- The totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup is the most valuable non-handicap chase in Britain. The total prize money for the 2010 running will be £475,000. The first Cheltenham Gold Cup was a three-mile Flat race in 1819, won by Mr Bodenham’s Spectre. The chase as we now know it was introduced in 1924, and won that year by Red Splash. The winning prize money was £700.
- 2006 saw the joint biggest Gold Cup field ever, with 22 runners going to post. Since the race was first run in 1924, there has only been one other renewal with more than 20 runners - in 1982 when Silver Buck defeated 21 rivals. The current maximum field is 24.
- Golden Miller holds the record for the most Gold Cup victories, with five consecutive wins from 1932-36. The race is fiercely competitive - so much so that before Best Mate in 2002, 2003 and 2004, the last horse to win more than once was L’Escargot in 1970 and 1971.
- Golden Miller’s owner, Dorothy Paget, is also the most successful owner in the race with an amazing seven victories, with Roman Hackle (1940) and Mont Tremblant (1952) adding to Golden Miller’s five wins.
- The most successful trainer is Tom Dreaper, who won five Gold Cups with three separate horses, namely Prince Regent (1946), Arkle (1964-66) and Fort Leney (1968). Paul Nicholls is the most successful current handler with four victories to his name - See More Business (1999), Kauto Star (2007 & 2009) and Denman (2008).
- Tony McCoy’s Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle/totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup double in 1997 on Make A Stand and Mr Mulligan was the 11th time that the big-race double has been landed by one jockey in the same year. The other jockeys to have achieved the feat were Dick Rees (1929), Tom Cullinan (1930), Ted Leader (1932), Bill Stott (1933), Gerry Wilson (1935), Aubrey Brabazon (1949 and 1950), Tim Molony (1953), Fred Winter (1961) and Norman Williamson (1995).
- Alderbrook and Master Oats in 1995 enabled Norman Williamson and Kim Bailey to join a very select group of jockey and trainer partnerships who have won both the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup in the same year. The other partnerships were Tom Cullinan and Jack Anthony in 1930, Ted Leader and Basil Briscoe in 1932, Bill Stott and Basil Briscoe in 1933, and Aubrey Brabazon and Vincent O’Brien in both 1949 and 1950.
- Dawn Run is the only horse to have won both the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup. She was successful in 1984 and 1986 respectively.
- The longest-priced winner of the Gold Cup is Norton’s Coin, who started at 100/1 in 1990, while the shortest-priced winner was Arkle, the 1/10 favourite in 1966.
- The last grey Gold Cup winner was Desert Orchid in 1989.
- totesport has sponsored the Cheltenham Gold Cup since 1980.
- In the Gold Cup's history only seven horses have won more than once, and the most recent of them is Kauto Star, who took the spoils in 2007 and 2009. The others were Best Mate (2002/03/04), L'Escargot (1970/71), Easter Hero (1929/30), Golden Miller (1932/33/34/35/36), Cottage Rake (1948/49/50) and Arkle (1964/65/66).
- While Best Mate, L’Escargot, Easter Hero, Golden Miller, Cottage Rake and Arkle all recorded consecutive victories, Kauto Star became the first horse to regain the Gold Cup last year.
- Since 1980 eight 9-year-olds, nine 8-year-olds, six 7-year-olds and five 10-year-olds have been successful. The last horse over the age of 10 to win was 12-year-old What A Myth in 1969. The last six-year-old to win was Mill House in 1963.
- Nine favourites since 1980 have justified the market confidence – Kauto Star in 2007 and 2009, Kicking King in 2005, Best Mate in 2003 and 2004, Master Oats in 1995, Desert Orchid in 1989, Dawn Run in 1986 and Bregawn in 1983.
