![]() ![]() The 1970s dawned with another Irish-trained back-to-back winner in L'Escargot. Taaffe and Dreaper also combined to win a further Gold Cup in 1968, with Fort Leney. It also says something about the quality of Mill House that, after injury forced the end of Arkle's career, 'the big horse' was still good enough to win the 1967 Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown, one of the most prestigious races on the calendar. He was right, as for the next three years, Arkle rewrote the rules of National Hunt racing, such was his dominance. This is the best we've seen for a long time", said Peter O'Sullevan on commentary. Neither got a look-in, as the big two dominated the contest, drawing clear down the hill on the second circuit.Īs they rounded the home turn, Pat Taaffe let out a little rein on Arkle, who came from just off the pace set by Mill House and Willie Robinson, jumped the last upsides, and cleared away up the hill to win by seven lengths. So good was the pair that only two other horses turned up on that March day in 1964, Pas Seul, who had won the Gold Cup in 1960, and King's Nephew. After that, no Brit would hear of defeat if they met off level weights in the Cheltenham Gold Cup the following March. Carrying 5lb more than Arkle, Mill House put up a scintillating display of jumping to beat the Irish challenger. Later that year, Mill House and Arkle met for the first time, in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury. The six-year-old dominated his 11 opponents to such an extent that he was thought unbeatable and the best English-trained horse since Golden Miller, if not better. He barely broke sweat in the latter two years, but the 1964 race, as referred to earlier, remains one of the classic jump races ever run.įulke Walwyn had trained the outstanding Mandarin to win the 1962 renewal and a year later, he sent out Mill House, a giant of a horse, to win the blue riband. Standing out like a beacon were the performances of the great Arkle, who won the race in three successive years (1964, '65 and '66). The 1960s was a vintage era for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. O'Brien added a fourth Gold Cup success to his CV when sending out Knock Hard to win in 1953. He won three successive Gold Cups from 1948-50, all under jockey Aubrey Brabazon. O'Brien went on to be arguably the greatest trainer of racehorses on the Flat, but prior to that he ruled the world of National Hunt and the horse that made his name was Cottage Rake. His trainer Tom Dreaper remains on the list of all-time greats, through his later handling of Arkle, but before that it would be Vincent O'Brien who stole the headlines for Ireland. Cottage Rakeīallinode had become the first Irish-trained winner as early as 1925, but the Emerald Isle had to wait until after World War II for a second success through Prince Regent. Unquestionably, his string of successes put the race very firmly on the map and the desire to win it was heightened. He remains the only horse ever to have won both the Gold Cup and the Grand National in the same year (1934). Golden Miller, owned by the wealthy eccentric Dorothy Paget, won the first of an astonishing five successive Gold Cups, under four different jockeys. With no race in 1931 due to frost, by the time the horses returned for the 1932 renewal, a star was born. History recalls that on 12 March 1924, nine runners went to post for the race, with the five-year-old Red Splash coming home in front under jockey Dick Rees, for trainer Fred Withington.Įaster Hero became the first dual winner of the race, justifying favouritism in both 19. Inaugurated in 1924, in its infancy the Gold Cup was a great race to win, but the Grand National still very much held sway as the premier jumps race on the planet. This is the crème de la crème of National Hunt racing and year on year a champion is crowned. All geldings carrying the same weight, while mares have a 7lb sex allowance. Three-and-a-quarter miles around the unforgiving Prestbury Park circuit. It's the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the ultimate test for horse and rider over regulation fences. And Pat Taaffe is shaking up Arkle."Īnd yes, this really is IT. ![]() And this is it! And Willie Robinson's got his whip out. Commentating on perhaps the most famous Gold Cup of all time, the late, great Sir Peter O'Sullevan said: "Now they're rounding the home turn. ![]()
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