The great Denman© Photo Healy Racing
The Cheltenham Gold Cup celebrates its centenary this year and to mark the occasion, we look at 10 memorable renewals of National Hunt racing’s blue riband event.
Golden Miller (1935)
Golden Miller’s place in jumping legend is secure. He is the only horse ever to have won five Gold Cups, and he also won the Grand National in one of those years, 1934.
His most famous Cheltenham victory came in 1935, when he just got the better of Thomond after a great battle.
Having been denied the chance of a six-timer in 1937 due to flooding, Golden Miller led at the last as a 12-year-old the following season but eventually had to settle for second on that occasion.
Owned by the eccentric Dorothy Paget, Golden Miller’s reputation remains intact despite the passing of the years and the exploits of contemporary heroes, and it is highly unlikely that his Gold Cup record will ever be equalled.
Arkle (1964)
Near-hysteria surrounded the clash of two of the greatest chasers in history, Arkle and Mill House.
Although both horses were Irish-bred and ridden, it was a classic England versus Ireland tussle. Mill House had been brought across to Fulke Walwyn’s stable, while Arkle remained on the Emerald Isle with Tom Dreaper.
‘The big horse’, as Mill House was known, had won the previous year’s event and had beaten Arkle in that season’s Hennessy Gold Cup, although jockey Pat Taaffe reported that his horse had slipped three from home and claimed Mill House would never beat him again.
Snow threatened to ruin the big day, but it cleared in time as Willie Robinson made the running on Mill House until Arkle began to close going down the final hill.
Battle commenced at the second-last, but Robinson had to go for his whip first, and Arkle started to forge ahead before taking the final fence in front and bounding away up the hill to land the spoils by five lengths. A legend was born in that moment and he would go on to win two more Gold Cups.
Bregawn (1983)
This race will always be remembered for Michael Dickinson’s ‘famous five’, as the Yorkshire handler enjoyed total domination.
Market leader Bregawn made all the running under a 22-year-old Graham Bradley and was followed home by his stablemates Captain John, multiple King George winner Wayward Lad, defending champion Silver Buck and Ashley House.
Bradley said: “Michael was brilliant in preparing them and it was a magical moment, the man was an absolute genius.
“You have to remember that he only had 60 boxes, not 200 like some of them today. The quality of horse he assembled was quite amazing really. Bregawn won it out of stamina more than anything – and guts.”
Dawn Run (1986)
Paddy Mullins’ wonder mare became the only horse to complete the Champion Hurdle-Gold Cup double in dramatic fashion.
Everything looked to be against the inexperienced Dawn Run as a couple of early mistakes went against her and Jonjo O’Neill was hard at work to maintain the lead as they rounded the top of the straight.
It looked to be game over as Wayward Lad and Forgive ‘n Forget swept past but Dawn Run found a little bit extra to land after the second-last in front, only for Wayward Lad to put on his own spurt.
He was set for glory just 100 yards out but his questionable stamina began to wane and Dawn Run dug even deeper to claw back the lead and win by three-quarters of a length in a record time.
All set to the soundtrack of a memorable commentary by Sir Peter O’Sullevan, who cried: “The mare’s beginning to get back up… and as they come to the line, she’s made it.”
Desert Orchid (1989)
Possibly the most popular triumph in the whole history of this great race, as the flying grey was an icon who transcended the sport!
Simon Sherwood could not say enough in praise of Desert Orchid’s bravery following his thrilling duel with Yahoo in desperate conditions.
‘Dessie’ was left in front three fences from home but it looked all over bar the shouting as confirmed mud-lover Yahoo kicked on for victory.
However, Desert Orchid gave every ounce of effort on the heavy ground, finally overhauling Yahoo for a length-and-a-half verdict.
It was also another O’Sullevan masterpiece: “He’s beginning to get up, Desert Orchid is beginning to get up… Dessie has done it!”
Norton’s Coin (1990)
Although a better horse than he is given credit for, Norton’s Coin provided one of the biggest upsets in racing when he landed the Gold Cup from Toby Tobias at odds of 100-1.
Desert Orchid was sent off the odds-on favourite and made most of the running, but by the second-last he was weakening, and it was Graham McCourt aboard the nine-year-old who was travelling the best. He just outfought Jenny Pitman’s Toby Tobias in a bitter struggle up the run-in.
Norton’s Coin had won the odd decent race, but did not appear in the best form, finishing only third in an average Newbury handicap the month before.
It was an extraordinary result also for his trainer, Carmarthenshire dairy farmer Sirrell Griffiths, who had been up milking his cows that morning.
Best Mate (2004)
It may not have been the strongest renewal but nothing should be taken away from Best Mate as he became the first horse in 38 years to win three successive Gold Cups.
His two previous wins may well have been more impressive but Henrietta Knight’s charge showed plenty of courage as he outbattled three rivals up the hill.
Sir Rembrandt pushed him every yard to the line but Best Mate’s willpower saw him edge it by just under a length to join the Cheltenham greats.
Denman (2008)
A blockbuster showdown between Denman and stablemate Kauto Star was billed as the most eagerly-awaited Gold Cup battle since Arkle and Mill House – and it lived up to the hype!
‘The Tank’ galloped reigning champion Kauto Star into the ground, powering away up the hill to prevail by seven lengths, with Paul Nicholls also saddling the third-placed Neptune Collonges.
“Denman was awesome,” declared Nicholls. “He jumped and galloped and put Kauto on the back foot really. Kauto didn’t jump as well as he can and the ground may have been a little tacky for him.
“We are not going to make any excuses, as he got beat by a better horse on the day. But Kauto will be back here and will win plenty more races.”
Those words proved correct, as 2007 hero Kauto Star gained his revenge when hammering Denman by 13 lengths a year later, becoming the first horse to regain the trophy.
Coneygree (2015)
The unheralded husband and wife training partnership of Mark and Sara Bradstock pulled off an incredible coup as Coneygree became the first novice to win the Gold Cup for over 40 years.
Sent off as a 7-1 shot, the eight-year-old soon had matters his own way up front and Nico de Boinville settled his mount into a steady rhythm to ensure the race would be a thorough test of stamina.
Attacking each fence with great enthusiasm, the pair maintained a relentless gallop before repelling the late charge of Djakadam by a length and a half.
Sara Bradstock said: “It’s only his fourth run over fences, but he had so much time off and he’s wise in his own way. He is a freak, he has got ridiculously long legs.”
Unfortunately, those legs proved fragile and the horse, who was bred by the late Lord Oaksey, Sara’s father, failed to reach the same dizzy heights in the future.
A Plus Tard (2022)
Rachael Blackmore etched herself further into racing folklore as she added Gold Cup glory to her two Champion Hurdle victories and the previous year’s Grand National triumph in guiding A Plus Tard to a runaway success.
Stuck behind a wall of horses turning in, Blackmore was patient and came between Protektorat and dual winner Al Boum Photo to hunt down defending champion Minella Indo, jumping to the front over the last before drawing clear.
“I’m so lucky to be getting to ride all these kind of horses,” said Blackmore. “I’ve had so many special days. I wouldn’t swap the Grand National for anything, but this is the Gold Cup.”
Winning trainer Henry de Bromhead added: “Rachael was brilliant on him. Rachael was so brave, the way she went about it, it was brilliant.”
