Paddy Power Gold Cup Memories

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PADDY POWER GOLD CUP HISTORY

First staged in 1960, the Grade Three Paddy Power Gold Cup is one of Jump racing’s most
illustrious and valuable handicap chases and its history is replete with the names of some of the sport’s
finest horses.
The initial incarnation of the race produced a mighty winner in the Tom Dreaper-trained Fortria.
Ridden by Pat Taaffe, the eight-year-old Irish raider carried top-weight of 12st to victory in what was then
an extended two-mile contest staged under its original title of the Mackeson Gold Cup.
Fortria went on to win the two-mile Champion Chase at The Festival four months later and
remarkably added the Irish Grand National shortly afterwards. But Dreaper’s charge was trumped in the
1961 renewal of what is now the Paddy Power Gold Cup when second to another Cheltenham stalwart, the
Arthur Thomas-trained Scottish Memories, to whom he was conceding 16lb.
Having finished runner-up to Mandarin in the 1962 Cheltenham Gold Cup, Fortria returned
triumphant to the Prestbury Park winner’s enclosure that November, two years after his initial win, as he
became the first of five dual winners of the Paddy Power Gold Cup. Once again burdened with 12st,
Taaffe’s mount saw off 24 rivals to score by three lengths before going on to finish runner-up to Mill House
in the 1963 Gold Cup.
Dunkirk was a flamboyant trail-blazing star of the 1960s and holds the Paddy Power Gold Cup weight
carrying record. The Peter Cazalet-trained gelding had been crowned champion two-mile chaser at The
Festival the previous March and when he lined up for the 1965 renewal of the Mackeson Gold Cup, he was
burdened with a hefty 12st 7lb. Such was the class of the eight-year-old that he gave 31lb and a half-length
beating to runner-up Choreographer.
The great County Durham trainer Arthur Stephenson sent Pawnbroker to Cheltenham in 1966 to see
off only four rivals - the smallest field in the race’s history. Due to three years of single figure field sizes, a
decision was taken to increase the race distance to two miles, four and a half furlongs thereafter. The first
running of the race at its new trip saw Charlie Worcester defeat 12 opponents under Josh Gifford.
Legendary Kinnersley trainer Fred Rimell dominated the race for four years from 1968 to 1971
thanks to the triumphs of Jupiter Boy (1968), Chatham (1970) and the dual winner, Gay Trip (1969 & 1971).
The last-named, an exuberant little horse, also lined up for the 1970 renewal, having won that year’s Grand
National. In contention jumping the second last fence in the Cheltenham contest, he slipped on landing and
came home last of the 13 finishers behind his stablemate.
After a gap of 11 years, Ireland enjoyed a rare triumph in the race when Skymas scored in 1973 for
County Antrim trainer Brian Lusk. The gelding was a top-class chaser and won the two-mile Queen Mother
Champion Chase at The Festival in both 1976 and 1977.
Irish-trained horses have won the Paddy Power Gold Cup on five occasions to date. After Skymas
added to Fortria’s brace it was the turn of Bright Highway, who triumphed in 1980 for trainer Michael
O’Brien. Ireland then endured a 29-year drought that ended when the Edward O’Grady-trained Tranquil Sea
stormed to a commanding four and a half-length success in 2009.

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Fred Winter saddled the Sheikh Ali Abu Khamsin-owned Fifty Dollars More to win the 1982 race
under Richard Linley and the trainer/owner/jockey combination was on the mark again two years later when
Half Free saw off Acarine to score by half a length. The gelding returned as a nine-year-old in 1985 to
become the third dual winner and the first of those to land back-to-back wins as he ran on to lead in the final
strides and deny the gallant Arthur Stephenson-trained Newlife Connection by a head.
Fifty Dollars More went on to win the 1983 December Gold Cup at Cheltenham and seven Paddy
Power Gold Cup winners in total have won both contests. The Martin Pipe-trained Beau Ranger landed the
December Gold Cup in 1984, three years before making all for a 15-length triumph in the Paddy Power Gold
Cup under Mark Perrett.
Another Coral won the Paddy Power Gold Cup in 1991 and the December race in 1992, Dublin Flyer
took the December Gold Cup in 1994 and Tim Forster’s charge was a brave half-length winner of the 1995
Paddy Power Gold Cup from Egypt Mill Prince.
Pegwell Bay, Senor El Betrutti and Exotic Dancer won both races in the same year. The first-named,
another Tim Forster runner, won the 1988 Paddy Power Gold Cup by 10 lengths before adding the
December Gold Cup, while Senor El Betrutti, trained by Sue Nock, won the 1997 Paddy Power Gold Cup
at 33/1. The grey held Challenger Du Luc in the runner-up berth and it was the same result in the December
Gold Cup the following month.
Exotic Dancer was a top-notch chaser and won both races in 2006 for trainer Jonjo O’Neill. A P
McCoy took the ride in the Paddy Power Gold Cup when Exotic Dancer scythed from last place three out
to take the lead at the final fence and storm to a three-length win. The gelding was subsequently runner-up subsequently runner-up to the incredible Kauto Star in that season’s King George VI Chase and the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup.

