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The £120,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup, run over two miles, four and a half furlongs at Cheltenham on Saturday, November 17 - the second day of The Open - has attracted a fantastic 62-strong entry, seven more than in 2006.

Paddy Power, spokesman for the company of the same name, commented: "Having recently renewed our relationship with this great meeting a year ahead of schedule and boosted our contribution to The Open, I am delighted with the great entries for the Paddy Power Gold Cup. As always, the race looks like being the highlight of the first part of the season."

The clear favourite for the Paddy Power Gold Cup at 6/1 with the sponsors, who opened betting today with the release of the entries, is Don't Push It, trained near to Cheltenham by Jonjo O'Neill whose Exotic Dancer won the Grade Three race last year and developed into the second best chaser in Britain and Ireland.

Seven-year-old Don't Push It, winner of the Listed sportingindex.com/racing Silver Trophy at Chepstow on October 27, had every chance when falling two out in the Grade One Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy won by My Way De Solzen at The Festival in March.

O'Neill could also run Listed Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase runner-up Bob Hall (10/1), Grade Three Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase second Hasty Prince (25/1), French import Newman Des Plages (20/1) and the consistent Fier Normand (25/1).

The Ian Williams-trained Bambi De L'Orme is an interesting contender. The eight-year-old grey, runner-up in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup at the 2005 Festival, finished a close fourth on his seasonal bow behind Hoo La Baloo at Kempton on October 21, and steps up to an extended two and a half miles for the first time.

Williams revealed today: "The Paddy Power Gold Cup is the target for Bambi De L'Orme. I was delighted with his run at Kempton the other day. He is not a horse who goes well right-handed so it was a nice comeback race.

"Dominic (Elsworth) has always been very keen to step the horse up in trip and we are hoping that now he has reached his all-time high handicap mark, some improvement might be found by going that little bit further.

"He was second in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase and has always run good races at Cheltenham so if we continue to have a dry autumn then it would suit us all round."

Bambi De L'Orme ended the 2006/2007 campaign with a flourish, winning the Grade Three John Smith's Red Rum Handicap Chase at Aintree on April 12, and the Albert Bartlett & Sons Handicap Chase at Ayr nine days later, both over two miles.

Williams said: "He finished on a real high last season. His performance at Aintree was very good and he went to Ayr and ran a great race as well. You cannot take anything away from his first run at Kempton this season on a track that wouldn't suit him off his mark.

"He has been a fantastic servant to us and he has been one of those horses that has been unfortunate on occasions through no fault of his own - we are lucky to have him."

Bambi De L'Orme is currently a 25/1 chance with sponsors Paddy Power.

David Pipe, whose father Martin Pipe is the winning-most trainer in the history of the Paddy Power Gold Cup with eight successes, has entered five horses including last year's runner-up Vodka Bleu (14/1).

The Pond House team also includes Madison Du Berlais (16/1), winner of the Grade Three VC Casino.com Gold Cup at Newbury in March, Pablo Du Charmil (20/1), Whispered Secret (16/1) and Abragante (14/1).

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls is yet to taste Paddy Power Gold Cup success and he has engaged a classy quintet headed by Taranis (12/1), who was well in contention under top-weight in last season's Paddy Power Gold Cup, only to fall two fences from home.

The six-year-old bounced back with a thrilling neck triumph over Our Vic in the Grade Two Ryanair Chase at The Festival in March.

Nicholls has also entered Grade One totesport.com Scilly Isles Novices' Chase victor New Little Bric (14/1), Grade Two winner Turko (12/1), Grade One Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices' Hurdle runner-up Granit Jack (12/1) and Le Volfoni (25/1).

L'Antartique (12/1) captured the Listed Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase over two miles and five furlongs at The Festival in March and is one of four Ferdy Murphy-trained entries along with last season's Paddy Power Gold Cup third New Alco (20/1), Grade One Swordlestown Cup hero Another Promise (12/1) and the progressive Three Mirrors (33/1).

