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 1970 | Grade 1 | 3 miles 2 1/2 furlongs | ||
| Pos. | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 1 | L'ESCARGOT | Tommy Carberry | Moore (Ire) | Mr R R Guest 33/1 |
| 2 | FRENCH TAN | Pat Taaffe | A Watson (Ire) | Mr Kelso Stewart 8/1 |
| 3 | SPANISH STEPS | John Cook | Edward Courage | Mr E R Courage 9/4 |
| 4 | FREDDIE BOY | Richard Pitman | Fred Winter | Mrs E H Vestey 40/1 |
| 5 | THE LAIRD | Jeff King | Bob Turnell | Mr H J Joel 40/1 |
| 6 | GAY TRIP | K B White | Fred Rimell | Mr A J Chambers 50/1 |
| 7 | KINLOCH BRAE | T Hyde | W T O'Grady (Ire) | Anne, Duchess of Westminster 15/8 fav |
| 8 | THE DIKLER | G W Robinson | Fulke Walwyn | Mrs D W August 10/1 |
| 9 | TITUS OATES | Stan Mellor | Gordon Richards | Mr P Cussins 10/1 |
| 10 | LARBAWN | Macer Gifford | M L Marsh | Mr M L Marsh25/1 |
| 11 | HERRING GULL | J Crowley | Paddy Mullins (Ire) | Mrs G A J Wilson 33/1 |
| 12 | ARCTURUS | Pat Buckley | Neville Crump | Lady Hay 50/1 |
| Over round 112% | ||||
| This race took place on Thursday 19th March 1970 when L'Escargot beat French Tan and Spanish Steps by 1 1/2 lengths and 10 lengths | ||||