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The late Josh Gifford became the only person to ride and train winners of the Paddy Power Gold Cup
when Bradbury Star won the 1993 renewal. The gelding’s next start saw him fail by a head to reel in Barton
Bank in the Grade One King George VI Chase at Kempton but he gained his own niche in history when
becoming the fourth dual winner with a head victory over Irish challenger Second Schedual in the 1994
Paddy Power Gold Cup.
The fifth and most recent horse to win the race twice is Cyfor Malta, who took the spoils for the first
time as a five-year-old under McCoy in 1998. Beset by injuries throughout his career, it was four years
before the grey returned for a second success in 2002, this time under Barry Geraghty.
Martin Pipe, now retired, has by some way the best training record in the race’s history. His tally
stands at eight thanks to Beau Ranger (1987), Challenger Du Luc (1996), Cyfor Malta (1998 & 2002), Lady
Cricket (2000), Shooting Light (2001), Celestial Gold (2004) and Our Vic (2005).
McCoy rode Cyfor Malta (1998), Lady Cricket and Shooting Light for Pipe, and became the most
successful jockey in Paddy Power Gold Cup history when successful aboard Exotic Dancer
Richard Dunwoody matched Richard Linley’s three victories in the Paddy Power Gold Cup when
triumphant on the David Nicholson-trained pair of Very Promising (1986) and Another Coral (1991), plus the
Pipe-trained Challenger Du Luc (1996).
In 2008, Imperial Commander won the Paddy Power Gold Cup and is one of the best horses to have
done so. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ charge must rank as one of the good things of recent times off 10st 7lb as
he defeated the Queen’s Barbers Shop by a comfortable two and three quarter lengths under Paddy
Brennan.
The gelding, owned by the Our Friends In The North syndicate, took the Grade One Ryanair Chase
at The Festival the following March and became the first Paddy Power Gold Cup winner to land the Betfred
Cheltenham Gold Cup when seeing off the awesome Denman by seven lengths in the 2010 renewal of
Jump racing’s Blue Riband.
Twiston-Davies is the most successful current trainer in the Paddy Power Gold Cup. Little Josh gave
him a third victory in 2010, following on from Imperial Commander and Tipping Tim (1992). The 20/1 chance
Little Josh was given a great ride by the trainer’s son, Sam Twiston-Davies, who made all on the chaser,
with 2/1 favourite Long Run back in third. Long Run went on to win the King George VI Chase at Kempton
Park the following January and the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup two months later.
In 2011 Martin Pipe’s son, David, trained his first winner of the extended two and a half mile contest
when Great Endeavour stormed to a seven-length victory under Timmy Murphy, who was winning the race
for the third time. Murphy had previously triumphed on Celestial Gold (2004), who completed a rare double
when winning the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup two weeks later, and subsequent Grade One Ryanair Chase
hero Our Vic (2005).
Eight-time champion Jump trainer Paul Nicholls won the race for the first time in 2012 when Al Ferof
stayed on strongly for a three-length victory in the famous colours of owner John Hales.
Last year, Jonjo O’Neill notched up a second Paddy Power Gold Cup courtesy of Johns Spirit. The
six-year-old had already captured a competitive handicap chase at The Showcase and received a similarly
patient ride from Richie McLernon to score by three quarters of a length from Colour Squadron.
The race was sponsored under the Mackeson banner until it became the Murphys Gold Cup in 1996.
In 2000, Thomas Pink was unveiled as the sponsor until leading bookmaker Paddy Power took over in 2003