Nigel Twiston-Davies won the 1992 Paddy Power Gold Cup with Tipping Tim and the Gloucestershire handler has entered Knowhere (10/1), who had Bob Hall in third when successful over the course and distance in the Pyments Quantity Surveyors Handicap Chase on October 20, as well as Ardaghey (25/1), who took the Showcase Handicap Chase over an extended three miles at Cheltenham the previous day and novice chaser Patman Du Charmil (20/1), the year younger half-brother to Pablo Du Charmil.

Billyvoddan (20/1) was a close third to Taranis in the Ryanair Chase in March and is one of two entries for trainer Henry Daly, the other being Palarshan (20/1), who was runner-up to the Venetia Williams-trained Idole First (16/1) in the Grade Three Racing Post Plate at The Festival.

Keith Reveley may saddle Grade One Stan James Feltham Novices' Chase winner Ungaro (16/1), and Donald McCain has entered Regal Heights (33/1), while Nicky Richards could run Grade One Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy fourth Faasel (16/1).

Philip Hobbs has engaged Irish Independent Arkle runner-up Fair Along (10/1), who was last seen taking third in the Cesarewitch on the Flat at Newmarket on October 20, Private Be (12/1) and Yaboya (33/1).

Nicky Henderson was successful with Fondmort in the 2003 Paddy Power Gold Cup and could saddle Crozan (14/1) and Copsale Lad (14/1), while Carl Llewellyn, victorious as a jockey aboard Tipping Tim, has entered Too Forward (16/1) and Limited Edition (16/1).

The impressive entry includes 10 horses from Ireland, headed by 2006 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup third Forget The Past (25/1), trained by Michael O'Brien.

Noel Meade could saddle last season's Grade Two Red Mills Chase victor Watson Lake (16/1), Ballyagran (50/1) and Father Matt (25/1), while Michael Hourigan has entered one-time high-class novice Arteea (50/1) and Jessica Harrington may run Knight Legend (20/1), winner of a Grade Three chase over two and three-quarter miles at Punchestown on October 17.

The Irish contingent also includes Royal Country Star (16/1) and The Roney Man (66/1) from Tony Martin's County Meath yard, the Paul Nolan-trained French Accordion (20/1), who landed a hat-trick in a Grade Three novice chase at Tipperary on October 7, and the Eric McNamara-trained Guinness Kerry National hero Ponmeoath (25/1).

The French entry is the Francois Doumen-trained L'Ami (25/1), fourth in the 2006 totesport Gold Cup at The Festival and seventh in the same race in March.

Other interesting contenders include the Michael Scudamore-trained Grade Three Red Square Vodka Gold Cup winner Heltornic (33/1) and the Sue Smith-trained Mister McGoldrick (33/1).

The weights for the first major handicap chase of the season will be issued on Wednesday, November 7. The Paddy Power Gold Cup is race six in the British Horseracing Authority's Order of Merit Series.

