The Bet365 Gold Cup, formerly the Whitbread, traditionally brings down the curtain on the UK National Hunt season and there have been some famous winners down the years.
Bet365 Gold Cup History and Trends
First run in 1957, this famous handicap was originally called the Whitbread Gold Cup. It made history as the first commercial sponsorship in British sport and was the longest-running until it ended in 2001.
The great Desert Orchid won this staying race under 11st 11lb in 1988 and Life Of A Lord, in 1996, carried 11st 9lb to victory. Tidal Bay surpassed both when shouldering 11st 12lb in 2012 but they are the exceptions to the rule that suggests this is normally not a race for those at the top end of the handicap.
Only six of the last 35 winners have carried more than 11st to success and no favourite has won since Beau in 2000, though big outsiders don’t fare particularly well. Only three winners since 1994 have started at bigger odds than 16/1 with more than a third of the last 16 winners starting at single-figure odds. Those aged nine or younger have a far better strike rate than older chasers when it comes to winners and placed horses. All recent winners had run at least once in the previous eight weeks.
A couple of these ran in the Crabbie’s Grand National and horses that have been placed in that before have gone on to win at Sandown. But neither figured with The Young Master racing keenly when falling at Bechers first time around when prominent while Just A Par was always in the rear division. The pair were first and second in the Bet365 Gold Cup 12 months ago, however, and the former races off the same handicap mark while the latter is only a pound higher. The Druids Nephew was fifth and has been lightly-raced this season and Just A Par also won this race in 2015, ahead of Le Reve.
Doing Fine came good over a similar trip at Cheltenham so goes on the short-list but I’m very keen on the 8/1 about Nicky Henderson’s SUGAR BARON with William Hill.
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Sugar Baron unseated his rider at the first in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr last week but that was a rare blip and shouldn’t have taken too much out of him. He’d caught the eye over 3m2f in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham earlier and should stay this longer trip. He has the beating of Present Man (a best 12/1) on their run together at Wincanton last year.
Bet365 Gold Cup Current Best Odds
Doing Fine (5/1), The Druids Nephew and The Young Master (7/1), Sugar Baron (8/1), Just A Par (9/1), Vyta Du Roc (10/1), Rock The Kasbah and Present Man (12/1), Le Reve, Theatre Guide and Whats Happening (16/1), Benbens (20/1), Henllan Harri (33/1)