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THE PADDY POWER GOLD CUP CHASE
Grade Three Handicap, 2m 4f 110y, £160,000 total prize fund, Saturday, November 15, 2014
Year Name Age/Wgt Jockey Trainer Owner Ran SP
2013 JOHNS SPIRIT 6-10-02 Richie McLernon Jonjo O’Neill Christopher Johnston 20 7/1
2012 AL FEROF 7-11-08 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls John Hales 18 8/1
2011 GREAT ENDEAVOUR 7-10-03 Timmy Murphy David Pipe David Johnson 20 8/1
2010 LITTLE JOSH 8-10-05 Sam Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies Tony Bloom 18 20/1
2009 TRANQUIL SEA 7-10-13 Andrew McNamara Edward O’Grady IRE Nelius Hayes 16 11/2F
2008 IMPERIAL COMMANDER 7-10-07 Paddy Brennan Nigel Twiston-Davies Our Friends In The North 19 13/2
2007 L’ANTARTIQUE 7-10-13 Graham Lee Ferdy Murphy Mary Durkan 20 13/2
2006 EXOTIC DANCER 6-11-02 A P McCoy Jonjo O’Neill Sir Robert Ogden16 16/1
2005 OUR VIC 7-11-07 Timmy Murphy Martin Pipe David Johnson 18 9/2F
2004 CELESTIAL GOLD 6-10-02 Timmy Murphy Martin Pipe David Johnson 14 12/1
2003 FONDMORT 7-10-13 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson Bill Brown 9 3/1F
2002 CYFOR MALTA 9-11-09 Barry Geraghty Martin Pipe David Johnson 15 16/1
2001 SHOOTING LIGHT 8-11-03 A P McCoy Martin Pipe John Brown/Mike Blackburn 14 9/4F
2000 LADY CRICKET 6-10-13 A P McCoy Martin Pipe David Johnson 15 5/1F
1999 THE OUTBACK WAY 9-10-00 Norman Williamson Venetia Williams Seasons Holidays 14 9/1
1998 CYFOR MALTA 5-11-03 A P McCoy Martin Pipe David Johnson 12 3/1F
1997 SENOR EL BETRUTTI 8-10-00 Jamie Osborne Susan Nock Gerard Nock 9 33/1
1996 CHALLENGER DU LUC 6-10-02 Richard Dunwoody Martin Pipe David Johnson 12 7/1
1995 DUBLIN FLYER 9-11-08 Brendan Powell Tim Forster John Sumner 12 4/1JF
1994 BRADBURY STAR 9-11-11 Philip Hide Josh Gifford J Campbell 14 5/1
1993 BRADBURY STAR 8-11-08 Declan Murphy Josh Gifford J Campbell 15 13/2
1992 TIPPING TIM 7-10-10 Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies Jenny Mould 16 11/2F
1991 ANOTHER CORAL 8-10-01 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson Michael Deeley 15 15/2
1990 MULTUM IN PARVO 7-10-02 Norman Williamson John Edwards Alan Parker 13 12/1
1989 JOINT SOVEREIGNTY 9-10-04 Graham McCourt Philip Hobbs G J Giddy 15 10/1
