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 1977 | Grade 1 | 3 miles 2 1/2 furlongs | ||
| Pos. | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 1 | DAVY LAD | Dessie Hughes | Mick O'Toole (Ire) | Mrs J McGowan 14/1 |
| 2 | TIED COTTAGE | Tommy Carberry | D Moore (Ire) | Mr A Robinson 20/1 |
| 3 | SUMMERVILLE | Jeff King | Bob Turnell | Mr H J Joel 16/1 |
| 4 | APRIL SEVENTH | Steve Knight | Bob Turnell | Mrs B Meehan 66/1 |
| 5 | FORT FOX | Fran Berry | J Cox (Ire) | Mrs G McKey 10/1 |
| 6 | TAMALIN | Jonjo O'Neill | Gordon Richards | Mr T Metcalfe 11/1 |
| 7 | ZARIB | R R Evans | Fred Rimell | Mrs J Greenhalgh 12/1 |
| 8 | MASTER H | J Weston | M Oliver | Mr W Davies 66/1 |
| 9 | BANNOW RAMBLER | M Furlong | F Berry (Ire) | Mrs K White 11/4 fav |
| 10 | LANZAROTE | John Francome | Fred Winter | Lord Howard De Walden 7/2 |
| 11 | FORT DEVON | Bill Smith | Fulke Walwyn | Mr C Bird jnr 5/1 |
| 12 | EVEN UP | Bob Champion | Mrs D Oughton | Noel Whitcomb 50/1 |
| 13 | BANLIEU | B R Davies | David Morley | Lord Hartington 66/1 |
| Over round 112% | ||||
| This race took place on Thursday 17th March 1977 when Davy Lad beat Tied Cottage and Summerville by 6 lengths and 20 lengths | ||||