
Behrajan
Henry Daly
14/1
2006
6th
Monkerhostin
Philip Hobbs
13/2
2007
4th
Monkerhostin
Philip Hobbs
25/1
2013
6th
Captain Chris
Philip Hobbs
14/1
2017
3rd
Native River
Colin Tizzard
7/2
2018
1st
Native River
Colin Tizzard
5/1
         
Jack Kennedy - Shattered Love
2018
PU
Outlander
Gordon Elliott
20/1
         
David Mullins - Kemboy
2017
9th
Champagne West
Henry de Bromhead
14/1
2018
F
Total Recall
Willie Mullins
14/1
         
Mr Patrick Mullins - Invitation Only
2015
5th
On His Own
Willie Mullins
33/1
2016
8th
On His Own
Willie Mullins
50/1
2018
5th
Djakadam
Willie Mullins
25/1
         
Tom O'Brien - Elegant Escape
No previous rides
         
Davy Russell - Presenting Percy
2003
2nd
Truckers Tavern
Ferdy Murphy
33/1
2005
F
Pizarro
Edward O'Grady
14/1
2010
8th
Cerium
Paul Murphy
200/1
2014
1st
Lord Windermere
Jim Culloty
20/1
2015
PU
Lord Windermere
Jim Culloty
20/1
2016
3rd
Don Poli
Willie Mullins
9/2
         
Tom Scudamore - Thistlecrack
2005
10th
Astonville
Michael Scudamore snr
500/1
2006
15th
Iznogoud
Martin Pipe
200/1
2008
PU
Azulejo
Michael Scudamore snr
200/1
2009
8th
Madison Du Berlais
David Pipe
10/1
2011
5th
Midnight Chase
Neil Mulholland
9/1
2012
2nd
The Giant Bolster
David Bridgwater
50/1
2013
4th
The Giant Bolster
David Bridgwater
16/1
2014
3rd
The Giant Bolster
David Bridgwater
14/1
2015
PU
The Giant Bolster
David Bridgwater
33/1
         
Paul Townend - Al Boum Photo
2010
5th
Cooldine
Willie Mullins
10/1
2012
9th
The Midnight Club
Willie Mullins
100/1
2015
10th
Boston Bob
Willie Mullins
33/1
2016
5th
Irish Cavalier
Rebecca Curtis
66/1
2017
PU
Irish Cavalier
Rebecca Curtis
66/1
2018
PU
Killultagh Vic
Willie Mullins
8/1
         
Ruby Walsh - Bellshill
2000
UR
Rince Ri
Ted Walsh
33/1
2002
2nd
Commanche Court
Ted Walsh
25/1
2003
6th
Commanche Court
Ted Walsh
8/1
2004
8th
Alexander Banquet
Willie Mullins
80/1
2005
6th
Strong Flow
Paul Nicholls
5/1
2006
2nd
Hedgehunter
Willie Mullins
16/1
2007
1st
Kauto Star
Paul Nicholls
5/4 (Fav)
2008
2nd
Kauto Star
Paul Nicholls
10/11 (Fav)
2009
1st
Kauto Star
Paul Nicholls
7/4 (Fav)
2010
F
Kauto Star
Paul Nicholls
8/11 (Fav)
2011
3rd
Kauto Star
Paul Nicholls
5/1
2012
PU
Kauto Star
Paul Nicholls
3/1
2013
F
Silviniaco Conti
Paul Nicholls
4/1
2015
2nd
Djakadam
Willie Mullins
10/1
2016
2nd
Djakadam
Willie Mullins
9/2
2017
4th
Djakadam
Willie Mullins
3/1 (Fav)

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