Paddy Power's full list of odds for the Paddy Power Gold Cup:-

Don't Push It 6/1

Bob Hall 10/1

Fair Along 10/1

Knowhere 10/1

Another Promise 12/1

Granit Jack 12/1

L'Antartique 12/1

Private Be 12/1

Taranis 12/1

Turko 12/1

Abragante 14/1

Copsale Lad 14/1

Crozan 14/1

New Little Bric 14/1

Vodka Bleu 14/1

Faasel 16/1

Idole First 16/1

Limited Edition 16/1

Madison Du Berlais 16/1

Maljimar 16/1

Royal County Star 16/1

Too Forward 16/1

Ungaro 16/1

Watson Lake 16/1

Whispered Secret 16/1

Billyvoddan 20/1

French Accordion 20/1

Kings Brook 20/1

Knight Legend 20/1

New Alco 20/1

Newman Des Plages 20/1

Pablo Du Charmil 20/1

Palarshan 20/1

Patman Du Charmil 20/1

Ardaghey 25/1

Bambi De L'Orme 25/1

Bishop's Bridge 25/1

Father Matt 25/1

Fier Normand 25/1

Forget The Past 25/1

Hasty Prince 25/1

L'Ami 25/1

Le Volfoni 25/1

Lord Ryeford 25/1

Ponmeoath 25/1

Roman Ark 25/1

Black Hills 33/1

Donovan 33/1

Heltornic 33/1

Il Duce 33/1

Magic Sky 33/1

Mister McGoldrick 33/1

Mr Boo 33/1

Regal Heights 33/1

Three Mirrors 33/1

Yaboya 33/1

Bible Lord 40/1

Arteea 50/1

Ballyagran 50/1

Big Rob 50/1

The Reverend 50/1

The Roney Man 66/1

For further information, please contact Andy Clifton, Cheltenham's Communications Manager, on 01242 537683 or 07876 330090, or Paddy Power on 00 353 1 4049620 (office ) or 00 353 87 825 0893 (mobile) or ppower@paddypower.com

THE PADDY POWER GOLD CUP

Class 1, Grade 3, £120,000 Total Prize Fund. 2.40pm, Cheltenham, Saturday, November 17, 2007. For 4yo+, two miles, four and a half furlongs. Penalties, after November 3, a winner of a Class 3 chase 3lb; of a Class 1 or 2 chase 6lb; no penalty to increase a horse's weight above 11st 12lb. Entries closed October 31; entries released November 1 (62 entries). Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including Tuesday, October 30, 2007. May not include some overseas form.

Form Horse Age Owner Trainer

12341-1 ABRAGANTE (IRE) 6 David Johnson David Pipe

F21151- ANOTHER PROMISE (IRE) 8 Geoff Hubbard Racing Ferdy Murphy

1P062-1 ARDAGHEY (IRE) 8 D & S Goodman Nigel Twiston-Davies

41206/3- ARTEEA (IRE) 8 M O'Flaherty Michael Hourigan IRE

114-230 BALLYAGRAN (IRE) 7 Kevin O'Sullivan Noel Meade IRE

30511-4 BAMBI DE L'ORME (FR) 8 Mr & Mrs John Poynton Ian Williams

60211- BIBLE LORD (IRE) 6 M Tedham Andy Turnell

4-P6032 BIG ROB (IRE) 8 P Betts Brendan Powell

0U/513P- BILLYVODDAN (IRE) 8 Trevor Hemmings Henry Daly

11122-5 BISHOP'S BRIDGE (IRE) 9 S Kimber Emma Lavelle

12221-0 BLACK HILLS 8 The Kingfisher Partnership Jonathan Geake

31522-3 BOB HALL (IRE) 6 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill

3/PP105- COPSALE LAD 10 Swallow Partnership Nicky Henderson

PP/2PF4- CROZAN (FR) 7 Trevor Hemmings Nicky Henderson

211F5-1 DON'T PUSH IT (IRE) 7 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill

611112 DONOVAN (NZ) 8 George Hibbert & Jayne Greenwood Richard Guest

551422- FAASEL (IRE) 6 Jim Ennis Nicky Richards

111202- FAIR ALONG (GER) 5 Alan Peterson Philip Hobbs

12122U/- FATHER MATT (IRE) 9 Mrs A O'Brien Noel Meade IRE

16/1-3F2 FIER NORMAND (FR) 8 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill

