Gold Cup

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 Golden Miller, Arkle, Desert Orchid and Best Mate.

Gold Cup Trends

All of the last ten winners had run between two and five times that season

All of the last ten winners had won a Graded chase that season

All of the last ten winners were aged between seven and nine

Nine of the last ten winners had run between six and fourteen times over fences

Eight of the last ten winners had an official rating of at least 166

Eight of the last ten winners had won or placed at a previous Festival

Gold Cup Trends Analysis

Kauto Star broke some strong trends last year 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.

He or Denman will have to overcome another trend if they are to win in 2010 and become the first ten year old to win since Cool Dawn in 1998 and only the third horse of such an age since 1989.
Paul Nicholls' top two chasers still looks the dominant horses in steeplechasing and even though their age may soon start to catch up with them none of the up and coming youngsters look like they can much the established stars this year.

Gold Cup Tips

It would be good to be able to put up something to oppose short price favourites, but with none of the rivals making much appeal it appears to come down to a straight choice between the big two.

Denman is just given the nod as the nature of his demolition of a decent field off top weight in the Hennessy suggests that 'The Tank' is back to his best and whilst every credit must go to his main rival who has now won four King Georges and two Gold Cups slight preference is given to Denman as his power packed display to win the 2008 Gold Cup must rate as one of the most impressive in recent history and if back to that sort of form Kauto Star will have a tough task to win his third Gold Cup.

 

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