How Many Horses Run In Grand National

Randox Grand National

Grade 3 Handicap, Aintree 17:15 £750,000 total prize fund, 7yo plus, 4m 2f 74y, Class 1

Saturday 10th April 2021

1. How Many Horses Run In Grand National Parks
2. How Fast Do Horses Run In Grand National

Cloth Cap breezes to the win in the bet365 Premier Chase It's easy to see why he's the favourite for the Grand National with performances like that Watch LIVE 📺 @ITV 📱 https://t.co/qvqqUMKxOG#ITVRacingpic.twitter.com/ubn0wkfreQ — ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 6, 2021 Tiger Roll will not bid for a third victory in the Randox Grand National at Aintree next month, owners Gigginstown House Stud have announced. The Gordon Elliott-trained 11-year-old became the first horse since Red Rum in the 1970s to win back-to-back renewals of the world’s most famous steeplechase when striking gold in 2018 and 2019. The coronavirus pandemic robbed connections of the chance to emulate Red Rum by claiming a third National success 12 months ago – and owner Michael O’Leary and his brother Eddie have warned on several occasions since that he would not line up in this year’s renewal if they felt he was unfairly treated by the handicapper. Tiger Roll was given a mark of 166 when the weights were officially unveiled last month and ahead of the latest scratchings stage on Tuesday, Gigginstown confirmed he will not be running at Aintree due to what they feel is a “patently unfair” rating. A spokesperson for the owners said in a statement: “When Tiger Roll won his second Grand National in April 2019 he ran off a rating of 159. He won by just two and a half lengths at the age of nine, having previously won the Boyne Hurdle in Navan and then won the 2019 Cheltenham cross-country race by 22 lengths. “Two years later, the horse is now 11 years old. He was beaten by 17 lengths in last year’s Cheltenham cross-country and by 75 lengths in last month’s Boyne Hurdle, so his form over an extended two-year period suggests that he is clearly not as good as he was when he won the National in April 2019. “Despite this pretty obvious decline, the handicapper has given him a mark of 166, which is 7lb higher than when he won his second Grand National in April 2019. We believe this is patently unfair, unjustified and does not reflect the horse’s age or his form over the past two seasons. “We made clear that if Tiger Roll was rated ‘in the 150s’ (i.e where he was two years ago), which is what his form and age now warrants, he would be allowed to run in this year’s National and go for a historic three in a row. “However, the handicapper has decided to rate him on his reputation rather than his form – which we fully accept is his prerogative – but we have a duty of care to Tiger, and so we will not ask him to carry an unfair weight burden, especially as he gets older and his form declines. “We therefore regret to announce that Tiger Roll will be removed from the Grand National entries at Tuesday’s forfeit stage. “We hope he will run next as planned in the cross-country race at Cheltenham, where we hope he will enjoy himself and run well. After that, we will consider his future well-being, which may involve retirement if his handicap mark is not adjusted to more fairly reflect his age and form over the past two seasons. “We all look forward to this year’s Aintree Grand National, which we hope can now proceed without any further speculation over Tiger Roll’s participation. “We fully respect the handicapper’s right to determine the Grand National weights as he so chooses, but we respectfully believe that he is mistaken in allocating an unfair and unwarranted weight to Tiger Roll. “In these circumstances, as we previously advised, Tiger Roll will not run.” Aintree clerk of the course Sulekha Varma is disappointed Tiger Roll will miss out and believes another possible hat-trick seeker will not been seen for some time. She said: “It is a shame. It would have been fantastic to see the horse go and attempt to win the race three times. I think we may never get the chance again in our lifetimes, but he’s been a fabulous horse. “I’m sorry we won’t see him at Aintree this year, but it’s for the owners and trainers to do what they feel is right for the horse.” Varma feels the Grand National will still offer plenty of excitement, despite Tiger Roll’s absence. “There are so many other stories. It has great horses and it’s fantastic we’re going to actually run the race this year, having lost it last year. That’s hugely exciting,” she added. Elliott is currently not be permitted to have runners in Britain until the conclusion of an Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board investigation into an image on social media that showed him sitting on a dead horse on his gallops.

