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Cheltenham is a splendid spa town set in the beautiful landscape of Gloucestershire. It has a population of over 100,000 and is nestled close to the Cotswold's an area famed for its wealth and respectability. The town hosts the annual Cheltenham Festival each March which is considered the most select meeting of all the National Hunts. The Cheltenham Festival attracts the pedigree of British and Irish race horses with a prize fund only second to the Grand National.
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The jewel in the crown of the Cheltenham Festival is the Cheltenham Gold Cup which is open to race horses who are over 5 years of age. The Cheltenham Gold Cup is one of the most anticipated races of the National Hunt season, as it sees the best of British and Irish horses racing against each other which is extremely rare.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is held at Cheltenham Racecourse on the New Course and is run over a distance of three miles and two and a half furlongs; during the race the horses must jump over twenty two fences before crossing the finish line.
The first Cheltenham Gold Cup took place in the July of 1819 and was originally a flat race as opposed to the jump race that we know today. The race took place on Cleeve Hill which dominates Cheltenham Racecourse over a distance of three miles. The powerful racehorse Spectre won the event securing a prize of 100 Guineas for his owner.
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It wasn't until about hundred years later that the Cheltenham Gold Cup was run in its present form as a jump race. The first race took place on 12th March 1924 with a modest prize fund of £685. The event was ran on the Old Course at Cheltenham Racecourse with the champion Red Splash coming away victorious.
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The 1930's was not a good decade for the Cheltenham Races, as the 1931 race was cancelled due to frost and the race of 1937 was axed due to flooding. However the decade was a success for the racehorse Golden Miller, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup five times and the Grand National once during the thirties.
During the Second World War the Cheltenham Gold Cup was cancelled twice thanks to Hitler's aggressive regime, but after the Allies defeated him the Cheltenham Festival returned bigger and better than ever. Cottage Rake was the big star after the war winning 3 successive Gold Cups from 1948 to 1950. Cottage Rake, who was trained by Irishman Vincent O'Brian was a huge success and popularized the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Festival to his fellow countrymen, who have since been avid fans.
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The Irish have an affinity with horse racing and the festival coincides with St Patrick's Day which brings a party like atmosphere to the races.
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As the twentieth century progressed so did the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in 1950 the race moved from the Old Course to the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse. The first major champion on the New Course was Arkle, who won three successive races in the mid 1960's and still holds the record for the shortest priced winner in Cheltenham Gold Cup history.
Piper Champagne was the first commercial sponsor of the Cheltenham Races in 1975, with Tote Sport taking over from them in 1980. This year's Gold Cup race is sponsored by Timico.
Golden Miller remains the most successful racehorse in the history of the Cheltenham Gold Cup winning the race 5 times, with Pat Taaffe being considered the most successful jockey after winning the race on 4 separate occasions.
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Tom Dreaper is the most successful trainer with 5 champion race horses under his belt with Dorothy Paget being the proud owner of 7 Cheltenham Gold Cup winners.
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