Cheltenham Gold Cup 2019 Racecard
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the highlight of the Cheltenham Festival and the most prestigious race of the entire Jumps season. It takes place each year on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival in March.
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3:30
Friday 15 March |
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Distance: 26f 70y Age: 5yo + Prize: £625000 Going: Good to Soft |
| FORM | SILKS | HORSE | AGE | ODDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENTRY | JOCKEY & TRAINER | WGT | ||
| 5/1F2F1R-1 |
|
AL BOUM PHOTO (FR)
3
|
7 11-10 | |
| 1 |
J: P. Townend
T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland Would have been placed if standing up in the RSA last year and has improved again since, impressively winning listed event at Tramore on his only start this season in January. Can do even better. |
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| 591F34-62 |
|
ANIBALE FLY (FR)
3
|
9 11-10 | |
| 2 |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: A. J. Martin, Ireland Made the frame in this and the Grand National last season and coming to the boil judged on last month's second to Monalee over an inadequate trip at Gowran. Each-way claims once more. |
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| 1F3/14d1-41 |
|
BELLSHILL (IRE)
3
|
9 11-10 | |
| 3 |
J: R. Walsh
T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland Has really come good over fences, winning the Punchestown and Irish Gold Cups on 2 of his last 3 starts, jumping really well at Leopardstown. Another strong contender for Willie Mullins, and Walsh up. |
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| 5/11632-1F |
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BRISTOL DE MAI (FR)
3
|
8 11-10 | |
| 4 |
J: Daryl Jacob
T: Nigel Twiston-Davies Dominant winner of the Betfair Chase on return (from Native River) before falling around halfway in the King George. Excels in the mud so gets his ground and could improve on his 2017 seventh. |
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| 4/2123-411 |
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CLAN DES OBEAUX (FR)
4
|
7 11-10 | |
| 5 |
J: Harry Cobden
T: Paul Nicholls His form has taken off this term and he followed up his King George success (from Thistlecrack) with an easy win at Ascot, again jumping really well. Adaptable regards conditions and a big player. |
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| 3116U-112 |
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DEFINITLY RED (IRE)
3
|
10 11-10 | |
| 6 |
J: Danny Cook
T: Brian Ellison Sixth last year and as good as ever upon his return, winning Grade 2s at up to 25f at Wetherby and Aintree. Unsuited by emphasis on speed in a match last time and a better showing expected now. |
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| 2274-F252 |
|
DOUBLE SHUFFLE (IRE)
2
|
9 11-10 | |
| 7 |
J: Jonathan Burke
T: Tom George Doesn't win often but placed in Festival handicap as a novice and ran right up to his best when second in 3m Grade 3 handicap at Kempton last month, jumping well in front. Lacks the class for this. |
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| 2133-1212 |
|
ELEGANT ESCAPE (IRE)
3
|
7 11-10 | |
| 8 |
J: Tom O'Brien
T: Colin Tizzard Third in the 2018 RSA and even better this term, following in the footsteps of stablemate Native River when winning the Welsh National. Second to Frodon last time and this stiffer test in his favour. |
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| 113P3U-31 |
|
INVITATION ONLY (IRE)
3
|
8 11-10 | |
| 9 |
J: Mr P. W. Mullins
T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland Didn't get the chance to show what he could do when fancied for the JLT last year and looked better than ever when landing the Thyestes (25f) handicap at Gowran, digging deep. Could go well. |
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| 214F11-11 |
|
KEMBOY (FR)
4
|
7 11-10 | |
| 10 |
J: D. J. Mullins
T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland Continues to improve and was very impressive when winning 3m Grade 1 at Leopardstown at Christmas, easily dismissing a host of proven Grade 1 performers. More progress beckons and a live contender. |
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| 11/1121-57 |
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MIGHT BITE (IRE)
3
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10 11-10 | |
| 11 |
J: Nico de Boinville
T: Nicky Henderson 2017 RSA winner and jumped superbly before outstayed by Native River in this last year. Disappointing this term (bled in the King George) and back after wind surgery and treatment for stomach ulcers. |
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| 1113/11-23 |
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NATIVE RIVER (IRE)
5
|
9 11-10 | |
| 12 |
J: Richard Johnson
T: Colin Tizzard Was all guns blazing when outstaying Might Bite to land this race 12 months ago and neither of his runs this season have seen him in the best light. Big chance to retain his crown with the mud flying. |
