Cheltenham Gold Cup 2014

The 2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup produced one of the closest finishes in the history of the race, first run as a steeplechase in 1924, with the first four horses home were covered by less than two lengths. To add to the drama, the winner had to survive a 15-minute stewards’ enquiry before his place in history was confirmed.

That winner was, of course, Lord Windermere, trained by Jim Culloty – who, as a jockey, won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Best Mate in 2002, 2003 and 2004 – and ridden by Davy Russell. The eight-year-old had failed to trouble the judge in three starts since winning the RSA Chase at the 2013 Cheltenham Festival and was consequently sent off at 20/1, behind the 6/4 favourite, and defending champion, Bobs Worth.

Detached from the other twelve runners before halfway, Lord Windermere nonetheless made relentless progress under pressure from the third-last fence and, despite hanging badly right close home, held on to win, all out, by a short head. On His Own and The Giant Bolster, who had been carried right by the winner, finished second and third, respectively, separated by three-quarters of a length. Second favourite Silviniano Conti, who also wandered right under pressure on the run-in, was fourth, just a length behind the front three, while Bobs Worth, who became momentarily unbalanced on the other side of the track, was fifth, 2¼ lengths further back.

Reflecting on what appeared, at one stage, an unlikely victory, Culloty said, “I cannot believe it. Halfway round I was going to sack the jockey! He’s not moved a muscle and he’s come from nowhere. It’s a dream; I’ll wake up a in minute.”