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 1960 Grade 1 3 miles 2 1/2 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 PAS SEUL W Rees Bob Turnell Mr J Rogerson 6/1
2 LOCHROE David Mould Peter Cazalet Mrs J Mildmay-White 25/1
3 ZONDA G Robinson Geraghty (Ire) Mrs G St J Nolan 8/1
4 O'MALLEY POINT Jimmy Fitzgerald W Stephenson Mr A Elliott33/1
5 THE BELL B Lawrence P H Yates Mr M Lait 20/1
6 LOTORAY J Dowling Edmunds Mr W Miller 50/1
7 POLAR FLIGHT Dave Dick F Cundell Mrs P P-Bouverie 25/1
8 KNIGHTSBROOK G Slack W Hall Mr W Roach 7/2 fav
9 THE MAJOR Fred Winter Kilpatrick Lady Sherborne 25/1
10 RODDY OWEN P Beasley D J Morgan (Ire) Lord Fingall 5/1
11 KERSTIN Hayhurst Bewicke Mr G Moore 4/1
12 MAC JOY A Freeman K Bailey Mr W Simpson 8/1
        Over round 116%
This race took place on Thursday 10th March 1960 when Pas Seul beat Lochroe and Zonda by 1 length and 5 lengths