The first two runnings were won by the two trainers who thus far have gone on to be the most successful to date. Neville Crump was the winning handler in 1957 when he sent out Much Obliged, and he would follow up with Hoodwinked in 1963 & Dormant in 1964.
However, one man was to leave an indelible mark on the race: trainer Fulke Walwyn first won the race with Taxidermist in 1958, and would go on to train an incredible six more - Mill House (1967), Charlie Potheen (1973), The Dikler (1974), Diamond Edge (1979 and 1981) and Special Cargo (1984).
The most successful man in the saddle so far is legendary jockey Ron Barry, winning three times in four years from 1971 to 1974. Their feats will forever be remembered in the list of achievements associated with this great race, a list which seems to return, time and again, to the Gold Cup which took place on 24th April 1965. This was, of course, the occasion that the incomparable Arkle gained his brilliant triumph under the burden of 12st 7lbs, conceding between two and a half and three stones to all his six rivals. Yet he still started at odds of 4-9, the only odds-on favourite in what is normally one of the most competitive handicaps of the season.
Arkle, one of the truly halcyon names of the jumping game, delivered a faultless display of jumping and returned to a hero’s welcome. The eventual winner of an extraordinary three Cheltenham Gold Cups had added the Sandown showpiece to his extensive list of accolades.
All this from a horse plucked from the relative obscurity of Ballsbridge Bloodstock Sales in the Republic Of Ireland for a meagre 1150 guineas by Anne, Duchess of Westminster, having been advised by her trainer Tom Dreaper to snap-up the unraced three-year-old. Little did they realize in 1960 as they named the youngster after a mountain facing the Duchess's house by Loch Stack in Sutherland what was to follow!
It was one of his many great performances in Britain and he remains the only horse to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Betfred Gold Cup in the same season (though Pas Seul, Mill House, What A Myth, The Dikler and Desert Orchid all achieved the feat in different seasons). He is also one of only three Irish winners of the race, the others being Drumlargan in 1983 and Life Of A Lord in 1996. Cahervillahow had nearly added to those successes in 1991, passing the post first only to see the race awarded to Docklands Express following a Stewards’ Enquiry.
The Stewards were back in action in 1993, disqualifying first-past-the-post Givus A Buck in favour of Topsham Bay. This gave Topsham Bay his second triumph, a brilliant achievement only matched by Larbawn, Diamond Edge & Ad Hoc. At the time of his 1992 victory, Topsham Bay was owned by Michael Marsh, who had also owned Larbawn, making him the race's most successful owner. However, he died shortly after that victory and Topsham Bay was owned by Sir Eric Parker when he won in 1993.
The 1990 winner, Mr Frisk, is the only horse to win the Grand National and Betfred Gold Cup. Like Arkle's Cheltenham Gold Cup/Betfred Gold Cup double, he achieved it in the same season - a remarkable feat given the short space of time between the two demanding races. His victory was one of the most popular in recent years, though perhaps two triumphs gained even greater favour with an invariably large Sandown crowd.
When Special Cargo prevailed in what must be one of the closest-ever big race finishes, holding off Lettoch and Diamond Edge by two short heads, the roar which greeted his proud owner, The Queen Mother, was deafening. Only the famous victory in 1988 by the mighty grey, Desert Orchid, matched it. His exhibition of jumping round the course where he excelled himself so often will long live in the memory.
In 1996, the Gold Cup celebrated its 40th running and provided Charlie Swan with a richly deserved second victory on Life Of A Lord, trained by the remarkable Aidan O'Brien. Swan had won on Ushers Island in 1994 and had been first-past-the-post on the subsequently disqualified Cahervillahow in 1991. In 1997, the enigmatic Harwell Lad beat his stable companion Flyers Nap to provide a memorable one-two for trainer Robert Alner who, in 1998, tried unsuccessfully to follow up with Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Cool Dawn. He was beaten by Call It A Day, trained by David Nicholson who had also ridden Mill House to victory in the race in 1967. This feat was matched in 1999 by Richard Rowe when he saddled Eulogy to triumph in the race, having scored as a jockey on Shady Deal in 1982.
A new decade and with it new names to be firmly chiselled into the pantheon of winning greats, as a relentless galloping performance brought with it a memorable victory for Beau in 2000. Nigel Twiston Davies’ brilliant seven-year-old produced a power packed display of such swagger and tenacity it was impossible not to be impressed as jockey Carl Llewellyn drove him out to a wide margin success.
With that success still fresh in the memory and racing fans craving some top quality action after the mass abandonments of 2001 Beau returned the following season, but despite a gallant effort the well backed 7/2 favourite could only manage fifth in a race won by Ad Hoc. A big field of twenty five provided no problems for the Ad Hoc – Ruby Walsh partnership as the 14/1 pairing dished out a commanding performance in a highly competitive renewal of the race. It wouldn’t be the last time however that the Paul Nicholls trained gelding would make his mark at the Esher track.
Faster than usual ground in 2002 meant a who’s who of the National Hunt fraternity were once again on show as trainer Martin Pipe secured his second win in the race with classy six-year-old Bounce Back, formerly a hurdler of some repute in France having finished third in the French Champion Hurdle at Auteil. 2001 winner Ad Hoc took his chance in the race and running of a mark of 147 (13lbs higher than the previous year) managed a game fourth.
It takes an outstanding horse to win the Betfred Gold Cup just once, and an extraordinary one to win it twice, but that’s just what 2003 winner Ad Hoc achieved as he romped to a nine length victory over Stormez. Travelling sweetly throughout the race Ruby Walsh manoeuvred him effortlessly through the field to the delight of his owner Sir Robert Ogden. |