Kimberlite Candy has twice finished runner-up over the Grand National fences in the Becher Chase (2019 and 2020) and has been allotted 10st 10lb. The JP McManus-owned nine year old could warm up for Aintree in the Listed Premier Chase at Kelso this Saturday (March 6). Trainer Tom Lacey reported: “Kimberlite Candy seems in really good order and he’s entered at Kelso on Saturday in the Premier Chase. We’ll monitor the ground (before deciding whether to run him). “He does have a good record fresh, but you mustn’t underestimate the need for match practice, so we’ll take stock and then make a decision in midweek whether to have a prep run or not. “A host of recent winners have carried between 10-10 and 11-06, and he’s in that range, so statistically he’s got a chance. He’s the right age and has got proven form around there, so he goes there with a big chance. “The Grand National was always the target from the moment he came back in from his summer break. We’ll be hoping for some April showers, but he’d manage on good to soft. He’s a much stronger animal than he was this time last year. “I think he’s actually the finished article now whereas last year he was still improving – he hit the line very hard in the Classic Chase and I feel he’s strengthened up even more on the back of another summer. “I hope he’s got a chance. In the Becher Chase this year he was a bit clumsy over the first, but thereafter his jumping was very accurate.” Trainer Evan Williams has gone close to success in the Randox Grand National before, with Cappa Bleu taking the runner-up spot in 2013 and State Of Play finishing in the first four on three occasions. This year he could be represented by Secret Reprieve (10st 1lb), who was last seen claiming the Welsh National at Chepstow on January 9th. Williams said: “Secret Reprieve is good, and we’re happy with everything. I’ve sort of discussed the National with Mr and Mrs Rucker (owners), and we’re going to leave him in, but we wouldn’t want to fully commit to this race at this stage yet, because obviously the ground and how he is over the coming weeks will be a major factor in whether we decide to have a crack at the race. We’ll see how things develop. “What we’d like to know is exactly how everything is going to look like come April - we wouldn’t like to start being bold because that would be unfair to the horse. His last run was in the Welsh National so we just want to make sure everything is spot on with him as regards to everything really – his wellbeing, the ground and everything else. We’re taking every week as it comes. “He wouldn’t be in the race if we didn’t hope he would be the type of horse that wouldn’t be able to excel around there. With these horses like him, it’s always best to take every week as it comes but if he could bring his best form to the table then obviously it looks like there’d be plenty of positives. “Because he’s very inexperienced or young – rather than being bold and saying ‘this will suit him and that will suit him’, we’d be far happier ticking away and letting him tell us if he’s right. “We’ll talk about Cheltenham after this week, because he’s due to do a piece of work in the middle of the week and I imagine come the weekend Mr and Mrs Rucker and myself will have a good chat about Cheltenham around this time next week. So let’s deal with the Cheltenham question first and then the Aintree question after.” Williams has another potential starter in Prime Venture (9st 10lb), although the trainer acknowledges that the nine year old is far from certain to make the line-up on April 10th. He continued: “He’s a horse that I can say that if he got a run in the Grand National we’d be delighted to take our chance, because he’s the complete opposite to Secret Reprieve. “He’s proven in those long distance handicaps and has been placed in a Welsh Grand National and a Midlands Grand National and if he got a run we’d be delighted to have a crack at it. Our first preference with him, because he’s got less chance of getting in, would be the Midlands National at Uttoxeter. “He’s a funny old devil! We’ve kept him fresh especially (in case he was to sneak into the Grand National) and I can say that Aintree would be right up his agenda. Those fences could spark him right up and he could still be going when other boys have had enough. “He would relish the fences. He would be a big price, but I could see that fella relishing the job. If he gets in, he’ll be running in the Grand National.” Betway PR Manager, Chad Yeomans, said: “The big talking point is that Tiger Roll will not be taking his chance in the Grand National this year, so a new Grand National hero will be crowned. It’s been a popular market since the launch of the weights a few weeks ago, with both Cloth Cap and Burrows Saint being supported into 12-1 joint-favourites. “JP McManus looks to have a very strong hand again this year and both Kimberlite Candy, who has been crying out for the Grand National trip, and Any Second Now for trainer Grand National winning trainer Ted Walsh, have both been popular with the Betway punters and have been backed into 14-1 and 16-1 respectively.” Betway is the official betting partner of the Randox Grand National Festival.Click here for all the latest Betway prices.