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| 6/131121-1 |
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PRESENTING PERCY
4
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8 11-10 | |
| 13 |
J: Davy Russell
T: Patrick G. Kelly, Ireland Seeking a third straight victory at the Festival and won over hurdles on his return at Gowran in January. Not jumped another fence in public since his 2018 RSA success but sure to be ready to roll. |
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| 1112/54-32 |
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THISTLECRACK
3
|
11 11-10 | |
| 14 |
J: Tom Scudamore
T: Colin Tizzard Impressive record here (the 2016 World Hurdle among his 3 wins from 5 visits) and got right back to his best when second to Clan des Obeaux in the King George. Big run possible if in the same form. |
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| 4F166-135 |
|
YALA ENKI (FR)
1
|
9 11-10 | |
| 15 |
J: Charlie Deutsch
T: Venetia Williams Thorough stayer who won handicap at Bangor on return and was third to Elegant Escape in the Welsh National. Rare sloppy round of jumping under young rider at Haydock latest and up against it here. |
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| 11125-220 |
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SHATTERED LOVE (IRE)
3
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8 11-3 | |
| 16 |
J: J. W. Kennedy
T: Gordon Elliott, Ireland Won last season's JLT and returned with a couple of good placed efforts over inadequate trips. Excuses (sore shins) when tailed off at Leopardstown at Christmas and could hit the frame back here. |
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Analyst's Verdict
NATIVE RIVER can become the first back-to-back winner since the legendary Best Mate. He showed great toughness when getting the better of Might Bite 12 months ago and looks ready to peak once more having not been seen in the best light in his 2 runs since. Presenting Percy, seeking his third straight Festival victory, looks the biggest danger ahead of the progressive Kemboy.
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It is open to horses who are aged five years or older, with different weights carried based both on age and gender.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse, over a distances of three miles and two and a half furlongs. There are a total of 22 fences to be jumped.
The first race known as the Cheltenham Gold Cup was run in July 1819, but it was a flat race contested over three miles.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup ran as a jumps race for the first time in March 1924 but did not start with the prestige it now has, overshadowed by the National Hunt Chase.
However, now is very different, and the legend of the Cheltenham Gold Cup has grown over the decades thanks to a raft of top-class winners that have written themselves into Cheltenham Gold Cup history.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup Trophy is awarded to the winning connections of the horse that wins the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The original Cheltenham Gold Cup will be presented to the winners of the festival highlight after the racecourse was reunited with the prize in 2018.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup trophy, first awarded 94 years ago, was offered to the course by a private owner who had kept it in a bank vault since the 1970s. It will replace the current Cheltenham Gold Cup, which has been in use since 1972.
The all-time most successful horse in the Cheltenham Gold Cup is Golden Miller, who won it a total of five times across five consecutive years – 1932 to 1936.
Past greats such as Golden Miller, Arkle and Desert Orchid, and modern heroes like Best Mate and Kauto Star, have all tasted victory in this race.
Since the turn of the century, Best Mate (2002-04) and Kauto Star (2007 and 2009) are the only ones to have won the Cheltenham Gold Cup more than once.
There have been several notable Cheltenham Gold Cup Results this century, including a hat-trick of wins in the race for the Henrietta Knight -trained Best Mate between 2002 and 2004.
Kauto Star became the first horse to regain the Cheltenham Gold Cup when winning the 2009 renewal, two years after landing his first win in the race.
Synchronised received a never-say-die ride from AP McCoy when winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2012, while Native River’s superior stamina won the day in 2018 when he stayed on best of all to deny Might Bite a first ever Cheltenham Gold Cup success.
In terms of Timeform ratings, the best winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup this century was Kauto Star, who produced a performance rated 184 on the Timeform scale when regaining the Cheltenham Gold Cup crown in 2009.
As well as a class act, Kauto Star was a thoroughly game racehorse and he could never be written off as he showed when still managing to whittle down Denman's advantage in the closing stages of the Gold Cup in 2008, despite also being under pressure a long way out on that occasion.
