Like most races at the Cheltenham Festival these days, the Irish have dominated the showpiece event, turning Prestbury Park into something of a home away from home.
That could change this year, though, as the British have a strong hand with The Jukebox Man, Jango Baie and Haiti Couleurs all prominent in the betting.
For anyone keeping tabs on horse racing today, it’s worth remembering just how long it has been since a British-trained horse lifted the Gold Cup. Here’s a look back at the last five to do it.
Native River (2018)
Yes, you have to go back nearly a decade for Britain’s last Gold Cup winner. Native River’s victory under Richard Johnson in 2018 was a thoroughly deserved triumph for Colin Tizzard’s yard, the horse grinding out a famous victory in testing conditions that suited his relentless, front-running style perfectly.
He battled Might Bite all the way to the line in one of the most memorable finishes the race has produced in recent times, and his win remains a reminder that British-trained horses can still compete at the very highest level when the stars align.
Coneygree (2015)
Coneygree’s victory in 2015 was one of the most remarkable Gold Cup wins of the modern era. Trained by Mark Bradstock and ridden by Nico de Boinville, it was a first Gold Cup success for the jockey and represented an extraordinary feat given that Coneygree was running in the race as a novice, something that simply isn’t done at this level.
He made every yard of the running and held on with tremendous courage, defying the conventional wisdom that novices don’t win Gold Cups. It remains one of the great Festival upsets.
Bobs Worth (2013)
Like buses, two Gold Cup wins came along in close succession for Nicky Henderson. Bobs Worth, trained at Seven Barrows and ridden by Barry Geraghty, delivered a thoroughly professional performance to win the 2013 renewal, confirming himself as one of the classiest staying chasers of his generation.
Henderson had waited a long time for his first Gold Cup and suddenly found himself with two in three years, a period that underlined just how strong his operation had become on the biggest stage of all.
Synchronised (2012)
Synchronised’s case is a slightly nuanced one. While his trainer, Jonjo O’Neill, is Irish by birth, his yard is based in Britain, which means the victory counts for the home nation. Owned by the JP McManus and ridden by Tony McCoy, Synchronised was a popular winner who went on to suffer a fatal injury in that year’s Grand National, a tragedy that cast a long shadow over what had been a brilliant season. His Gold Cup victory was a testament to McCoy’s brilliance and O’Neill’s quiet training genius.
Long Run (2011)
It was Henderson’s long-awaited Gold Cup breakthrough. Long Run, ridden by Sam Waley-Cohen in what was a famous amateur rider success, led home a high-quality field to give Henderson the one prize that had eluded him throughout his distinguished training career.
The victory was celebrated warmly throughout British racing and marked Long Run out as one of the most exciting staying chasers of his era. It would set the stage for Bobs Worth to follow suit two years later, giving Henderson a remarkable double in the race within three seasons.