1988 PEGWELL BAY 7-11-02 Peter Scudamore Tim Forster A K Barlow 13 6/1
1987 BEAU RANGER 9-10-02 Mark Perrett Martin Pipe White Bros Ltd 14 13/2
1986 VERY PROMISING 8-11-13 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson Paul & Jenny Green 11 7/1
1985 HALF FREE 9-11-10 Richard Linley Fred Winter Ali Abu Khamsin 10 9/2
1984 HALF FREE 8-11-10 Richard Linley Fred Winter Ali Abu Khamsin 10 5/2F
1983 POUNENTES 6-10-06 Neale Doughty Billy McGhie Billy McGhie 9 7/1
1982 FIFTY DOLLARS MORE 7-11-00 Richard Linley Fred Winter Ali Abu Khamsin 11 11/1
1981 HENRY KISSINGER 7-10-13 Paul Barton David Gandolfo J J Mansworth 11 5/1
1980 BRIGHT HIGHWAY 6-11-01 Gerry Newman Michael O’Brien IRE George Strawbridge 15 5/1F
1979 MAN ALIVE 8-10-09 Ron Barry Gordon Richards Jim Ennis 11 6/1
1978 BAWNOGUES 7-10-07 Craig Smith Martin Tate Mrs H Lawler 11 5/1
1977 BACHELOR’S HALL 7-10-06 Martin O’Halloran Peter Cundell Peter & Caryl Harris 16 11/2F
+1976 CANCELLO 7-11-01 Dennis Atkins Neville Crump W V Burdon 13 4/1
1975 CLEAR CUT 11-10-09 David Greaves Maurice Camacho J W Hemingway 13 13/2
1974 BRUSLEE 8-10-07 Andy Turnell Michael Scudamore Mrs D Rees-Davies 11 2/1F
1973 SKYMAS 8-10-05 Stan Murphy Brian Lusk IRE Matt Magee 15 7/1
1972 RED CANDLE 8-10-00 Jimmy Fox Ricky Vallance Mrs C O’Shea 11 20/1
1971 GAY TRIP 9-11-03 Terry Biddlecombe Fred Rimell A J Chambers 10 8/1
1970 CHATHAM 6-10-03 Ken White Fred Rimell C Knott 17 33/1
1969 GAY TRIP 7-11-05 Terry Biddlecombe Fred Rimell Tony Chambers 14 8/1
1968 JUPITER BOY 7-10-03 Eddie Harty Fred Rimell J E Liley 13 9/1
1967 CHARLIE WORCESTER 10-10-11 Josh Gifford Ryan Price Dorothy Price 13 7/1
1966 PAWNBROKER 8-11-09 Paddy Broderick Arthur Stephenson E W Cliff-McCulloch 5 7/2
1965 DUNKIRK 8-12-07 Bill Rees Peter Cazalet Bill Whitbread 8 11/10F
1964 SUPER FLASH 9-10-05 Stan Mellor Frank Cundell A H Wood 9 8/1
1963 RICHARD OF BORDEAUX 8-10-05 Bobby Beasley Fulke Walwyn J Schilizzi 20 20/1
1962 FORTRIA 10-12-00 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper IRE G Ansley 25 5/1F
1961 SCOTTISH MEMORIES 7-10-12 Cathal Finnegan Arthur Thomas G B Sanderson 17 9/2
1960 FORTRIA 8-12-00 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper IRE G Ansley 19 8/1
+ Held at Haydock Park