114030- FORGET THE PAST 9 Sean Mulryan Michael O'Brien IRE

0-60111 FRENCH ACCORDION (IRE) 7 Padraig Brady Paul Nolan IRE

11/3212- GRANIT JACK (FR) 5 John Hales Paul Nicholls

525220- HASTY PRINCE 9 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill

32011F- HELTORNIC (IRE) 7 Stephen Molloy Michael Scudamore

06/1341- IDOLE FIRST (IRE) 8 D and J Racing Ltd Venetia Williams

1PF23-1 IL DUCE (IRE) 7 Mrs Peter Prowting Alan King

06-P101 KINGS BROOK 7 Tony Gale Nick Williams

02-1021 KNIGHT LEGEND (IRE) 8 Lynn Wilson Jessica Harrington IRE

2300U-1 KNOWHERE (IRE) 9 Raymond Mould Nigel Twiston-Davies

534200- L'AMI (FR) 8 J P McManus Francois Doumen FR

21F21U- L'ANTARTIQUE (FR) 7 Mary Durkan Ferdy Murphy

3646-U5 LE VOLFONI (FR) 6 A Banks P Nicholls

14//P11F- LIMITED EDITION (IRE) 9 Malcolm Denmark Carl Llewellyn

P4-1114 LORD RYEFORD (IRE) 7 Five Valleys Racing Partnership Tom George

153103- MADISON DU BERLAIS (FR) 6 Roger Stanley & Yvonne Reynolds II David Pipe

1335-00 MAGIC SKY (FR) 7 thehorseracingclub.com partnership Milton Harris

F2313-2 MALJIMAR (IRE) 7 Jane Williams Nick Williams

44600-0 MISTER MCGOLDRICK 10 Richard Longley Sue Smith

20P22-1 MR BOO (IRE) 8 The Hon Mrs C Cameron Gary Moore

232260- NEW ALCO (FR) 6 D McGowan And S Murphy Ferdy Murphy

1/13110- NEW LITTLE BRIC (FR) 6 Kathy Stuart Paul Nicholls

1/114P0- NEWMAN DES PLAGES (FR) 6 Sir Robert Ogden Jonjo O'Neill

U0/1110- PABLO DU CHARMIL (FR) 6 Joe Moran David Pipe

5036P//2- PALARSHAN (FR) 9 Sumner Wellesley Henry Daly

1PP-113 PATMAN DU CHARMIL (FR) 5 Raymond Mould Nigel Twiston-Davies

450-614 PONMEOATH (IRE) 7 Jolly Up Syndicate Eric McNamara IRE

20131-B PRIVATE BE 8 David and Daphne Walsh Philip Hobbs

212114- REGAL HEIGHTS (IRE) 6 Janet Heler Donald McCain Jnr

311400- ROMAN ARK 9 Richard Collins Malcolm Jefferson

00211-U ROYAL COUNTY STAR (IRE) 8 Dunsany Racing Syndicate Tony Martin IRE

1F3112- TARANIS (FR) 6 Mrs A Yeoman & C Whittaker Paul Nicholls

213240- THE REVEREND (IRE) 7 Andrea & Graham Wylie Howard Johnson

000164- THE RONEY MAN 7 Mrs M Ross Tony Martin IRE

221131- THREE MIRRORS 7 Sean Murphy Ferdy Murphy

2/10102- TOO FORWARD (IRE) 11 T Gibson & D Mathias Carl Llewellyn

11210P- TURKO (FR) 5 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls

5/11166- UNGARO (FR) 8 Sir Robert Ogden Keith Reveley

2P0400- VODKA BLEU (FR) 8 David Johnson David Pipe

441P40- WATSON LAKE (IRE) 9 John Corr Noel Meade IRE

504312- WHISPERED SECRET (GER) 8 David Manasseh David Pipe

213/1FP- YABOYA (IRE) 8 JP McManus Philip Hobbs

62 Entries

10 Irish-trained

1 French-trained

PADDY POWER GOLD CUP HISTORY

The Paddy Power Gold Cup is a great race with an illustrious history. The 2m 4.5f contest was first run in 1960 and the race has seen many well-known chasers in action.

Our Vic provided Martin Pipe with his eighth Paddy Power Gold Cup success in 2006 when the seven-year-old, partnered by Timmy Murphy, came home two and a half lengths clear of Monkerhostin.

Martin Pipe's superb record had previously seen him win the Paddy Power Gold Cup with Beau Ranger (1987), Challenger Du Luc (1996), Cyfor Malta (1998 & 2002), Lady Cricket (2000), Shooting Light (2001) and Celestial Gold (2004).

Pipe handed over the reins to his son David at the end of the 2005/2006 season and the rookie trainer almost continued the winning tradition in 2006 when Vodka Bleu finished three lengths second to the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Exotic Dancer, who came from last to first under Tony McCoy.

In 2002 the Pipe-trained Cyfor Malta, a horse whose racing career had been dogged by injury problems, stormed back to the form he had shown in his younger days with a second win in the Paddy Power Gold Cup - four years after his initial success in the first big handicap chase of the season.

