Cheltenham Gold Cup

After the disappointment of the cancellation of the 2001 Cheltenham Gold Cup due to the well documented outbreak of foot and mouth disease, race fans were eagerly anticipating the 2002 running of this famous race.

The going was ‘Good’ as previous winners See More Business and Looks Like Trouble were part of an 18 strong field that started the race, which all in attendance hoped would live up to all expectation.

Early Running

At the beginning of the 2002 Tote sponsored Cheltenham Gold Cup, the field was bunched together, with the early running being made by former winners: the Noel Chance trained Looks Like Trouble, the 9/4 favourite, ridden by Richard Johnson and the much less-fancied 40-1 shot, See More Business, ridden by Joe Tizzard.

The Race for Home

Coming to the 3rd fence from home, the field, which had been stretched, began to bunch up with the leaders being swallowed up by the chasing pack. Despite still leading the race, the field, which included the 25-1 Ruby Walsh mount Commanche Court, Marlborough ridden by Dean Gallagher and Jim Culloty on Best Mate, were breathing down their necks.

At this critical point, coming around the final turn, 2000 winner Looks Like Trouble faded badly to leave the Best Mate, Commanche Court and See More Business to fight it out over the final furlongs.

Over the Last

All three horses looked strong coming to the last, but it was Best Mate who took the initiative and ran strongly up Cheltenham hill with Commanche Court in close attendance. Try as he might though, Ruby Walsh couldn’t quite get enough out of the horse trained by his father Ted Walsh, as Best Mate strode home a couple of lengths clear to take the Cheltenham Gold Cup crown and the £174,000 in prize money.

Best Mate, this Irish-bred, english trained racehorse had played its part in restoring the magic and excitement that had been so sorely lacking after the race was cancelled the year before. Cheltenham was back with a bang as jubilant owner, Jim Lewis enthused:

“”I’ve had some good fun in my day but to win a Gold Cup with a horse so young – I could cry.”

There was certain to be celebration into the small hours after this momentous occasion for all associated with Best Mate…and who could blame them?

I was doing write ups of the Cheltenham Gold Cup by year when I suddenly drew a blank on 2001. For a few seconds (that’s all I swear) I pondered what had happened. The suddenly my brain sparked up again…

 

 

Irish trainer, Noel Chance celebrated his first Cheltenham Gold Cup success since 1997 on March 16th, when Looks Like Trouble, with englishman Richard Johnson in the saddle, romped home 6 lengths clear of the field to take the prize for 2000. This, the 73rd running of this great race lived up to its reputation for the dramatic, as the winner came from behind in sensational fashion.

The 9/2 joint 2nd favourite, Looks like trouble was looking laboured at the turn with 4 fences to jump, but found a second wind to charge through the field, taking the lead at the last to then sprint strongly to victory. He did so in a new record time of 6 mins 30.3 seconds, narrowly beating the previous record set some 10 years earlier by Graham McCourt on 100-1 shot Norton’s Coin.

Rated

Chance had always rated Looks Like Trouble as an exceptional talent, a glimpse of which the gelding showed by winning a novice chase at Doncaster, 14 months previous to this momentous triumph. Steadily climbing to the highest chase levels since that point, he reached his pinnacle on Thursday to prove his trainer’s rating to be right on the money.

6 Finished

Only half of the 12 strong field finished this arduous Good to Firm Cheltenham circuit, as most notably Ruby Walsh was unseated by Rince Ri and Tony McCoy fell at the 2nd last, whilst looking promising, if a little pressured, on Gloria Victis.

In behind Looks Like Trouble came Florida Pearl, the 8 year old ridden by Paul Carberry and trained by Willie Mullins, in 2nd, Strong Promise, the 8 year old partnered by Robert Thornton in 3rd and 9/4 favourite and the 1999 winner of this race, See More Business ridden to 4th by Paul Nicholls.

Winner Almost Didn’t Finish

A great day for Richard Johnson, Noel Chance and owners Michael and Gerry Worcester then, but it nearly didn’t turn out this way. Despite looking confident and well-placed throughout this race, a blunder at the 10th by the gelding left nerves jangling as he almost lost his rider.

Johnson remained seated however, and went on to claim the prestigious prize of Cheltenham Gold Cup Winning jockey for 2000.