Cheltenham Festival

After famously justifying favouritism, under unfavourable conditions, in the 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup – and winning his four of his five completed starts since, including the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day – Desert Orchid was, once again, sent off favourite for the 1990 renewal, this time at a shade of odds-on. However, while the reigning champion made an admirably dogged defence of his title, still holding every chance at the second-last fence, he was upstaged by the unlikeliest of unlikely winners, whose trainer, by his own admission, “never had any ambitions”.

That winner was, of course, Norton’s Coin, owned and trained by Sirrell Griffiths in Nantgaredig, Carmarthenshire, who belied odds of 100/1 to become the longest-priced winner in 63 runnings of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Ridden by Graham McCourt, the nine-year-old was always going well, and tackled the leader, Toby Tobias, on the run-in to win, all out, by three-quarters of a length. Desert Orchid, who was, at the time, officially rated nearly two stone superior to the winner, finished third, a further 4 lengths away. On good to firm going, the winning time, 6:30.9, was 8.10 seconds faster than the standard time for the Gold Cup distance and 4.10 seconds faster than the previous best, set by Dawn Run in the historic renewal in 1986.

Forced to enter Norton’s Coin in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, at a cost of £1,000, having missed the deadline for an alternative handicap engagement, Griffiths said later, “”I couldn’t believe he’d won. And I didn’t believe it until sometime afterwards. I did so many interviews that day, but I can’t remember what I said. It was a daze!”

The 2009 Cheltenham Gold Cup once again featured the first three horses home in the 2008 renewal, Denman, Kauto Star and Neptune Collonges, all trained by Paul Nicholls. The 16-strong field also included Exotic Dancer, trained by Jonjo O’Neill, who had finished a disappointing fifth behind Denman in 2008, but a close second behind Kauto Star the previous year. In fact, it was the above-named quartet who dominated both the betting market and the race itself.

Neptune Collonges, ridden by Christian Williams, made much of the running until headed and outpaced shortly after the third-last fence. At that point, favourite Kauto Star, ridden by Ruby Walsh, quickened in to the lead and drew away from his rivals to win, impressively, by 13 lengths; that was, in fact, the widest winning margin since Master Oats beat Dubacilla by 15 lengths in 1995.

Although outpaced by the winner, Denman, ridden by Sam Thomas, stayed on gamely under pressure to finish second, 2½ lengths ahead of Exotic Dancer, ridden by Tony McCoy. Paul Nicholls was denied a 1-2-3 in the race for the second year running, with Neptune Collonges finishing fourth, 6 lengths behind Exotic Dancer. Nicholls also saddled the fifth horse home, 100/1 outsider My Will, ridden by Nick Schofield.

Kauto Star, who had won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2007, but been beaten 7 lengths by Denman in 2008, thus became the first horse in history to regain the staying chasers’ championship. Walsh was unequivoical is his praise of the Village Star gelding, saying, “He’s the greatest horse I’ve ever ridden. Two miles, three miles, now two Gold Cups. He’s magic, he’s a wonder horse.”

The 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup featured 12 runners, but was billed as a match between defending champion Kauto Star and his stable companion Denman, who had won his first eight starts over fences, including the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the previous Cheltenham Festival and the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury under 11st 12lb. Kauto Star was sent off favourite, at 10/11, with Denman at 9/4 and 17/2 bar the two, but the anticipated duel between the market leaders failed to materialise.

Ridden by Sam Thomas, Denman took over from his other stable companion, Neptune Collonges, in the lead just after halfway and, while he was less than fluent at one or two of his fences thereafter, was never headed. In fact, he went clear soon after the fourth-last fence and stayed on well to beat Kauto Star by 7 lengths. Ridden by Ruby Walsh, the latter was also not foot-perfect, including at the final fence, when already held by the winner, but ran on gamely and just managed to hold second place, a short-head in front of Neptune Collonges.

After completing a notable 1-2-3 in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, winning trainer Paul Nicholls said, “

“That was brilliant. Going out on the second circuit he [Denman] was going really well. He’s just good. Neptune Collonges has been improving all the time and Kauto ran a good race too, but they were beaten on the day by a better horse. It’s brilliant for the whole team.” Winning jockey was a little non-plussed, saying, “I don’t know what to say, I’m lost for words again.What a horse. He wasn’t doing a tap in front, he just stays and stays.”

The 2007 Cheltenham Gold Cup marked the ascent to the pinnacle of the steeplechasing world of Kauto Star, who, at the time of writing, 13 years after he ran his last race, remains the joint-fourth highest-rated steeplechaser of the Timeform era, alongside Mill House and behind only Arkle, Flyinbolt and Sprinter Sacre. Having already won the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November and the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, Kauto Star was sent off 5/4 favourite to complete the Stayers Chase’ Triple Crown and collect the £1,000,000 ‘Betfair Million’ bonus for conections.

The seven-year-old, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Ruby Walsh, did so in fairly straighforward fashion, although he did keep his supporters on their toes by hitting the final fence when already looking the likely winner. Nevertheless, he stayed on strongly on the run-in to beat his nearest pursuer, 9/2 second-favourite Exotic Dancer, by 2½ lengths, with 40/1 outsider Turpin Green, who ran the race of his life, the same distance back in third place.

Attempting a distance beyond three miles for the first time in his career, Kauto Star demonstrated an impressive turn of foot from the second-last fence. Winning jockey Walsh was embullient in his appraisal of the performance, saying, ” He got there easily enough, there was just a little doubt about whether he would get home or not, but thankfully he did. That [the Cheltenham Gold Cup

] is the greatest race and he has won it easily. People have been asking if he would stand up or not, but he has proved it under pressure now and landed a £1million bonus in the process.”

Following the first Irish-trained winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup since 1996 the previous year, the 2006 renewal of the prestigious steeplechase was notable for the fact that, for the first time in its history, the first three horses home were trained in Ireland. Sadly, though, the favourite, Beef Or Salmon, trained by Michael Hourigan in Co. Limerick, once again failed to fire at Cheltenham and trailed in a well-beaten eleventh of the 17 finishers.

Victory, on St. Patrick’s Day, went to 15/2 third favourite, owned by Gigginstown House Stud, trained by Michael ‘Mouse’ Morris and ridden by Conor O’Dwyer. The seven-year-old had been beaten 4 lengths by Beef Or Salmon, who was heavily eased in the closing stages, in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, but, with his old rival never really travelling, took full advantage.

War Of Attrition took the lead at the bypassed third-last fence and, although hotly pursued by the 2005 Grand National winner, Hedgehunter, all the way to the finish line, stayed on strongly on the run-in to win by 2½ lengths. Forget The Past, who had made much of the running on the second circuit, made a series of tired mistakes over the final few fences, but still did enough to hold third place, 7 lengths behind Hedgehunter and just three-quarters of a length ahead of the fourth horse home, L’Ami, trained in France by Francois Doumen.

After winning his first Cheltenham Gold Cup, Morris said of War Of Attrition, “You dream about these things. I’ve always had a lot of faith in him. I have always said he is one of the best I have ever had and I think he proved that.”