This made him the fifth horse to win the race twice, following Fortria (1960 and 1962), Gay Trip (1969 and 1971), Half Free (1984 and 1985) and Bradbury Star (1993 and 1994).

Shooting Light was brilliantly ridden by champion jockey Tony McCoy to defeat 13 talented chasers in 2001.

Lady Cricket was impressive when scoring by 10 lengths from stable companion Exit Swinger in 2000, with another five lengths back to the third in a 15-strong field. The enigmatic Challenger Du Luc scored a cheeky head success over Strong Promise in 1996 while in 1987 Beau Ranger came home 15 lengths in front under Mark Perrett.

One of the best performances since the inaugural running came in 1965 from Dunkirk, who carried a massive 12st 7lb to victory and there have been plenty of other memorable renewals.

The Paddy Power Gold Cup has been won by Irish-trained horses on four occasions. Fortria took the initial running and was successful for a second time two years later in 1962.

The Irish had to wait for more than a decade for a further winner, which came in the shape of Skymas in 1973, and Bright Highway was the last successful horse from the Emerald Isle in 1980, when winning by seven lengths.

Gay Trip's two victories formed part of Fred Rimell's extraordinary training feat when he sent out the winner four years in a row. Jupiter Boy in 1968 and Chatham in 1970 completed Rimell's quartet. Gay Trip won the Grand National in 1970, in between his Cheltenham successes

Celestial Gold proved his stamina with a subsequent one and a half length victory over Ollie Magern in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, which saw him become the fourth horse, along with Red Candle (1972), Bachelor's Hall (1977) and Bright Highway (1980), to add the Newbury prize to his Cheltenham victory.

Two and a half mile specialists like the dual-winner Half Free, handled by Fred Winter who trained three winners of the race, and Dublin Flyer (1995) have triumphed, while Skymas (1973) won the Queen Mother Champion Chase twice.

Tony McCoy is the most successful jockey in the history of the Paddy Power Gold Cup with four victories. The record-breaking rider triumphed on Cyfor Malta in 1998 and followed up two years later aboard Lady Cricket. He went on to secure a third success in 2001 on Shooting Light and added a fourth aboard Exotic Dancer last year.

Richard Linley and Richard Dunwoody who both achieved three victories in the race during their riding careers, are the next most successful jockeys in the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Linley was victorious on Fifty Dollars More in 1982 and Half Free in 1984 and 1985, while Dunwoody gained his wins on Very Promising in 1986, Another Coral in 1991 and Challenger Du Luc in 1996.

The popularity of Cheltenham's Open Meeting increases each year with the Irish. One of the great strengths of the three days is the relationship which draws Irish-trained horses and racegoers. Last year there were 38 Irish runners over the three days, including five winners.

But an Irish winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup has not come along for some time. The most recent one was Bright Highway back in 1980.. In the 1990s Toranfield (1991) and Second Schedual (1994) came second, and Anabatic was fourth in 1996, while Feathered Leader finished third in 2000.

THE PADDY POWER GOLD CUP CHASE

(Grade 3 Handicap) (2m 4f 110yds), £120,000 total prize fund, Saturday, November 17, 2007

