2013 winner Jeppe’s Reef and Robbie Fradd power clear to win the Gr1 Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a race steeped in history and is more often than not used to decide South Africa’s champion stayer title.
To date, four horses have won the Gold Cup twice, but the last horse to win South Africa’s premier staying race in consecutive years was Highland Night , who won the race in 2002 and 2003.
Mike Bass-trained Jeppe’s Reef is back to defend his title on Saturday after winning the race in 2013.
Only once, has there been a dead heat in the race – and that was back in 1977 when Don The Stripe and Pacer shared the spoils.
The first horse to win the Gold Cup on two occasions was Humidor, who was victorious in 1933 and 1935. Humidor scored his first win carrying just 50kgs, winning as a 5 year old. Runner up, Candican, was giving the winner over two stone! Two years later, the imported son of Galloper Lad carried 52.5 kgs to ensure himself a place in the record books.
Humidor was more impressive in his second win – winning by a length, with another five lengths back to the third placed finisher.
While Candican put up one of the greatest weight carrying achievements ever seen in the race, another gallant effort came in 1930, when Glen Albyn ran second under 9 stone 10 – or 136 lbs. He was beaten just half a length, giving the winner, Artist Glow, one stone.
Since 1945, the greatest winning margin in the Gold Cup has been the four and a half length winning distance put up by Devon Air, who triumphed in 1984.
Jeppe’s Reef and team celebrate his Gr1 Gold Cup win
There have been a number of stallions who have played a major role in the history of the Gold Cup however, Hobnob (Gyr), widely regarded as one of South Africa’s all time leading sires of high-class stayers, never sired a Gold Cup winner. He did sire three placed horses in the big race.
This lack of success is puzzling when taking into account the fact that Hobnob sired three Gold Bowl winners, two SA Derby winners and numerous Oaks winners.
Champion sire, Foveros, is one stallion who certainly made his mark on the Gold Cup. He sired Gold Cup winners Aquanaut, and Festive Forever, while he is also damsire of 2007 winner, Thundering Star.
Dancing Champ is another to make a real impact on the 3200m feature. Sire of two Gold Cup winners (Castle Walk and Space Walk), he is the maternal grandsire of the 2004/2005 winners, Major Bluff and Reveille Boy.
While many future top horses have won the race, the list of champions beaten in the Gold Cup is a long one. The likes of Badger’s Coast, Surfing Home, River Jetez , Gondolier, Young Rake, Big Charles , Grand National, Floatyourboat and Furious are just some of the G1 winners and champions to have tasted defeat, often to inferior, and lightly weighted, horses in the Gold Cup.
Fillies and mares have enjoyed some success in the Gold Cup, without ever dominating their male rivals. The last female to capture the race was Colonial Girl , who defeated Fairfields Fancy by three parts of a length back in 2000.
Felix Coetzee and In Writing win the 2012 Gold Cup
Other fillies and mares to win South Africa’s most famous staying race include Devon Air (1984), Festive Forever (1996) and Bella Bianca (1998). Both Festive Forever and Devon Air enjoyed success at stud, with the former producing the G1 winning champion Fearless and the latter throwing two stakes winners. Devon Air is also the granddam of the high-class performers, She’s On Fire and August Rush.
Famous for producing a number of upsets, and not a race which has been kind to favourites over the years, the Gold Cup has been won by such longshots as Stateway (33-1), Rack and Ruin (25-1), Fauvist (33-1), and Millverof (25-1).
The most recent favourite to win the marathon event was Ancestral Fore, who landed the spoils in 2010.
Can Silvano’s progressive son Hot Ticket carry the flag this year?
Four decades of Gold Cup Winners: 1974 – 2013
2013 Jeppe’s Reef
2012 In Writing (ARG)
2011 Aslan
2010 Ancestral Fore
2009 Mokaro
2008 Desert Links
2007 Thundering Star
2006 Diamond Quest
2005 Reveille Boy
2004 Major Bluff
2003 Highland Night
2002 Highland Night
2001 Cereus
2000 Colonial Girl
1999 Place Of Gold
1998 Bella Bianca
1997 Sciantiso
1996 Festive Forever
1995 Milleverof
1994 Stateway
1993 Space Walk
1992 Floating Casino
1991 Icona
1990 Illustrador
1989 Tropicante
1988 Castle Walk
1987 Aquanaut
1986 Occult
1985 Voodoo Charm
1984 Devon Air
1983 Hawkins
1982 Equilateral
1981 Brave Persian
1980 Furious
1979 The Maltster
1978 Fauvist
1977 Don The Stripe
1976 Hedge
1975 Numerator
1974 Armistice
