Cheltenham’s original Gold Cup returns to rightful home
CHELTENHAM Racecourse has bought back its original Gold Cup trophy, more than 90 years after it was first presented.
Racecourse officials revealed they have been reunited with the cup, originally dating back to 1924, for an undisclosed amount in a private sale.
It is believed the previous owner kept the cup in a bank vault for more than 40 years. But after deciding they no longer had any use for it, they sold it back to the racecourse to fulfil its intended purpose.
The cup, which was first awarded 94 years ago to five-year-old Red Splash and rider Dick Rees, will now be reintroduced as a perpetual trophy, presented to the winning connections of next year’s race and in future years.
Ian Renton, the regional director of Cheltenham and the South West at The Jockey Club, said: “To bring the first ever Cheltenham Gold Cup trophy back to its rightful home and to use it as the perpetual trophy moving forwards really demonstrates the rich history and heritage of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. We are also delighted that it will now carry the names of all our previous winners on the plinth.
“It’s a beautiful, decorative trophy, dating back almost 100 years and it will sit perfectly on the winner’s podium come March next year, when we crown the next Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup champion.”
The 2019 winning owner will receive a replica of the original Cheltenham Gold Cup to keep, with the real thing remaining at Cheltenham.
The whereabouts of the cup over past decades remain unclear but it has been in private ownership in recent times. It is the first time that the trophy for the race has changed since 1972.
The 1924 Cheltenham Gold Cup weighs 644g and is made of nine carat gold, plated in 18 carat gold to give it a rich colour. It will now be mounted on a plinth bearing the names of every horse to have won the race. The trophy was unveiled by Richard Johnson, the Champion Jockey and Gold Cup winning rider, last night.