Grand National horses from Scotland. Below are listed all the horses running in the Grand National that are trained in Scotland. You can also pick your horse by the colour the jockey wears, its star sign, or just take a lucky dip. Show Horses based on: Select. For safety reasons, the Grand National is always capped at 40 horses so between now and April 6th we are going to see 65 horses fall by the wayside. There are various declaration stages during February, March and April which also help whittle done the entries to the 40 Grand National Runners.

Randox Health Grand National
Grade 3, £750,000 Total Prize Fund.
7yo plus, 4m 2f 74y, Class 1
90 remaining entries(MAX 40)
Going:

NO. HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 1111-4 Easysland 7 11-10 D Cottin
2 12-253 Santini 9 11-10 Nicky Henderson
3 229-12 Bristol De Mai 10 11-10 Nigel Twiston-Davies
4 121122 The Storyteller 10 11-8 Gordon Elliott
5 110-25 Chris's Dream 9 11-7 Henry De Bromhead
6 -2F314 Yala Enki 11 11-3 Paul Nicholls
7 1-P067 Ballyoptic 11 11-1 Nigel Twiston-Davies
8 421-8F Definitly Red 12 11-1 Brian Ellison
9 533-15 Lake View Lad 11 11-0 N W Alexander
10 31-262 Burrows Saint 8 10-13 W P Mullins
11 112112 Ajas 7 10-13 D Cottin
12 18-412 Magic Of Light 10 10-13 Mrs John Harrington
13 61-251 Acapella Bourgeois 11 10-12 W P Mullins
14 /3P-30 Talkischeap 9 10-12 Alan King
15 2359P4 Tout Est Permis 8 10-12 Noel Meade
16 9883-5 Anibale Fly 11 10-12 A J Martin
17 -6U173 Mister Malarky 8 10-12 Colin Tizzard
18 P/21-2 Kimberlite Candy 9 10-10 Tom Lacey
19 /48-57 Beware The Bear 11 10-10 Nicky Henderson
20 1PP-15 Pym 8 10-10 Nicky Henderson
21 4762-5 Bellshill 11 10-10 Sandy Thomson
22 31-99P Any Second Now 9 10-9 T M Walsh
23 4-4764 Balko Des Flos 10 10-9 Henry De Bromhead
24 -595PP Alpha Des Obeaux 11 10-9 Gordon Elliott
25 61-2UP Brahma Bull 10 10-8 W P Mullins
26 P/091- OK Corral 11 10-8 Nicky Henderson
27 F2-32P Articulum 11 10-7 Terence O'Brien
28 65-P41 Takingrisks 12 10-7 Nicky Richards
29 6-3102 Shattered Love 10 10-7 Gordon Elliott
30 4-P78P Jett 10 10-7 Mrs John Harrington
31 9-P160 The Jam Man 8 10-7 Ronan M P McNally
32 2-4991 Lord Du Mesnil 8 10-6 Richard Hobson
33 11-37P Potters Corner 11 10-6 Christian Williams
34 F2-P03 Class Conti 9 10-6 W P Mullins
35 1-12P0 Milan Native 8 10-6 Gordon Elliott
36 833-25 Discorama 8 10-6 Paul Nolan
37 97-510 Vieux Lion Rouge 12 10-5 David Pipe
38 328-31 Cloth Cap 9 10-5 Jonjo O'Neill
