Previous years
2020
Emerald green, red hoop, white and red hooped sleeves, white cap, black diamonds
Emerald green, beige braces, yellow sleeves, orange cap
Dark blue, pink hoops, chevrons on sleeves, dark blue cap
Chatham Street Lad
Midnight Shadow
Benatar
2019
Dark green, red cross belts, dark green and beige striped sleeves, dark green cap, red star
Red, white sash, emerald green sleeves, emerald green and red check cap
Beige, beige and dark green diabolo on sleeves, black cap
Warthog
Spiritofthegames
Robin Des Foret
2018
Royal blue, white chevron, hooped sleeves, white cap
Royal blue, white hoop and sleeves
Dark blue, yellow diamond and sleeves, royal blue cap, red diamond
Frodon
Cepage
Guitar Pete
2017
Dark blue, yellow diamond and sleeves, royal blue cap, red diamond
Dark green, white chevron, light green sleeves, dark green and white check cap
Royal blue, pink hoop
Guitar Pete
Clan Des Obeaux
King's Odyssey
2016
Royal blue, white chevron, hooped sleeves, white cap
Royal blue, white hoop and sleeves
Black and light blue (quartered), black sleeves, white cap
Frodon
Aso
Village Vic
2015
Black and light blue (quartered), black sleeves, white cap
Light blue, pink chevrons, light blue sleeves, light blue cap, pink star
Light blue, black star, black sleeves, light blue stars, light blue cap, black star
Village Vic
Champagne West
Tenor Nivernais
2014
Dark blue and maroon stripes, pink sleeves and cap
Royal blue, pink hoop
Dark blue, white sleeves, dark blue diamonds, white cap, dark blue diamonds
Niceonefrankie
Barrakilla
Edgardo Sol
2013
Red, white disc, diabolo on sleeves
Emerald green, yellow hoops, emerald green cap, white star
Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap
Double Ross
Cantlow
Colour Squadron
2012
Yellow, red star, yellow sleeves, white armlets, yellow cap, red star
Royal blue, white hoops, maroon sleeves and cap
Red and purple (quartered), yellow sleeves, red cap
Unioniste
Walkon
Golden Chieftain
2011
Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap
Orange, black star, black and orange striped sleeves
Pink, pink and white quartered cap
Quantitativeeasing
Medermit
Roudoudou Ville
2010-2001
2010
Black and white (halved), red sleeves and cap
Royal blue, emerald green sleeves, white cap, emerald green spots
Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap
Poquelin
Great Endeavour
Sunnyhillboy
2009
Black and white (halved), red sleeves and cap
Black and orange stripes, black sleeves, orange stars, orange cap
Beige, brown hooped sleeves, orange cap
Poquelin
Razor Royale
Skippers Brig
2007
White, Royal Blue sash, White sleeves, Red armlets, Red cap
Yellow, blue hoop, checked sleeves, quartered cap
Emerald green, white stars, emerald green cap, white star
Tamarinbleu
Le Volfoni
Patman Du Charmil
2006
Mauve and pink check, white sleeves, pink cap
Emerald green, white stars, emerald green cap, white star
Royal blue, beige cross belts
Exotic Dancer
Knowhere
Taranis
2005
Maroon and pink check
Royal blue and yellow (halved), royal blue sleeves, yellow cap
Light blue and royal blue diabolo, light blue sleeves and cap
Sir Oj
Le Passing
Lacdoudal
2004
Pink and yellow diamonds, yellow sleeves and cap
Red, white cross belts, hooped sleeves and star on cap
Emerald green and yellow quartered, white sleeves and cap
Monkerhostin
Thisthatandtother
Europa
2003
Mauve and pink check, white sleeves, pink cap
Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap
Beige, Brown hooped sleeves, Orange cap
Iris Royal
Risk Accessor
Telemoss
2002
Brown, red stars, brown sleeves, red cap, brown star
Light blue and maroon stripes, light blue sleeves, hooped cap
Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap
Fondmort
Foly Pleasant
Youlneverwalkalone
2000-1991
2000
Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap
Royal Blue, White seams, armlets and cap
Orange, black star, striped sleeves, star on cap
Go Roger Go
Robbo
Connor Macleod
1999
Green, white checked sleeves
Black, Pink cross belts, Black sleeves, Pink stars
Dark green, white chevron, light green sleeves, dark green and white check cap
Legal Right
Nordance Prince
Irbee
1998
Red, white spots, white sleeves, red cap, white spots
Red, white sash, green sleeves, white armlets, green cap
Yellow, dark green chevron and sleeves, dark green and yellow hooped cap
Northern Starlight
Simply Dashing
Mr Strong Gale
1997
Purple, emerald green cross of lorraine, emerald green cap
Royal blue, emerald green sleeves, white cap, emerald green spots
Emerald green, purple cross belts, purple cap
Senor El Betrutti
Challenger du Luc
Bells Life
1996
Red and White diamonds, Royal Blue sleeves, Royal Blue cap, Red diamond
Blue, red epaulets, red sleeves, white chevrons, blue cap, red star
