Cheltenham Gold Cup 2016

The 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup feature just a single-figure field, but produced a 1-2-3-4 for Irish-trained horses, with two of the first three home owned by Gigginstown House Stud. The best-fancied British-trained horse, the 5/2 second-favourite Cue Card, was disputing the lead and travelling well when falling at the third-last fence.

In his absence, victory went to the 9/4 favourite Don Cossack, trained by Gordon Elliott and ridden by Bryan Cooper, both of whom were recording their first victories in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Beaten favourite in the Ryanair Chase at the 2015 Cheltenham Festival, Don Cossack had won all five completed starts since, including the Melling Chase at Aintree and Champion Chase at Down Royal and justified his lofty market position with another convincing victory.

Shaken up after the second-last fence, Don Cossack had the race in safe keeping early on the run-in and only had to be pushed out to beat Djakadam, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Ruby Walsh, by 4½ lengths. Another Mullins-trained runner, Don Poli, ridden by Davy Russell, stayed on from well off the pace to finish third, 10 lengths further behind, without ever posing a threat to the front pair.

Cooper, retained rider for Gigginstown House Stud, who owned both Don Cossack and Don Poli, said afterwards, “Fair play to Gordon [Elliott], he stuck by me. I had the hardest decision and he had him right for today. He never missed a beat.” It turned out that Don Cossack had run his last race; he suffered a leg injury in the April following his Gold Cup triumph and was retired from racing, as a nine-year-old, in January 2017.