Denman beat him by seven lengths that day but Kauto Star turned the tables to win the 2009 edition by thirteen from his stablemate, in the process becoming the first horse to regain the Gold Cup (he won from Exotic Dancer in 2007).
Kauto Star is clearly entitled to be regarded as the best steeplechaser for more than forty years.
His thirteen-length victory over Denman in the 2009 Gold Cup was, in Timeform's view, the best performance in the race in that very long period.
There could have been no other choice for the accolade of Timeform Horse of the Year in 2009.
The top all-time jockey is Pat Taaffe, who won a total of four times – three times on Arkle (1964-66) and one on Fort Leney (1968).
The all-time leading trainer is Tom Dreaper, who won it a total of five times, Prince Regent (1946), Arkle (1964-66) and Fort Leney (1968).
As for the leading owner, Dorothy Paget won it seven times – five times with Golden Miller (1932-36), Roman Hackle (1940) and Mont Tremblant (1952).
Jim Culloty , who is the top jockey in the Gold Cup this century, has also won it as the trainer of Lord Windermere in 2014.
Henrietta Knight and Paul Nicholls are the most successful trainers this century, with Jim Lewis (Best Mate) being the most successful owner.
The longest Cheltenham Gold Cup Odds of any winner was recorded by Norton’s Coin in 1990.
Trained by Sirrel Griffiths and ridden by Graham McCourt, Norton’s Coin surprised nearly everyone at the Cheltenham Festival when winning at Cheltenham Gold Cup Odds of 100/1.
The shortest priced winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup is Arkle, when he won the third and last of his Cheltenham Gold Cups in 1966.
Such was Arkle's perceived superiority before the last of these victories that he was given a starting price of 1/10 (a £10 bet would have won £1).
The Cheltenham Gold Cup Race Card shows form for all of the leading Cheltenham Gold Cup runners.
Entries for the Cheltenham Gold Cup are first made in early January, and there is a chance for owners to either keep their horse in the Cheltenham Gold Cup for another fee, or scratch them from the entries, in February.
Connections of the horse must then confirm their horse for the Cheltenham Gold Cup six days before the race, before the final declarations are made 48 hours before the race takes place on the Friday of the Cheltenham Festival.
The runners for this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup will go to post at 15:30 on the Friday of the Cheltenham Festival.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup field size varies greatly over time, with variants such as ground conditions and quality of opposition taken into consideration.
Arkle is one of the famous names associated with the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but he only beat a total of 10 runners over the three years that he ran in the race.
In contrast, Silver Buck beat 21 other rivals when landing the 1982 renewal of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the same number that War Of Attrition defeated in 2006.
Recent renewals of the Cheltenham Gold Cup have tended to feature between 13 and 16 runners.
The potential 2019 Cheltenham Gold Cup runners include Presenting Percy , who has won races at the last two Cheltenham Festivals, including the 2018 RSA Chase.
He has been given a sparing campaign this season, but his trainer Pat Kelly is a master at getting his horses to peak at the Cheltenham Festival.
The 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Native River was second behind Bristol de Mai in the 2018 Betfair Chase at Haydock and then chased home Clan des Obeaux and Thistlecrack in the 2018 King George VI Chase at Kempton, two top-class races which often point towards the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner the following spring.
The 2017 King George winner Might Bite , who was second to Native River in the 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup, has disappointed so far this season and needs to be rejuvenated by a wind operation when heading to Cheltenham in March.
The leading contender from the Willie Mullins yard – which is remarkable still searching for its first Cheltenham Gold Cup winner – appears to be Kemboy who made all the running in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.
Cheltenham Gold Cup 2019 FAQs
What is the distance of the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
3 miles and 2 and a half furlongs.
How many fences are jumped in the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
22
What day of the festival is the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
Day 4
What time is the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
15:30
What weights are carried for the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
11st 8lb (5yo). 11st 10lb (6yo+). 7lb allowance for mares.
What is the purse for the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
£4,590,000 (2018)
Who is the leading jockey in the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
Out of active jockeys Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty and Richard Johnson have all won it twice.
Who is the leading trainer in the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
Paul Nicholls
Who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
You can check out our Cheltenham Gold Cup results page here to see a list of previous winners.
Where can I compare the odds for the Cheltenham Gold Cup?
Click the link to visit our Cheltenham Gold Cup Odds Comparison page.
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