Caspian Caviar Gold Cup History
This valuable handicap chase was first run at Cheltenham in 1963 when the race was known as the Massey Ferguson Gold Cup. It retained that title until 1980 but has had several sponsors and title changes since. Boylesports supported the race from 2006 to 2009 as the Boylesports.com Gold Cup and the 2010 renewal was run as the Vote A P Gold Cup as part of a successful campaign to encourage racegoers to vote for Tony McCoy in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. In 2011, noted racehorse owner Andy Stewart backed the race to promote his Spinal Research charity until it was taken over by its current sponsors.
Caspian Caviar Gold Cup Trends
- Only one of the last seven winners has carried more than 11st to victory.
- Since the turn of the century, no chaser aged older than eight has been successful and only three have been placed from 51 runners stretching back 14 years.
- Official ratings have also been significant lately with the last six winners all being rated between 133 and 149, though that would include all bar the top two this year.
- None of the last eight winners have started at shorter odds than 6/1.
- All bar one of the last 16 winners was bred in France or Ireland.
The last two winners of the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup top and tail the weights in this year’s contest.
FRODON (9/1 with William Hill) won in 2016 and finished eight lengths ahead of last year’s winner, Guitar Pete (a general 10/1), when runner-up to Baron Alco (a general 6/1) in the BetVictor Gold Cup last month. Bryony Frost’s mount is 3lb better off with the winner and looks a cast-iron each-way bet, despite his big weight. The BetVictor Gold Cup is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham whereas this weekend’s big betting heat takes place on the New Course, which will suit the top weight more.
Rather Be was among the favourites for the BetVictor Gold Cup but was brought down at the top of the hill on the final circuit when still travelling strongly. However, the general 10/3 doesn’t reflect the wide-open nature of the race.
Mr Medic is an interesting runner from the in-form Robert Walford yard that won last Saturday’s Becher Chase at Aintree. The seven-year-old made a winning reappearance at Ascot and this is his time of year as he doesn’t handle soft going. Available at 11/1 at Betfred, he should attract a few punters looking for each-way value, though it’s disappointing that only 15 have declared meaning bookmakers only have to pay out on the first three.
Cobra De Mai may be overpriced at 33/1 with Coral as he’s a genuine good ground performer, though was behind Mr Medic at Ascot.
Caspian Caviar Gold Cup Current Best Odds
Rather Be 10/3, Baron Alco 6/1, Frodon 9/1, War Sound and Guitar Pete 10/1, Mr Medic 11/1, Cepage 12/1, Casablanca Mix 14/1,Full Glass, Catamaran Du Seuil and Foxtail Hill 16/1, Splash of Ginge and Romain De Senam 25/1, Cobra De Mai and Casse Tete 33/1
(Odds correct at 3.15pm December 13)
