The Bet365 Gold Cup is a handicap Grade 3 National Hunt Steeplechase held in Britain and which is open to horses five years or older. Run at Sandown Park in Esher, England, this chase covers a distance of about 3 miles and 5 ½ furlongs with a total of 24 fences to be jumped.

“Trophy" Race History

The race was established in 1957 and to older horse racing fans, it is known as The Whitbread because it was sponsored by Whitbread Brewers at the desire of its chairman Col. Bill Whitbread who road twice in the Grand National as an amateur Jockey. The corporate sponsorship was the first and longest running in Britain until its cessation in 2001.

Since then, three companies have taken over the sponsorship of the event. At the Races did so from 2002-03 while Betfred took over from 2004-07. In 2008, Bet365 has been the Gold Cup’s main sponsor. This year’s race will be held on Sunday, April 27, 2019.

Back when it was still known as the Whitbread, this race was won by some of the great jump horses we’ve ever seen. Arkle, the Irish gelding whose remains are displayed at Tully’s Irish National Stud, won the Gold Cup in 1965. That year, the sire of Archive also won the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Gallagher Gold Cup, Leopardstown Chase, Hennessy Gold Cup and the King George VI Chase.

Another legendary winner was Desert Orchid or Dessie who won in 1988. The four-time King George VI Chase winner and three-time Gainsborough Chase champion also won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1989 and the Irish Grand National in 1990. Dessie is one of the greatest jump race horses of all-time with a Timeform rating of 187.

“Trophy" The Favorites

This year, we have a group of horses trying to follow the path of Arkle and Dessert Child in becoming a winner at the Bet365 Gold Cup which is the last big jumping event of the NH season.

Here are the favorites to win the 2019 Bet365 Gold Cup:

Horse Odds
The Young Master +1100
Beware The Bear +1400
Ramses De Teillee +1400
Rock the Kasbah +1400
Mister Malarky +1400
Step Back +1400
Potters Corner +1400
Give Me A Copper +1400
Walk In The Mill +1400
Valtor +1600
Black Corton +1600
Present Man +1600
Joe Farrell +1600
Carole’s Destrier +1600
Rolling Dylan +1600
Big River +1600
West Approach +1600
Rathlin Rose +1600
Go Conquer +2000
Yala Enki +2000
Ballyoptic +2000
Adrien Du Pont +2000
Tea For Two +2000
Talkischeap +2000
Vieux Lion Rouge +2000
Red Infantry +2000
Impulsive Star +2000
Tommy Silver +2000
Glenn Rocco +2000
Just A Sting +2000
Takingrisks +2000
Le Reve +2000
Doing Fine +2000
Van Gogh Du Granit +2000

“Trophy" Who Are The Favorites?

The Young Master is a 10 year old owned by Mike Burbridge and the Old Masters. The Bay Gelding is trained by Neil Mulholland and has a lifetime record of six wins, one second and three third places in 26 total Chases ran. In his last race at the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase last March 14th, he placed third behind Any Second Now and Kilfilum Cross, respectively.

Beware the Bear is a 9 year old bay gelding trained by Nicky Henderson and owned by Mr. George B. Barlow. In 11 career Chases, Beware the Bear has won five times. In his most recent race,  he fulfilled his 81-year old owner’s dream of winning the three-and-a-half-mile Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham by five lengths.

Ramses De Teillee is a seven-year old  grey gelding trained by Donald Pipe and owned by John White and Anne Underhill. His lifetime record in a chase is three wins and four second place finishes in a total of 11 starts. He pulled up in the Randox Health Grand National Handicap Chase which was won by Tiger Roll.

Give Me A Copper is a nine-year old chestnut gelding owned by Done, Ferguson, Kyle, Mason and Wood and trained by Paul Nicholls. He’s won once in four Chase starts. In his last race, he fell at the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham which was won by Beware the Bear.

Rock the Kasbah is a nine-year old chestnut gelding trained by Philip Hobbs and owned by Mrs. Diana L. Whateley. In a total of 14 Chase runs, he has won a total of four times and placed second thrice and third once. In his last race, he fell at the Randox Health Grand National Handicap Chase at Aintree which was won by Tiger Roll.

“Trophy" Who Wins?

Here are some interesting trend in the Bet365 Gold Cup:

  • The last 16 winners of the race had raced in the last 56 days including 10 who have raced in the last 25 days. However, only three out of the last 16 won the last time out. Half of the last 16 winners placed 4th or worse in their most recent race.
  • Thirteen out of the last 16 winners had previously won over 3m or further in the past.
  • Twelve out of the last 16 winners were aged 9 or younger with 9 out of the last 12 aged between 7 and 9. Eight out of the last 15 winners (40%) were aged six.
  • Eleven out of the last sixteen winners returned +1400 or shorter in the betting. Nine out of the last 16 winners came from the Top 7 in the betting market with no favorite winning since Beau won the race in 2000.
  • Philip Hobbs has trained two and Paul Nicholls four out of the last 16 winners.

You can use the trends above to pick your winner. Just do some research on the horse’s profile and form. I didn’t find a horse which checked all five Bet365 Gold Cup trends. Or maybe I didn’t do well in my research. However, I’m a fan of a horse’s form and as such, I like Beware the Bear who’s won 5 out of his 11 career jump races including the three-and-a-half-mile Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

Prediction: Beware The Bear

Place Your Bet Here

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