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
1988 Grand National through a two-season barren spell before emerging as the form horse going into the Grand National. Wins in the Anthony Mildmay, Peter Cazalet Memorial Chase at Sandown and the Racing Post Chase in January were followed by an appearance in the Cheltenham Gold Cup where he was still in contention but under pressure when falling four fences from home. Few of his potential backers were put off by that and he was sent off at 10/1 with Brendan Powell in the saddle. Their race looked certain to come to an end when the horse all but fell at Becher's Brook