Cheltenham Gold Cup chasers as Arkle, Best Mate, Golden Miller, Kauto Star and Mill House. The Gold Cup is the most valuable non-handicap chase in Britain, and in 2014 it offered a total prize fund of £550,000. The first horse race known as the Cheltenham Gold Cup took place in July 1819. It was a flat race, and it was contested over 3 miles on Cleeve Hill, which overlooks the present venue. The inaugural winner, Spectre, won a prize of 100 guineas for his owner Mr Bodenham. The Cheltenham Gold Cup was first run as a jumps race on 12 March 1924. The
Little Owl (horse) useful horse on the flat before switching to the jumps for trainer Ryan Price. His most notable efforts were winning the 1961 Triumph Hurdle and finishing fourth in the 1962 Champion Hurdle. A successful jumps sire, his leading progeny included Little Polveir (1989 Grand National), The Thinker (1987 Cheltenham Gold Cup), Ballyross (1978 Powers Gold Cup) and Canton (1983 Scottish Grand National). His dam, Black Spangle, was a lightly raced half sister to Little Tom - a prolific jumps winner in Ireland and France while her dam, Spangle, was a seven-time winner over hurdles. Little Owl's siblings were pointers and