Gold Cup

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 The Gold Cup, the chasing crown, is a grade 1 race over 3 miles 2 furlongs and 70 yards and 22 fences of the New Course and is open to 5-year-olds and above. Although the first race at Cheltenham known as the Gold Cup was in July 1819, it was a flat race over 3 miles on the Cleeve Hill course and was won by Spectre owned by Mr Bodenham, and the race did continue for a number of years afterwards. However, it has no real connection with the present day pinnacle of National Hunt racing which was first contested on 12th March 1924 over 3 miles 3 furlongs. The race was not staged in 1931 due to frost, nor in 1937 due to flooding, and the Second World War prevented the race being held in both 1943 and 1944.
Early history:- The inaugural running of the Gold Cup was on 12th March 1924 over 3 miles 3 furlongs and was won by Red Splash (5/1) owned by Major Humphrey Wyndham, trained by Fred Withington and ridden by Dick Rees, beating Conjuror II (7/1) and Gerald L (5/1).
Gold Cup 1953 Grade 1 3 miles 2 1/2 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 KNOCK HARD T Molony O'Brien (Ire) Mrs M H Keogh 11/2
2 HALLOWEEN Fred Winter W Wightman Countessa Di Sant Elia 5/2 fav
3 GALLOWAY BRAES R Morrow Kilpatrick Lady Orde 33/1
4 MONT TREMBLANT D V Dick Fulke Walwyn Miss Dorothy Paget 4/1
5 MARINER'S LOG Pat Taaffe G Beeby Lord Bicester 100/8
6 STORMHEAD G Slack W Hall Mr C Nicholson 33/1
7 CUSHENDON P Chisman Bobby Renton Mrs L Brotherton 33/1
8 ROSE PARK T Cusack Peter Cazalet Mr G Lawrence 100/7
9 LANVEOC POULMIC R Emery Fulke Walwyn Miss Dorothy Paget 100/6
10 STATECRAFT Dick Francis Peter Cazalet Mrs J White 100/6
11 ESB Michael Scudamore Fred Rimell Mrs L Carver 20/1
12 TEAL A P Thompson Neville Crump Mr H Lane 6/1
        Over round 118%
This race took place on Thursday 6th March 1953 when Knock Hard beat Halloween and Galloway Braes by 5 lengths and 2 lengths