Cheltenham Gold Cup

The Gold Cup is the headline feature race at the Cheltenham Festival. The race was first established in 1819 when it was originally run at Cleeve Hill, located next to the current course. It is widely considered to be the most prestigious National Hunt race of the racing calendar. Some of the greatest jump racing horses of all time have won the Gold Cup including Golden Miller, Arkle, Desert Orchid, Best Mate, and Kauto Star.

Gold Cup Overview

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the feature race, not only of the day but the meeting. It is run over 3 miles 2 furlongs and 70 yards of the new course where they will have to jump twenty-two fences. The winning prize money is likely to be in the region of £364,000 and it is run as the fourth race on the final day’s card.

The race is the most prestigious of all National Hunt races with many of the finest of jumping’s history amongst its roll call including the likes of Arkle, Golden Miller, Mill House, Best Mate, Denman and Kauto Star.

Gold Cup Betting Trends and Statistics

• 25 of the past 26 winners were aged between 7 and 9 years of age with no winner this century aged 10 or older.
• 17 of the 25 winners this century returned at shorter than 7-1 with four favourites winning the last six renewals.
• Only two winners this century (Lord Windermere and Al Boum Photo’s first win) went off at double figures, so the market is a very good guide.
• Ireland currently has a stranglehold on the race and has won 10 of the last 12 renewals including the last seven.
• Willie Mullins is the trainer to follow, having waited an age for his first win in the race he has now won 4 of the last 7 including the dual winner Galopin Des Champs in 2023 and 2024.
• Previous Cheltenham Festival form is important with 21 of the 25 winners this century having won or placed at a previous Festival.
• 18 of the 25 winners this century had won last time out.

Gold Cup History

The first race known as the Cheltenham Gold Cup took place in 1819, remarkably a flat race on Cleeve Hill next to the racecourse. The race as it is now was first run in 1924 with the winning owner collecting £685. This race was originally run on the old course but was transferred to its current home on the new course in 1959.

Its sponsors over the years include Piper Champagne and the Tote. The shortest-priced winner of the Gold Cup was Arkle’s third victory in 1966 when he went off 1/10. Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Gold Cup when victorious on A Plus Tard in 2022.

Gold Cup Winners