39 -31238 Cabaret Queen 9 10-5 W P Mullins
40 -11UU7 Minellacelebration 11 10-5 Katy Price
41 /3-F74 Glen Forsa 9 10-4 Mick Channon
42 -01214 Canelo 8 10-4 Alan King
43 1-F103 The Long Mile 7 10-4 J P Dempsey
44 /17-2P Give Me A Copper 11 10-4 Paul Nicholls
45 /715-P Hogan's Height 10 10-3 Jamie Snowden
46 20-122 Minella Times 8 10-3 Henry De Bromhead
47 11-534 Farclas 7 10-3 Gordon Elliott
48 232-14 Agusta Gold 8 10-3 1 W P Mullins
49 4-0244 Sub Lieutenant 12 10-3 Georgie Howell
50 7-9316 Double Shuffle 11 10-2 Tom George
51 62P-22 Ami Desbois 11 10-2 Graeme McPherson
52 /9-R4P Gold Present 11 10-2 Nicky Henderson
53 -44533 Keeper Hill 10 10-2 Warren Greatrex
54 085/07 Blaklion 12 10-2 Dan Skelton
55 402-76 Death Duty 10 10-1 Gordon Elliott
56 22-F11 Secret Reprieve 7 10-1 Evan Williams
57 F-6310 Some Neck 10 10-1 John C McConnell
58 15-PP1 Deise Aba 8 9-13 Philip Hobbs
59 /03-3P Jerrysback 9 9-13 Philip Hobbs
60 2520-4 Kauto Riko 10 9-13 Tom Gretton
61 52/P04 Saturnas 10 9-13 W P Mullins
62 -7311P Storm Control 8 9-13 Kerry Lee
63 70-631 Fagan 11 9-13 Alex Hales
64 32-068 Valtor 12 9-13 Nicky Henderson
65 431434 Golan Fortune 9 9-13 Phil Middleton
66 2-1P54 Captain Drake 8 9-11 Harry Fry
67 345522 Run Wild Fred 7 9-11 Gordon Elliott
68 P-U4UP The Hollow Ginge 8 9-11 Nigel Twiston-Davies
69 9-8064 Crievehill 9 9-11 Nigel Twiston-Davies
70 263-1F Another Venture 10 9-11 Kim Bailey
71 6-5070 Fitzhenry 9 9-10 Paul Nolan
72 F2P-15 Prime Venture 10 9-10 Evan Williams
73 0-4334 Le Breuil 9 9-10 Ben Pauling
74 9-P45P Flying Angel 10 9-10 Nigel Twiston-Davies
75 1/2-22 Achille 11 9-9 Venetia Williams
76 -44352 Hold The Note 7 9-9 Mick Channon
77 34-PP8 Plan Of Attack 8 9-9 Henry De Bromhead
78 P2P0P9 Roaring Bull 8 9-9 Gordon Elliott
79 5P-0P5 Dounikos 10 9-9 Gordon Elliott
80 -04010 Treacysenniscorthy 9 9-8 Robert Widger
81 32-5U3 Musical Slave 8 9-8 Philip Hobbs
82 -561P0 Soupy Soups 10 9-8 Neil Mulholland
83 -51F61 Beau Bay 10 9-7 Dr Richard Newland
84 603611 Hear No Evil 9 9-7 Noel C Kelly
85 113-42 Shantou Flyer 11 9-7 Paul Nicholls
86 71-PP4 Monbeg Notorious 10 9-6 Gordon Elliott
87 511P0P Aforementioned 8 9-5 Gordon Elliott
88 2P-498 Fingerontheswitch 11 9-3 Neil Mulholland
89 1F-PPP One Style 11 9-3 Venetia Williams
90 35/5-2 Bellow Mome 10 9-2 W P Mullins

All you need to know about the 2021 Wellchild Cheltenham Gold Cup at Cheltenham Racecourse on Friday March 19.