Year Name Age/Wgt Jockey Trainer Owner Ran SP

2006 EXOTIC DANCER 6-11-02 Tony McCoy Jonjo O'Neill Sir Robert Ogden 16 16/1

2005 OUR VIC 7-11-07 Timmy Murphy Martin Pipe David Johnson 18 9-2F

2004 CELESTIAL GOLD 6-10-02 Timmy Murphy Martin Pipe David Johnson 14 12-1

2003 FONDMORT 7-10-13 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson Bill Brown 9 3-1F

2002 CYFOR MALTA 9-11-09 Barry Geraghty Martin Pipe David Johnson 15 16-1

2001 SHOOTING LIGHT 8-11-03 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe John Brown/Michael Blackburn 14 9-4F

2000 LADY CRICKET 6-10-13 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe David Johnson 15 5-1F

1999 THE OUTBACK WAY 9-10-00 Norman Williamson Venetia Williams Seasons Holidays 14 9-1

1998 CYFOR MALTA 5-11-03 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe David Johnson 12 3-1F

1997 SENOR EL BETRUTTI 8-10-00 Jamie Osborne Susan Nock Gerard Nock 9 33-1

1996 CHALLENGER DU LUC 6-10-02 Richard Dunwoody Martin Pipe David Johnson 12 7-1

1995 DUBLIN FLYER 9-11-08 Brendan Powell Tim Forster John Sumner 12 4-1JF

1994 BRADBURY STAR 9-11-11 Philip Hide Josh Gifford J Campbell 14 5-1

1993 BRADBURY STAR 8-11-08 Declan Murphy Josh Gifford J Campbell 15 13-2

1992 TIPPING TIM 7-10-10 Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies Jenny Mould 16 11-2F

1991 ANOTHER CORAL 8-10-01 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson Michael Deeley 15 15-2

1990 MULTUM IN PARVO 7-10-02 Norman Williamson John Edwards Alan Parker 13 12-1

1989 JOINT SOVEREIGNTY 9-10-04 Graham McCourt Philip Hobbs G J Giddy 15 10-1

1988 PEGWELL BAY 7-11-02 Peter Scudamore Tim Forster A K Barlow 13 6-1

1987 BEAU RANGER 9-10-02 Mark Perrett Martin Pipe White Bros Ltd 14 13-2

1986 VERY PROMISING 8-11-13 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson Paul & Jenny Green 11 7-1

1985 HALF FREE 9-11-10 Richard Linley Fred Winter Ali Abu Khamsin 10 9-2

1984 HALF FREE 8-11-10 Richard Linley Fred Winter Ali Abu Khamsin 10 5-2F

1983 POUNENTES 6-10-06 Neale Doughty Billy McGhie Billy McGhie 9 7-1

1982 FIFTY DOLLARS MORE 7-11-00 Richard Linley Fred Winter Ali Abu Khamsin 11 11-1

1981 HENRY KISSINGER 7-10-13 Paul Barton David Gandolfo J J Mansworth 11 5-1

1980 BRIGHT HIGHWAY 6-11-01 Gerry Newman Michael O'Brien IRE George Strawbridge 15 5-1F

1979 MAN ALIVE 8-10-09 Ron Barry Gordon Richards J Ennis 11 6-1

1978 BAWNOGUES 7-10-07 Craig Smith Martin Tate Mrs H Lawler 11 5-1

1977 BACHELOR'S HALL 7-10-06 Martin O'Halloran Peter Cundell Peter & Karyl Harris 16 11-2F

+1976 CANCELLO 7-11-01 Dennis Atkins Neville Crump W V Burdon 13 4-1

1975 CLEAR CUT 11-10-09 David Greaves Maurice Camacho J W Hemingway 13 13-2

1974 BRUSLEE 8-10-07 Andy Turnell Michael Scudamore Mrs D Rees-Davies 11 2-1F

1973 SKYMAS 8-10-05 Stan Murphy Brian Lusk IRE Matt Magee 15 7-1

1972 RED CANDLE 8-10-00 Jimmy Fox Ricky Vallance Mrs C O'Shea 11 20-1

1971 GAY TRIP 9-11-03 Terry Biddlecombe Fred Rimell A J Chambers 10 8-1

1970 CHATHAM 6-10-03 Ken White Fred Rimell C Knott 17 33-1

1969 GAY TRIP 7-11-05 Terry Biddlecombe Fred Rimell A J Chambers 14 8-1

1968 JUPITER BOY 7-10-03 Eddie Harty Fred Rimell J E Liley 13 9-1

1967 CHARLIE WORCESTER 10-10-11 Josh Gifford Ryan Price Dorothy Price 13 7-1

1966 PAWNBROKER 8-11-09 Paddy Broderick Arthur Stephenson E W Cliff-McCulloch 5 7-2

1965 DUNKIRK 8-12-07 Bill Rees Peter Cazalet Bill Whitbread 8 11-10F

1964 SUPER FLASH 9-10-05 Stan Mellor Frank Cundell A H Wood 9 8-1

1963 RICHARD OF BORDEAUX 8-10-05 Bobby Beasley Fulke Walwyn J Schilizzi 20 20-1

1962 FORTRIA 10-12-00 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper IRE G Ansley 25 5-1F

1961 SCOTTISH MEMORIES 7-10-12 C Finnegan Arthur Thomas G B Sanderson 17 9-2

1960 FORTRIA 8-12-00 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper IRE G Ansley 19 8-1

+ Held at Haydock Park

FACTS ABOUT PADDY POWER GOLD CUP AND THE OPEN

This year sees the 48th renewal of the first major contest of the National Hunt season, the Paddy Power Gold Cup. The race, run under its present title for the first time in 2003, was known as the Thomas Pink Gold Cup from 2000-2002 while Whitbread, under their Mackeson brand and then subsequently Murphys, backed the first 40 runnings.