- The four Irish-trained winners since 1980 were War Of Attrition in 2006, Kicking King in 2005, Imperial Call in 1996 and Dawn Run 10 years before that. Irish-trained horses did better between 1946 and 1977 when 16 successes were achieved. The only French-trained winner was The Fellow in 1994 while there has also been a Welsh-trained victor in Norton’s Coin (1990).
totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup - Roll
(totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup since 2004, Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup 1980-2003, Piper Champagne Cheltenham Gold Cup 1975-1979, no sponsor before 1975)
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Kauto Star | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | 7/4F |
| 2008 | Denman | Sam Thomas | Paul Nicholls | 9/4 |
| 2007 | Kauto Star | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | 5/4F |
| 2006 | War Of Attrition | Conor O'Dwyer | Mouse Morris IRE | 15/2 |
| 2005 | Kicking King | Barry Geraghty | Tom Taaffe IRE | 4/1F |
| 2004 | Best Mate | Jim Culloty | Henrietta Knight | 8/11F |
| 2003 | Best Mate | Jim Culloty | Henrietta Knight | 13/8F |
| 2002 | Best Mate | Jim Culloty | Henrietta Knight | 7/1 |
| 2001 | ||||
| 2000 | Looks Like Trouble | Richard Johnson | Noel Chance | 9/2 |
| 1999 | See More Business | Mick Fitzgerald | Paul Nicholls | 16/1 |
| 1998 | Cool Dawn | Andrew Thornton | Robert Alner Hon. | 25/1 |
| 1997 | Mr Mulligan | Tony McCoy | Noel Chance | 20/1 |
| 1996 | Imperial Call | Conor O'Dwyer | Fergie Sutherland IRE | 9/2 |
| 1995 | Master Oats | Norman Williamson | Kim Bailey | 100/30F |
| 1994 | The Fellow | Adam Kondrat | Francois Doumen FR | 7/1 |
| 1993 | Jodami | Mark Dwyer | Peter Beaumont | 8/1 |
| 1992 | Cool Ground | Adrian Maguire | Toby Balding | 25/1 |
| 1991 | Garrison Savannah | Mark Pitman | Jenny Pitman | 16/1 |
| 1990 | Norton's Coin | Graham McCourt | Sirrell Griffiths | 100/1 |
| 1989 | Desert Orchid | Simon Sherwood | David Elsworth | 5/2F |
| 1988 | Charter Party | Richard Dunwoody | David Nicholson | 10/1 |
| 1987 | The Thinker | Ridley Lamb | Arthur Stephenson | 13/2 |
| 1986 | Dawn Run | Jonjo O'Neill | Paddy Mullins IRE | 15/8F |
| 1985 | Forgive N' Forget | Mark Dwyer | Jimmy FitzGerald | 7/1 |
| 1984 | Burrough Hill Lad | Phil Tuck | Jenny Pitman | 7/2 |
| 1983 | Bregawn | Graham Bradley | Michael Dickinson | 100/30F |
| 1982 | Silver Buck | Robert Earnshaw | Michael Dickinson | 8/1 |
| 1981 | Little Owl | Mr Jim Wilson | Peter Easterby | 6/1 |
| 1980 | *Master Smudge | Richard Hoare | Arthur Barrow | 14/1 |
| 1979 | Alverton | Jonjo O'Neill | Peter Easterby | 5/1JF |
| 1978 | Midnight Court | John Francome | Fred Winter | 5/2 |
| 1977 | Davy Lad | Dessie Hughes | Mick O'Toole IRE | 14/1 |
| 1976 | Royal Frolic | John Burke | Fred Rimell | 14/1 |
| 1975 | Ten Up | Tommy Carberry | Jim Dreaper IRE | 2/1 |