When and where will it be staged? 3.30 Cheltenham, Friday, March 19. Live on Racing TV.

What Grade? Grade One. On what course is it run? New Course

What Distance? 3m 2½f (22 fences). What Prize-money? TBC

What Ages? For 5yo+ which are allotted a BHA rating of 130 or more

Any Weights & Allowances? 5yo 11st 9lb; 6yo+ 11st 10lb. Allowances, mares 7lb

Sponsor: Welchild

Key Statistics and Trends

Paul Townend tells Lydia Hislop about winnng the Gold Cup for the second year running on Paul Townend in 2020

Be wary of the older contenders:

The past 21 winners have been aged nine or under. The last ten-year-old winner was Cool Dawn in 1998 (no race in 2001). Native River, Monalee, Bristol De mai and Presenting Percy could be among those who bid to buck the trend this year.

And the younger ones!

Long Run is the only six-year-old winner in more than 50 years. Mill House won before him in 1963.

Market clues:

Fifteen of the past 18 winners were in the top three in the betting. Sizing John was (7-1) in 2017, Lord Windermere (20-1) in 2014 and Al Boum Photo (12-1) in 2019 are the three non-qualifiers. Last year, Al Boum Photo, the favourite, beat Santini, the joint second-favourite.

Top class:

The past 19 victors were all Grade One winners going into the race.

Fresh?

Eleven of the past 17 winners had not run after January 1 of that season. The past three winners (Al Boum Photo, twice, and Native River) lined up having had only one race that campaign. So did Bobs Worth, in 2013, and Long Run in 2011. Conversely, horses who have busy campaigns have rarely obliged in recent times.

Key trial:

Al Boum Photo has been only the fifth Gold Cup winner in the past 21 years that did not run in either the King George VI Chase or the Savills Chase (the Leopardstown version) that season. The RSA from the previous year is always worth a second look with Bobs Worth and Lord Winderemere doing the double in recent years, and Long Run and Al Boum Photo running in it, too. Champ, Minella Indo and Allaho filled the first three places last year. In addition, 16 of the past 21 victors had won last time out.

Don't hang about over hurdles

This century, all the winners have been unleashed over fences straight after their novice hurdle campaigns. And horses who have not had many starts over the bigger obstacles should also be noted with ten winners in the past 15 years having had nine or less chase starts before hitting the jackpot. And Al Boum Photo was still having only his eleventh chase starts when retaining his crown last year.

Festival Form:

Thirteen of the past 20 winners had previously finished first or second at least once at the Festival.

Speed and stamina:

Eight Gold Cup winners in the past two decades were unproven over the Gold Cup trip and horses with top-class form over shorter distances, especially over hurdles, deserve a second look. For instance, Best Mate, Kicking King, War Of Attrition and Sizing John all made the frame in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle before going on to win jump racing's bggest prize. Also, do not discount horses who ran in the Ryanair Chase 12 months earlier. Imperial Commander (first) and Don Cossack (third) ran in it before scooping Gold over more than five furlongs further.

Back-to-back winners

In the Cheltenham Gold Cup’s history, only eight horses have won it more than once, with Al Boum Photo (2019 and 2020) becoming the latest.

Before him, Kauto Star had been the last dual winner (2007 & 2009) and he is the only horse to ever regain the race. Al Boum Photo will bid to become only the second horse after Best Mate (2002-04) and Arkle (1964/65/66) to secure a Gold Cup hat-trick, although Golden Miller won it five times (1932/33/34/35/36) when it was formerly a trial for the Grand National.

The other horses to have won the race more than once are: L’Escargot (1970/71), Cottage Rake (1948/49/50), and Easter Hero (1929/30).

Al Boum Photo provided Willie Mullins with his first Cheltenham Gold Cup victory in 2019. Watch what the serial Irish Champion trainer had to say immediately afterwards

Irish winner?

