There Could be Many Clouds at Cheltenham on Today...
If there is no sunshine at Cheltenham today there could be many clouds and that is a clue to the name of the horse that can win the Gold Cup. Many Clouds won the Hennessey at Newbury last November and has winning form at Cheltenham this season so can outstay his rivals up the famous hill in the most prestigious chase of the season. Trevor Hemmings owned Blackpool Tower and has won two Grand Nationals but Many Clouds would be his first Gold Cup winner.
Silviniaco Conti could have already won two Gold Cups and comes into the race with the best rating and form in staying chases. Paul Nicholls has won four Gold Cups so knows what it takes for a horse to win the Blue Riband of chasing. Silviniaco is 0 from 3 at the home of National Hunt racing and could come up just short once again. He is at his best on flat tracks but looked the likely winner a year ago after jumping the last in front but was unplaced behind Lord Windermere.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 chase run on the New Course at the iconic venue in the Cotswolds. The race is run over a distance of three miles two furlongs and there are 22 obstacles in the contest over two circuits of the track. Horses aged five and over are eligible for a race that is the most valuable non-handicap chase of the season. The Gold Cup is the main event of the Cheltenham Festival and takes place on the fourth and final day of the meeting. The day at the track is usually a sell-out and only the National is more popular in terms of betting turnover for a jumps race.
Golden Miller won five Gold Cups between 1932 and 1936 so is the most successful horse in the history of the race. Pat Taaffe rode Arkle to three wins in the 1960s and won the Gold Cup on another horse so is thus the only jockey to win the race four times. Tom Dreaper trained the winner four times and Dorothy Paget owned seven winners and is the leading owner. Nicholls is by far the most successful contemporary trainer. Jim Culloty won the race three times on Best Mate as a jockey and is the trainer of last year’s winner, Lord Windermere.
It would be appropriate if Tony McCoy won this year’s Gold Cup on Carlingford Lough in his last festival. The horse is owned by JP McManus who has provided AP with his only win in the Grand National and one of his two Gold Cups. Ruby Walsh won the race twice on Kauto Star, the most recent multiple winner though Best Mate won the race three times at the start of the century. The latest 15 Gold Cup winners have been in the 6 to 9 age bracket. Since 2002 Lon Run is the only six year old to win the race.
Silviniaco Conti is aged nine and 4 of the last 13 Gold Cup winners have been in that age group. It is a question of third time lucky for the horse and four horses have won the race after at least two previous efforts. He may have beaten Bobs Worth but for falling three out in 2013 but the race was his for the taking a year ago before swerving on the run-in. He wasn’t beaten for stamina and he was later treated for stomach ulcers. In Many Clouds he may find one horse to prevent him finally winning that elusive Gold Cup
In a frenetic finish to the 2014 Gold Cup Lord Windermere just beat On His Own after some interference with The Giant Bolster not far behind. The race appeared to be between Bobs Worth and Silviniaco Conti on the far side of the track but the three horses on the opposite side got up in the final strides to be involved in an unlikely finish. Many Clouds will be toughing it out on the run-in at the end of this year’s contest. The Hennessey is a good guide to the best staying chases and Many Clouds can improve that trend by winning this year’s Gold Cup.