| 1974 | Captain Christy | Bobby Beasley | Pat Taaffe IRE | 7/1 |
| 1973 | The Dikler | Ron Barry | Fulke Walwyn | 9/1 |
| 1972 | Glencaraig Lady | Frank Berry | Francis Flood IRE | 6/1 |
| 1971 | L'Escargot | Tommy Carberry | Dan Moore IRE | 7/2JF |
| 1970 | L'Escargot | Tommy Carberry | Dan Moore IRE | 33/1 |
| 1969 | What A Myth | Paul Kelleway | Ryan Price | 8/1 |
| 1968 | Fort Leney | Pat Taaffe | Tom Dreaper IRE | 11/2 |
| 1967 | Woodland Venture | Terry Biddlecombe | Fred Rimell | 100/8 |
| 1966 | Arkle | Pat Taaffe | Tom Dreaper IRE | 1/10F |
| 1965 | Arkle | Pat Taaffe | Tom Dreaper IRE | 3/10F |
| 1964 | Arkle | Pat Taaffe | Tom Dreaper IRE | 7/4 |
| 1963 | Mill House | Willie Robinson | Fulke Walwyn | 7/2F |
| 1962 | Mandarin | Fred Winter | Fulke Walwyn | 7/2 |
| 1961 | Saffron Tartan | Fred Winter | Don Butchers | 2/1F |
| 1960 | Pas Seul | Bill Rees | Bob Turnell | 6/1 |
| 1959 | Roddy Owen | Bobby Beasley | Danny Morgan IRE | 5/1 |
| 1958 | Kerstin | Stan Hayhurst | Verly Bewicke | 7/1 |
| 1957 | Linwell | Michael Scudamore | Charlie Mallon | 100/9 |
| 1956 | Limber Hill | Jimmy Power | Bill Dutton | 11/8F |
| 1955 | Gay Donald | Tony Grantham | Jim Ford | 33/1 |
| 1954 | Four Ten | Tommy Cusack | John Roberts | 100/6 |
| 1953 | Knock Hard | Tim Molony | Vincent O'Brien IRE | 11/2 |
| 1952 | Mount Tremblant | Dave Dick | Fulke Walwyn | 8/1 |
| 1951 | Silver Fame | Martin Molony | George Beeby | 6/4F |
| 1950 | Cottage Rake | Aubrey Brabazon | Vincent O'Brien IRE | 5/6F |
| 1949 | Cottage Rake | Aubrey Brabazon | Vincent O'Brien IRE | 4/6F |
| 1948 | Cottage Rake | Aubrey Brabazon | Vincent O'Brien IRE | 10/1 |
| 1947 | Fortina | Mr Richard Black | Hector Christie | 8/1 |
| 1946 | Prince Regent | Tim Hyde | Tom Dreaper IRE | 4/7F |
| 1945 | Red Rower | Davy Jones | Lord Stalbridge | 11/4F |
| 1943 | ||||
| 1944 | ||||
| 1942 | Medoc II | Frenchie Nicholson | Reg Hobbs | 9/2 |
| 1941 | Poet Prince | Roger Burford | Ivor Anthony | 7/2 |
| 1940 | Roman Hackle | Evan Williams | Owen Anthony | Evs |
| 1939 | Brendans Cottage | George Owen | George Beeby | 8/1 |
| 1938 | Morse Code | Danny Morgan | Ivor Anthony | 13/2 |
| 1937 | ||||
| 1936 | Golden Miller | Evan Williams | Owen Anthony | 21/20F |
| 1935 | Golden Miller | Gerry Wilson | Basil Briscoe | 1/2F |
| 1934 | Golden Miller | Gerry Wilson | Basil Briscoe | 6/5F |
| 1933 | Golden Miller | Billy Stott | Basil Briscoe | 4/7F |
| 1932 | Golden Miller | Ted Leader | Basil Briscoe | 13/2 |
| 1931 | ||||
| 1930 | Easter Hero | Tommy Cullinan | Jack Anthony | 8/11F |
| 1929 | Easter Hero | Dick Rees | Jack Anthony | 7/4F |
| 1928 | Patron Saint | Dick Rees | Stanley Harrison | 7/2 |
| 1927 | Thrown In | Hon Hugh Grosvenor | Owen Anthony | 10/1 |
| 1926 | Koko | Tim Hamey | Alfred Bickley | 10/1 |
| 1925 | Ballinode | Ted Leader | Frank Morgan IRE | 3/1 |
| 1924 | Red Splash | Dick Rees | Fred Withington | 5/1 |
