One of the best horse racing events in the world is Cheltenham. It comprises 28 different races – with the highlights being the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup. The festival takes place over 4 days of nail-biting action. This is where history is made – and it’s why fans flock to see the very best horses from all over the world.
Aside from the excitement of racing, it’s the betting that really attracts people. No matter how far in advance you look for prices on the biggest horse racing events in the UK, you are likely to find horse racing odds today on the runners in it to win it with. bets are being taken literally months in advance. Putting money on the Gold Cup is a British tradition – with some trying to predict the probable winner, and others having a cheeky punt on the underdog, hoping for a crazy bit of luck.
Throughout the history of the festival, Cheltenham’s Gold Cup has crowned some incredible horses that have made their name in history. From Arkle to Best Mate, Golden Miller and Kauto Star, here are the most successful horses to be crowned the champion.
Golden Miller
The most legendary of all the Cheltenham horses is Golden Miller – who has to be right at the top of the table. He was a thoroughbred racehorse who won five consecutive runnings of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, one of the most prestigious steeplechase horse races held annually. He won the race from 1932 to 1936, a feat that has not been equalled since. Golden Miller is widely regarded as one of the greatest steeplechasers in the history of National Hunt racing in the United Kingdom.
Cheltenham wins aside, this is also the only horse that has ever won two premier UK steeplechases in the same year, 1934 – The Grand National and the Gold Cup.
Arkle
Arkle also deserves a place on the list. It may be half a century since he managed three consecutive Gold Cup wins, a feat that took over 50 years to equal and is only eclipsed by Golden Miller’s form in the 1930s, but he will be remembered forever.
This champion was a famous Irish thoroughbred racehorse who competed in the 1960s and is widely regarded as one of the greatest steeplechasers of all time. His biggest claim to fame is his dominant run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup when he won three consecutive runnings of the race from 1964 to 1966.
Although Arkle never ran in the Grand National, he did also win the Hennessy Gold Cup twice, the Irish Grand National and many other important races.
Best Mate
Best Mate was a thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing in the United Kingdom during the early 2000s. He is most famous for winning three consecutive runnings of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2002, 2003, and 2004, matching Arkle’s long-held record. What’s more, he was also favourite for the 2005 race but had to withdraw suddenly after suffering a burst blood vessel.
His impact on the sport was immense and his sudden death was mourned by the British horse racing elite.
Kauto Star
Last on our list is Kauto Star, who came onto the scene slightly after Best Mate, and takes a well-deserved spot on our list after winning the Gold Cup twice – first in 2007 and then in 2009. He almost made it three consecutive wins, but he was denied the honour by Denman in 2008. He just about missed the honour of being another 3-consecutive wins horse.
Although he ran the Gold Cup another three times, he never quite hit the same form. However, after amassing winnings of more than £3 million, he is still easily one of the most successful horses at Cheltenham and in the world. So, there you have it! These are our top Cheltenham horses. These runners have taken their place in history because they have defied the odds to win the Gold Cup more than once. They have conquered the Steeplechase world, attracted fans from across the world and set the standards for the future.