Blue, white spots and sleeves, yellow cap
Addington Boy
Go Universal
Northern Hide
1994
Green, yellow sleeves, white cap
Green, red diamond, diamonds on sleeves and cap
Emerald green, white sleeves, emerald green and white check cap
Dublin Flyer
Nuaffe
Southolt
1993
Black, white hoops, black sleeves, white diabolo, hooped cap
Dark Blue, Yellow stripe, Yellow sleeves, Dark Blue armlets and star on Yellow cap
Purple, White sleeves, Purple and White quartered cap
Fragrant Dawn
Young Hustler
Freeline Finishing
1992
Maroon, white sleeves, orange and white quartered cap
RUST, green sash and cuffs, quartered cap
Emerald green, white stars, emerald green cap, white star
Another Coral
Second Schedual
Tipping Tim
1991
Green, pink cap
Maroon, white sleeves, orange and white quartered cap
Tan, black and green hooped sleeves, black cap
Kings Fountain
Another Coral
Ida's Delight
1990-1987
1989
Red and Royal Blue (quartered), red sleeves, Quartered cap
Green, white cross belts, navy blue sleeves and cap
Black, yellow cross-belts and armlets
Clever Folly
Welsh Oak
Barnbrook Again
1988
Yellow, black spots and sleeves, white cap
White, black stripe, striped sleeves and cap
White, red seams, quartered cap
Pegwell Bay
Beau Ranger
Oregon Trail
1987
Blue, white seams, quartered cap
Red and Royal Blue (quartered), red sleeves, Quartered cap
Black and Yellow diamonds, checked sleeves, Yellow cap
Bishops Yarn
Music Be Magic
Raise An Argument
The December Gold Cup (run since 2023 as the Virgin Bet December Gold Cup ) is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 4½ furlongs (2 miles 4 furlongs and 127 yards, or 4,139 metres), and during its running there are seventeen fences to be jumped. It is a handicap race , and it is scheduled to take place each year in December.
The event was first run in 1963. It was originally sponsored by Massey Ferguson and known as the Massey Ferguson Gold Cup. The race continued with this title until 1980, but since then it has had various sponsors and consequently several title changes. The 2005 running was named the Robin Cook Memorial Gold Cup. This was in memory of Robin Cook (1946–2005), a former Foreign Secretary who was a keen racing enthusiast. Boylesports supported the race from 2006 to 2009 as the Boylesports.com Gold Cup. The 2010 race 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 the racehorse owner Andy Stewart began backing the race to promote the Spinal Research charity, following a spinal injury suffered by his son Paul in 2008. The race was run as the Spinal Research The Atlantic 4 Gold Cup in 2011, the Paul Stewart IronSpine Charity Challenge Gold Cup in 2012 and was then named the Stewart Family Thank You Gold Cup in 2013. From 2014 to 2020 it was run as the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup and in 2021 it was titled the Racing Post Gold Cup. The race has become commonly known in the racing media as the December Gold Cup.[ 1] and in 2022 Ais took over sponsorship and the word December appeared in the official race title. Virgin Bet have sponsored the race since 2023. The race was give Grade 3 status when the National Hunt Pattern was revised in 1989 and was re-classified as a Premier Handicap from the 2022 running when Grade 3 status was renamed by the BHA.[ 2]
The race is often contested by horses which ran previously in the Paddy Power Gold Cup (also formerly known by other titles). Three have won both races in the same season – Pegwell Bay, Senor El Betrutti and Exotic Dancer .
Records
Most successful horse (2 wins) :
Poquelin – (2009),(2010)
Frodon - (2016, 2018)
Leading jockey (3 wins):
Richard Johnson – Legal Right (1999), Monkerhostin (2004) Village Vic (2015)
Leading trainer (5 wins):
Paul Nicholls – Poquelin (2009, 2010), Unioniste (2012), Frodon (2016, 2018)
Winners
↑ The 1967 running was abandoned due to a foot-and-mouth disease epidemic
↑ The race was cancelled in 1976 because of frost
↑ 3.0 3.1 It was abandoned in both 1981 and 1990 because of snow
↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 The 1995, 2001 and 2022 races were cancelled because of frost
↑ The 2003 edition was run on Cheltenham's Old Course over 2 miles and 4½ furlongs
↑ It was abandoned in 2008 due to waterlogging
See also
References
Racing Post :
1988 , 1989 , 1991 , 1992 , 1993 , 1994 , 1996 , 1997 , 1998 , 1999
2000 , 2002 , 2003 , 2004 , 2005 , 2006 , 2007 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011
2013 , 2014 , 2015 , 2016 , 2017 , 2018 , 2019 , 2020 , 2021
pedigreequery.com – Boylesports.com Gold Cup Chase – Cheltenham.
Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1990/91 . Aesculus Press. 1990. p. 44. ISBN 1-871093-21-X .
External links
Cheltenham Christmas Meeting