Willie Mullins finally trained his first Gold Cup winner via Al Boum Photo in 2019 and promptly won it again last year, having previously saddled the runner-up six times. Irish-trained horses have won seven of the 16 Gold Cups since Best Mate’s dominant spell and five of last seven.

Race History

The Wellchild-sponsored Cheltenham Gold Cup is the blue riband event of the Cheltenham Festival and attracts the sport's finest staying steeplechasers.

With a prize fund of £625,000, the Gold Cup is by far the richest non-handicap chase run in Britain, with only the £1m Randox Health Grand National worth more.

The two outstanding horses of the early Gold Cup era were dual winner Easter Hero (1929-30) and Golden Miller, who secured an unprecedented five victories from 1932. In those days, though, the race was something of a trial for the Grand National.

Since Golden Miller, only the great Arkle (1964-66) and Best Mate (2002-04) have won more than two Gold Cups, a feat even the great Kauto Star could not match.

How Many Horses Run In Grand National Parks

Jim Culloty, the jockey of Best Mate, became just the fifth person to ride the winner and then go on to train a winner of the race when Lord Windermere caused a 20-1 shock in 2014. Lord Windermere was the longest-priced winner since 25-1 Cool Dawn in 1998.

The past 13 winners

2020 - Al Boum Photo

Al Boum Photo galloped into National Hunt folklore as he joined the elite band of horses to record back-to-back victories.

Giving Willie Mullins a fantastic four-timer on the day, Al Boum Photo (100-30 favourite) had to dig deep to see off the opposition in a gripping finish.

Al Boum Photo, Santini, Lostintranslation and Real Steel had led the pack heading to two out, where Presenting Percy fell. Paul Townend set sail after the last and the winning post came just in time as Santini closed the gap to a neck at the line.

Lostintranslation was a length and a quarter away in third place, with the always-prominent Monalee fourth and Delta Work fifth, having struggled to get into contention following a mistake at the second fence.

'I went out with a plan to get in a rhythm, but he missed a few fences, luckily he always found his feet,' a jubilant Townend said. 'It was completely different to last year, but most importantly it was the same result.'

2019 - Al Boum Photo

Al Boum Photo provided Willie Mullins with a long-awaited first Cheltenham Gold Cup success when storming to victory at 12-1 to defeat Anibale Fly who finished placed for the second year running.

Mullins had trained the runner-up no less than six times in the Gold Cup and the champion trainer admitted afterwards he thought he was never going to win it.

He said: 'I sort of resigned myself to never winning a Gold Cup. Certain jockeys may never win the feature race of their lives, like the Grand National or the Champion Hurdle. I thought maybe I'm not going to be lucky.'

Kemboy unseated his rider at the first fence, but got his revenge on Al Boum Photo when winning the Punchestown Gold Cup two months later.

2018 - Native River

An 'I was there' Gold Cup, with Native River and Might Bite serving up a titanic tussle on testing ground.

The pair dominated from the start, jumping superbly and setting a gallop that slowly sucked the other 13 in the race out of their comfort zones.

It looked like Might Bite, the 4-1 favourite, would pick off front-running Native River, but the latter, sent off at 5-1, stretched every sinew under Richard Johnson and kept him at bay.

By the finish, Native River had stretched four and a half lengths clear. Anibale Fly kept on for third, with Total Recall a notable faller four out.

2017 - Sizing John:

Stepped out of Douvan’s shadow when going up in trip and, having won the Irish Gold Cup on his first attempt at 3m the previous month, the Jessica Harrington-trained seven-year-old shot to the top of the chasing ranks by leading home an Irish 1-2-3-4-5.

Always travelling best under Robbie Power, he found plenty after the last to conclusively prove his stamina for championship races over staying trips and mark himself down as the best three-mile chaser in training.

However, the rest of his career was blighted by injury and setbacks.

2016 - Don Cossack:

![(full)Watch Replay()

Made amends for crashing out at the second-last in the King George (looked a major threat at time) earlier that season by running out a brilliant four-and-a-half length winner of the Gold Cup under Bryan Cooper.

