Cheltenham Gold Cup Records

Fastest Win: LONG RUN 2011 ridden by S Waley-Cohen trained by Nicky Henderson finished in 389.7s – 6 minutes 29.7 seconds

Most successful horse (5 wins):

Golden Miller – 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936

Leading jockey (4 wins):

Pat Taaffe – Arkle (1964, 1965, 1966), Fort Leney (1968)

Leading trainer (5 wins):

Tom Dreaper – Prince Regent (1946), Arkle (1964, 1965, 1966), Fort Leney (1968)

Leading owner (7 wins):

Dorothy Paget – Golden Miller (1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936), Roman Hackle (1940), Mont Tremblant (1952)

Source: Wikipedia

Here are the Cheltenham Gold Cup 12 year trends and statistics:

• Age – 11 of the last 12 winners were aged between 7 and 9.
• Sex – All of the last 12 winners were geldings. The 1 mare that ran in the race in the last 12 years was unplaced..
• Trainer – Nicky Henderson and Willie Mullins have both won this race twice in the last 12 years.
• Horse – Only the Mullins trained AL BOUM PHOTO has won more than once in the last 12 years. 
• Country – 5 of the last 12 winners were bred in Ireland, 4 in France, 2 in Great Britain and 1 in Germany.
• Colour – 10 of the last 12 winners were bay.
• Weight Carried – Geldings carry 11st 10lb and mares 11st 3lb.
• Starting Price (SP) – 10 of the last 12 winners returned a SP of 8/1 or less. 
• Starting Price Rank – 5 of the last 12 winners started as favourite and 10 were in the first 4 in the betting.
• Headgear – 11 of the last 12 winners wore no headgear
• Days Since Last Run – 11 of the last 12 winners had run between 33 and 83 days ago. 
• Last Run Form –10 of the last 12 winners had won last time out.
• Official Rating – 11 of the last 12 winners had an official rating between 164 and 179.

The leading contenders for the 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup are:

• AL BOUM PHOTO – Winner in 2019 and 2020, won his third New Years Day Savills Chase in some style at Tramore and will next be seen in the Cheltenham feature.

• A PLUS TARD – Won the novices handicap chase at the 2019 festival and was 3rd in the Ryanair last year. Beat a strong field in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown in December.

• MINELLA INDO – Second behind CHAMP in the RSA Chase last year and began this season with Graded wins at Navan and Wexford. Fell when travelling well in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown.

• SANTINI – Just a neck behind AL BOUM PHOTO in 2020 and was staying on well when fourth in the King George

• CHAMP – Won the RSA Chase last year and at time of writing has been off since.

• FRODON – Won the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day under a tactical ride from Bryony Frost, dictating the pace and keeping on well to the line.

What’s Keith’s Cheltenham Gold Cup Tips for 2021?

FRODON is unlikely to get things his own way on the front end and may just give up if headed. CHAMP is going to have an each way shout if Nicky Henderson manages to find a prep race. SANTINI I’m not sure about, despite that excellent run behind AL BOUM PHOTO last year he hasn’t been convincing since. MINELLA INDO is a nice type with a good overall profile despite that fall at Leopardstown. AL BOUM PHOTO is again worthy of the favourites tag but my ante-post selection at this stage is A PLUS TARD each-way who is stronger with every run and shaped up like this extra 2 furlongs will suit him down to the ground.

Here is what Keith said about the 2020 Cheltenham Gold Cup:

This is an exciting renewal of the greatest race in the jumps calendar and you will hear plenty of pundits offering conflicting opinions about what will and won't win, and that is exactly as it should be.

I have to start somewhere with my analysis so here goes, last years talking horse KEMBOY hasn't shown enough in his races this year to be considered. CLAN DES OBEAUX was better than ever at Kempton and a repeat of that puts him bang there in this. My worry about LOSTINTRANSLATION is that whatever was bothering him in the King George rears it's ugly head again and for that reason he is out. There is a lot to like about the way DELTA WORK won the Irish Gold Cup and if it comes to a battle he won't give up. You can't ignore the claims of SANTINI and if the going turns up soft he has to have a a shout. Finally last year's hero AL BOUM PHOTO comes under the spotlight he has been put in as ante-post favourite and as such has a favourites chance but I am not convinced he can repeat the feat against this opposition.

My selection for the 2020 Cheltenham Gold Cup is: CLAN DES OBEAUX 8/1 each way (NRNB).

On the day a mistake by CLAN DES OBEAUX three fences from home cost him his chance in the Gold Cup

Cheltenham Gold Cup Results

Keith Bond is our resident pro tipster here at FRT Towers. Keith lives and breathes horse racing, having begun his love of horse racing over 40 years ago with a part time job at Catterick Racecourse, as one of three fourteen year-olds looking after two jumps and a hurdle.

Over the years, Keith has been a regular at the northern tracks attending countless race meetings and building up a network of contacts, and a portfolio of systems and strategies. 

He was one of the co-founders of Free Racing Tips all the way back in 2008, and his free tips are now backed by more than seventy thousand FRT members every single day.

“Thanks Keith – It’s great to be part of an amazing group of people all after the same thing, passing on tips to beat the bookies”

Colin Parkinson, Harrow.

The FRT community love Keith’s attention to detail, knowledge of past races, and ability to pick horses...

“You offer some great tips, some fantastic outsiders tipped up as well. Most tipsters just put up favourites. Well done and keep up the good work”

John Woolley, Stockport

Cheltenham Festival Friday

Race Schedule