Gold Cup Trends

The £270,000 Cheltenham Gold Cup is the most valuable non-handicap chase in Britain. The Gold Cup first took place in 1924 and since then some of the greats of National Hunt racing have won the race including Arkle and Desert Orchid.

Gold Cup Ten Year Trends

10/10	had run between two and five times that season
10/10	had previously won a Grade One chase
10/10	started in the first three in the betting
9/10	had won a chase that season
9/10	had run between six and fourteen times over fences
9/10	had won or been placed at a previous Festival
9/10	had an official rating of at least 166
9/10	were aged between seven and nine

Trends Analysis

Kauto Star broke some strong trends in 2009 when becoming the first horse to regain the Gold Cup and was also winning with more experience over fences than any winner in the previous ten years.

Long Run also smashed some trends in 2011 when he became the first six-year-old to win the Gold Cup since Mill House way back in 1963!

Nevertheless the Gold Cup is a race where history often repeats itself and as well as the comprehensive list above make sure your selection lined up in the King George at Kempton as seven of the last ten winners ran in the Boxing Day highlight.

Gold Cup Last Ten Winners

Table below shows the last ten winners of the race.

Year	Horse	Age	Trainer	Jockey	Price
2011	Long Run	6yo	N Henderson	Mr S Waley-Cohen	7/2F
2010	Imperial Commander	9yo	N Twiston-Davies	P Brennan	7/1
2009	Kauto Star	9yo	P Nicholls	R Walsh	7/4F
2008	Denman	8yo	P Nicholls	S Thomas	9/4
2007	Kauto Star	7yo	P Nicholls	R Walsh	5/4F
2006	War Of Attrition	7yo	M Morris	C ODwyer	15/2
2005	Kicking King	5yo	T Taaffe	B Geraghty	4/1F
2004	Best Mate	9yo	Miss H Knight	J Culloty	8/11F
2003	Best Mate	8yo	Miss H Knight	J Culloty	13/8F
2002	Best Mate	7yo	Miss H Knight	J Culloty	7/1

Gold Cup Preview and Tips

By far the most likely winner of the 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup is last year's hero Long Run.
We tend to forget this horse won the Gold Cup last year at just six-years-old, a feat not achieved since Mill House in 1963.

Long Run has obviously still had plenty of growing up to do and whilst some have questioned his early performances this season it very much appears as if the horse is growing into one that will suited by the extra test of stamina that is provided at Cheltenham.

Long Run is the most likely winner but his current price of 9/4 accurately reflects his chance and those punters fancying an each-way punt instead should look towards Synchronised.

The ground at Cheltenham looked to be cutting up a bit yesterday and that will be to the favour of Jonjo O'Neill's gelding and with the stable already amongst the winners he could provide a minor shock and upset Long Run and Kauto Star

Back Long Run at 9/4 with SkyBet (price available at time of writing)