Cheltenham Gold Cup 2011 Winner Long Run Ushers New Era

Posted at March 23rd, 2011 Add your comment

Cheltenham Gold Cup 2011 Winner

The new kid on the block gave a real surprise on the Cheltenham Gold Cup overcoming former winners Denman, Kauto Star and Imperial Commander.

Bookmakers and punters had speculated the Grade One totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup pegged at £500,000 to be clinched by any one of the favorites and everyone thought the main event is all about Denman, Kauto Star and Imperial Commander and everyone was looking forward to see which of these three favorites would clinch the Gold Cup again.

It was the first time since 1958 when three past winners of the Gold Cup took on against each other but history proved it that no horse over the age of 10 has won the extended three and a quarter mile championship event and this included two eleven year olds Kauto Star and Denman.

The event was thrilling and previous chapters in history were revisited while a new one was created. Long Run became the first ever six-year-old to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup since Mill House in 1963. However, in the final mile, the previous Gold cup winners Kauto Star, Denman and Imperial Commander were pilling on the pressure but Long Run swiftly swept past Denman and Kauto Star and became the amateur to lift up the Gold Cup after 30 years.

Long Run is destined to be the highest rated horse ever seen after having defeated the best horses in Ireland and England at only six.

Long Run Jockey Nicky Henderson ousted Denman with ease. The chairman of Cheltenham racecourse Robert said ‘the horse is yet to perform well better when it matures and we believe there is so much more to see’.

Imperial Commander the previous 2010 Gold Cup winner had the highest official rating of 185 including Denman with 179.

According to Timeform, the company that provides racehorse statistics have indicated that Long Run will prove to be the highest-rated modern chaser since the horse entered the Gold Cup with a rating of 179. At present, Arkle is rated at 212, stablemate Flyingbolt at 210 and Mill House and Kauto Star both sitting at 191.

The horse has become the tenth in history to win both the Gold Cup and the King George VI Chase in one season. There are great possibilities that it can win the Grand Steeplechase de Paris in May running on a three mile and five furlongs at Auteil one of France's top races. The race has been referred to the French Gold Cup since no British trained horse has won the race since 1962.

There are two major races to look at and these are Grand Steeplechase de Paris and the Champion Hurdle in France and Long Run will certainly target any of the two or both.

The former stable jockey Mick Fitzgerald said ‘Long Run has the capabilities of winning 4 Gold Cups and surpass Best Mate's Gold Cup treble.

‘The youth is on his side and there is a lot of room for improvement’

Stay Updated

More about: