Cheltenham Gold Cup 2010

The 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup featured 11 runners, including Kauto Star and Denman, who, between them, had won the last three renewals, and the 2009 Grand National winner Mon Mome. Kauto Star was sent off 8/11 favourite, with Denman at 4/1 and Imperial Commander at 7/1, but it was the latter who came to the fore, taking the lead at the second-last fence and being driven clear on the run-in to win, going away by 7 lengths. In so doing, Imperial Commander became a first Cheltenham Gold Cup winner for trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies and jockey Paddy Brennan.

Few would begrudge Imperial Commander his victory, after he had been just touched off by Kauto Star, by the minimum margin, a nose, in the Betfair Chase at Haydock the previous November, having fought what the ‘Racing Post’ described as a ‘tremendous duel’ on the run-in. However, he had finished tailed off behind Kauto Star in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, hence what turned out to be a generous starting price.

Defending champion Kauto Star made an uncharacteristic blunder at the eighth fence and, although given time to recover by jockey Ruby Walsh, was never travelling particularly sweetly. Tony McCoy, aboard Denman, seized the initiative heading down the hill for the final time, but was stalked into the fourth-last fence by the strong-travelling Imperial Commander. At that obstacle, Kauto Star, who was already under pressure, took a crashing fall, leaving the front pair to fight out the finish.

Once Imperial Commander hit the front two out, the race was effectively over, although Denman still finished the proverbial country mile – or 23 lengths, to be precise – ahead of the third horse home, Mon Mome. The 2009 Grand National winner was all but tailed off at one stage, but stayed on strongly in the closing stages to fill the minor placing.