2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup The 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup was a horse race which took place at Cheltenham on Friday 18 March 2005. It was the 77th running of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and it was won by the pre-race favourite Kicking King. The winner was ridden by Barry Geraghty and trained by Tom Taaffe. Kicking King was the first winner of the Gold Cup to be trained in Ireland since Imperial Call in 1996. The three-time winner Best Mate was withdrawn from the race a week earlier after bursting a blood vessel. A fourth day was added to the
Detroit City (horse) horse since Pollardstown in 1979 to complete Triumph Hurdle/Aintree Hurdle double. After the Cesarewitch success, Detroit City switched back to hurdles again with a run at Cheltenham in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle. With no pacemakers, he set the pace himself and despite carrying top weight won by 14 lengths; the "Racing Post" described it as a "stunning performance". Following the race he was made favourite for the Champion Hurdle. He returned to Cheltenham a month later for the Boylesports.com International Hurdle and won, beating Hardy Eustace by a length. The success in a field of four failed to impress the