For fans of a certain generation, Newbury’s major handicap chase in late November will forever be known as the Hennessy Gold Cup.
Hennessy Gold Cup Winners: 5 Famous Newbury Heroes
It is one of the premier staying handicap chases run in Britain each season and has been won by some absolute stars of the National Hunt game. Now run as the Coral Gold Cup, we are looking back on five famous winners of the Newbury contest.
Hennessy Gold Cup Winners: Arkle
One of the greatest staying chasers of all-time, Arkle won back-to-back Hennessy Gold Cups in 1964 and 1965 for trainer Tom Dreaper and Pat Taaffe in the saddle. He defeated 1963 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Mill House en route to his first Newbury win, having been third behind him a year before, coming clear by 10-lengths, before retaining the crown 12 months later.
To date, he is the only horse to win this race in successive years, while Arkle also won a hat-trick of Cheltenham Gold Cups from 1964-1966 and a King George at Kempton in his glittering career.
Hennessy Gold Cup Winners: One Man
Racing in the famous colours of owner John Hales, One Man was one of the most popular staying chasers of the 1990s. He was trained by Gordon Richards and won his Hennessy Gold Cup in 1994 under Tony Dobbin.
Successful in 20 of his 35 career starts, he went on to win the King George VI Chase in both 1995 and 1996, as well as the 1998 Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Hennessy Gold Cup Winners: Denman
The only horse since Arkle to win two Hennessy Gold Cups, Denman was a true star of the jumping game for Paul Nicholls. He won five times around Newbury in his career, landing this race in 2007 and 2009. He did so off a rating of 161 first time around, conceding weight all round, before doing it again two years later off a rating of 174 in an incredible weight-carrying performance.
He famously won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2008, defeating stablemate Kauto Star with a bulldozing display that earned him the nickname The Tank.
Hennessy Gold Cup Winners: Many Clouds
Many Clouds won the 2014 renewal of the race for owner Trevor Hemmings and under jockey Leighton Aspell for trainer Oliver Sherwood. He stayed on stoutly to beat Houblon Des Obeaux into second spot in his first season out of novice company.
Many Clouds went on to win the Grand National at Aintree in 2015, becoming the first horse to win both the Newbury showpiece and the Merseyside marathon.
Hennessy Gold Cup Winners: Native River
Like Denman, Native River has both a Hennessy Gold Cup and a Cheltenham Gold Cup on his CV. He won this race in 2016 for trainer Colin Tizzard and would land Cheltenham’s showpiece in 2018 following a memorable duel with Might Bite.
Native River was the favourite at Newbury in 2016, but had to survive a thrilling battle on the run-in with Carole’s Destrier before giving his trainer and rider Richard Johnson their first wins in the race. He remains the most recent of nine horses to win the Newbury contest and the Cheltenham Gold Cup, with Bobs Worth and Denman the only others this century.
Please note that the information provided in this Hennessy Gold Cup Winners article is for entertainment purposes only. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided. Any action you take upon the information on this article is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any losses and damages in connection with the use of our article. We do not encourage gambling and remind you to gamble responsibly.
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