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Since the inaugural running in 1960, the contest has been won by Irish-trained horses on four occasions. Fortria won the first running and was successful for a second time two years later in 1962. The Irish had to wait for more than a decade for a further winner which came in the shape of Skymas in 1973, and Bright Highway was the last successful horse from the Emerald Isle in 1980.

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Over the three days of The Open last season, there were five Irish-trained winners from 38 runners including Spot Thedifference who won the Cross Country Chase for the third successive year.

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Five horses have won the Paddy Power Gold Cup twice. Fortria was the first, then Gay Trip completed the double in 1969 and 1971, with his victory in the 1970 Grand National sandwiched in between. Half Free was successful in 1984 and the following year, while Bradbury Star achieved this magnificent feat for Findon-based handler Josh Gifford in 1993 and 1994. Cyfor Malta, the 1998 winner, triumphed four years later in 2002.

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Martin Pipe, now retired, has been the leading trainer in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, having saddled an amazing eight winners - Beau Ranger (1987), Challenger Du Luc (1996), Cyfor Malta (1998 & 2002), Lady Cricket (2000) , Shooting Light (2001), Celestial Gold (2004) and Our Vic (2005). No current trainer has landed the prize more than once.

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Despite the competitiveness of the Paddy Power Gold Cup, it is not a race for outsiders. 31 of the 47 runnings of the contest have been won by horses returned at odds of 15/2 or less. However, the overall record of favourites is not that great, with only 13 having been successful during the history of the race, though four of the last seven runnings have gone to the market leaders, with the latest being Our Vic in 2006. The shortest-priced winner in the history of this prestigious contest was Dunkirk who went off the 11/10 favourite in 1965, while the two longest-priced horses were Chatham (1970) and Senor El Betrutti (1997), both returned at 33/1.

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Perhaps the greatest performance in the history of the contest was achieved by Dunkirk. The Domaha gelding carried a staggering 12st 7lb to victory when he gained his 1965 success.

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The incomparable Arkle made his British racecourse bow in the Honeybourne Chase on the Saturday of The Open meeting 45 years ago. It was a fantastic day for Arkle's trainer and jockey, Tom Dreaper and Pat Taaffe, who, following Arkle's impressive destruction of the opposition by 20 lengths, went on to land what is now the Paddy Power Gold Cup with Fortria.

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Best Mate, the latest horse to win three totesport Cheltenham Gold Cups, won the second chase of his career at The Open 2000, while the 2003 Smurfit Champion Hurdle victor Rooster Booster defied top weight to win the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle in 2002. The 2001 Greatwood Hurdle winner Westender was second to Rooster Booster in the 2003 Smurfit Champion Hurdle.

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The Open has only once been held at an alternative venue to Prestbury Park. In 1976 a new drainage system was being installed at Cheltenham, so the then two-day meeting was switched to Haydock Park where Cancello became the only horse to win the Paddy Power Gold Cup anywhere but Cheltenham.

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Josh Gifford is the only man to have both ridden and trained a winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup, partnering Charlie Worcester to victory in 1967 and training Bradbury Star for his successes in 1993 and 1994.