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This year sees the 55th running of the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the extended two and a half mile handicap chase
boasts a prize fund of £160,000. The race, run under its present title for the first time in 2003, was known as the Thomas
Pink Gold Cup from 2000-2002, while Whitbread, under their Mackeson brand and then subsequently Murphys, backed
the first 40 runnings.
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Since the inaugural running in 1960, the handicap chase has been won by Irish-trained horses on five occasions. Fortria
triumphed in 1960 and was successful for a second time two years later. The Irish had to wait for more than a decade for a further winner which came in the shape of Skymas in 1973. Bright Highway scored in 1980 before a drought of 29 years was ended by Tranquil Sea, who took the spoils in 2009.
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Five horses have won the Paddy Power Gold Cup twice. Fortria was the first, followed by Gay Trip who completed the
double in 1969 and 1971, with victory in the 1970 Grand National sandwiched in between. Half Free was successful in
1984 and the following year, while Bradbury Star achieved the feat for Findon-based handler Josh Gifford in 1993 and
1994. Cyfor Malta, the 1998 winner, triumphed four years later in 2002.
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Martin Pipe, now retired, holds the title of leading trainer in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, having saddled an amazing eight
winners - Beau Ranger (1987), Challenger Du Luc (1996), Cyfor Malta (1998 & 2002), Lady Cricket (2000), Shooting
Light (2001), Celestial Gold (2004) and Our Vic (2005). The leading current trainer in the Paddy Power Gold Cup is Nigel
Twiston-Davies with three successes - Tipping Tim (1992), Imperial Commander (2008) and Little Josh (2010).
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Despite the competitiveness of the Paddy Power Gold Cup, it is not a race for outsiders as 44 of the 54 runnings have
been won by horses returned at odds of 10/1 or less. However, the overall record of favourites is not great, with only
14 having been successful during the history of the race. Five of the last 14 runnings have gone to the market leader,
with the latest being Tranquil Sea at 11/2 in 2009. The shortest-priced winner was Dunkirk who went off the 11/10
favourite in 1965, while the two longest-priced scorers were Chatham (1970) and Senor El Betrutti (1997) at 33/1.
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Perhaps the greatest performance in the history of the contest was achieved by Dunkirk, who carried a staggering 12st
7lb to victory when he gained his 1965 success. The top-weight is now set at a maximum of 11st 12lb and the last horse
to give weight all round was Cyfor Malta on 11st 9lb in 2002. However, it is also rare for the Paddy Power Gold Cup
winner to carry the bottom-weight of 10st, with just two instances - Red Candle (1972) and The Outback Way (1999).
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The late Josh Gifford is the only man to have both ridden and trained a winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup, partnering
Charlie Worcester to victory in 1967 and training Bradbury Star for his successes in both 1993 and 1994.
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Record-breaking 19-time champion Jump jockey A P McCoy is the most successful rider in the race, with four
successes - Cyfor Malta (1998), Lady Cricket (2000), Shooting Light (2001) and Exotic Dancer (2006).
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The Paddy Power Gold Cup is a race for younger horses - 42 of the 54 winners have been aged eight or under. Sevenyear-
olds have the best record - 18 victories, followed by eight-year-olds (15), nine-year-olds (9), six-year-olds (8), 10-
year-olds (2), five-year-olds (1) and 11-year-olds (1).
****
The incomparable Arkle made his British racecourse bow in the Honeybourne Chase on the Saturday of The Open in
1962. It was a fantastic day for Arkle’s trainer and jockey, Tom Dreaper and Pat Taaffe who, following Arkle’s impressive
destruction of the opposition by 20 lengths, went on to land what is now the Paddy Power Gold Cup with Fortria.
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Best Mate, winner of three Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cups in 2002, 2003 & 2004, gained his first race under Rules in
Britain when taking the Open Bumper in 1999 and recorded the second chase win of his career at The Open in 2000.
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The 2010 Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup victor Imperial Commander won the 2008 Paddy Power Gold Cup, while Long
Run was third to Little Josh in 2010 before going on to win the King George VI Chase and the 2011 Betfred Cheltenham
Gold Cup..
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The 2003 Stan James Champion Hurdle victor Rooster Booster defied top-weight to win the StanJames.com Greatwood
Hurdle in 2002. The 2001 StanJames.com Greatwood Hurdle winner, Westender, was second to Rooster Booster in
the 2003 Stan James Champion Hurdle, a feat mirrored in 2009/10 by Khyber Kim, who chased home Binocular at The
Festival.
****
The Open has only once been held at an alternative venue to Prestbury Park. A new drainage system was being
installed at Cheltenham in 1976, so the then two-day meeting was switched to Haydock Park in Lancashire where
Cancello became the only horse to win the Paddy Power Gold Cup anywhere but Cheltenham.

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Cheers Statto

Ill add a few videos

2012 AL FEROF 7-11-08 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls John Hales 18 8/1

[Old Vic]

2013 JOHNS SPIRIT 6-10-02 Richie McLernon Jonjo O’Neill Christopher Johnston 20 7/1

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2011 GREAT ENDEAVOUR 7-10-03 Timmy Murphy David Pipe David Johnson 20 8/1

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2010 LITTLE JOSH 8-10-05 Sam Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies Tony Bloom 18 20/1

[Old Vic]

2009 TRANQUIL SEA 7-10-13 Andrew McNamara Edward O’Grady IRE Nelius Hayes 16 11/2F

[Old Vic]

2003 FONDMORT 7-10-13 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson Bill Brown 9 3/1F

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1998 CYFOR MALTA 5-11-03 A P McCoy Martin Pipe David Johnson 12 3/1F

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1999 THE OUTBACK WAY 9-10-00 Norman Williamson Venetia Williams Seasons Holidays 14 9/1

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1996 CHALLENGER DU LUC 6-10-02 Richard Dunwoody Martin Pipe David Johnson 12 7/1

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1982 FIFTY DOLLARS MORE 7-11-00 Richard Linley Fred Winter Ali Abu Khamsin 11 11/1