Things might have been different had Cue Card, the King George hero, not come down out at the third-last fence when still seemingly full of running. Connections saw a potential £1 million bonus crash to the floor with him.

Injury prevented Don Cossack from defending his crown and he was not seen on a racecourse again.

2015 – Coneygree:

Became the first novice to win the Gold Cup since Captain Christy in 1974 with a superb display of front-running.

The eight-year-old, having just his 11th career start, jumped superbly and dug deep in the closing stages to repel Djakadam and justify connections’ ambitious decision to skip the RSA Chase and head straight for the big one.

He was having only his fourth start over fences. More fragile than most, he never ran in the race again before being retired.

2014 - Lord Windermere:

How Fast Do Horses Run In Grand National

Became the biggest-priced winner of the race this century after springing a 20-1 shock for trainer Jim Culloty, who won the race three times aboard Best Mate.

Official ratings illustrate that Lord Windermere is one of the lowest-rated winners of the race in recent times (6-4 market leader Bobs Worth disappointed) but his record at Prestbury Park was superb with an RSA Chase victory also on his CV.

2013 - Bobs Worth:

Justified favouritism with a seven-length success for Nicky Henderson and Barry Geraghty.

In doing so, he became the first horse since the great Flying Bolt in the 1960s to win three different Cheltenham Festival races, having previously landed the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle in 2011 and the RSA Chase in 2012.

2012 – Synchronised:

The 2012 renewal had been billed as a clash between the great Kauto Star and the reigning champion Long Run, but the big match did not materialise as Kauto Star was pulled up before the 10th fence.

Tony McCoy took full advantage to win his first and only Gold Cup, galvanising the stamina-laden Synchronised to a power-packed finish that saw him clear of 50-1 chance The Giant Bolster and 7-4 favourite Long Run.

Tragically, Synchronised suffered a fatal injury in the Grand National the following month.

2011 - Long Run:

The 2011 Cheltenham Gold Cup was a vintage renewal with the previous four winners all lining up, and the stage was set approaching the fourth last as all the main protagonists were in contention.

It was long Run, the new kid on the block, who upstaged them all by powering up the hill under amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen to become the first six-year-old since Mill House in 1963 to win the Gold Cup.

Long Run, who was imperious in the King George that season, had been perceived to be a ‘flat track bully’ before this emphatic seven-length success and the doubters were well and truly silenced.

2010 - Imperial Commander:

Imperial Commander had shown earlier in the 2009-10 season that he was capable of mixing it with the big boys when going down by just a nose to Kauto Star in the Betfair Chase but was allowed to go off a 7-1 chance in the Gold Cup after a disappointing performance in the King George.

However, a completely different Imperial Commander turned up at the Festival in March and Paddy Brennan’s mount, who had won the Ryanair Chase 12 months earlier, thumped his rivals to the tune of seven lengths on rain-softened ground.

2009 - Kauto Star:

Only a special horse can win a Gold Cup by 13 lengths and Kauto Star was certainly that.

He was out for revenge, having gone down to stablemate Denman the previous season and the result was never in doubt as Ruby Walsh sat motionless on the Clive Smith-owned star before the pair sauntered clear from the third-last fence to win their second Gold Cup.

It was one of the most dominant performances in Gold Cup history, from one of the greatest steeplechasers.

2008 – Denman:

The meteoric rise of Denman, who had suffered defeat only once in 14 previous starts (when sent off a hot favourite for the 2006 Royal & Sun Alliance Hurdle) reached a pinnacle in the 2008 Gold Cup when he faced stablemate and reigning champion Kauto Star.

Denman had a huge profile on and off the track, partly in thanks to his larger-than-life co-owner Harry Findlay, whose dreams were realised when ‘The Tank’ posted a monstrous performance, to the extent that he was awarded a BHA mark of 185, putting him on a par with the great Desert Orchid.

It was one of the great Gold Cup performances.