About
Hennessy Gold Cup is a handicap race open to horses four years old and above. During the 5,331-metres race, the racers have to jump twenty-one fences. The competition is held annually, late November or early December at Newbury Racecourse, England. The Grade 3 National Hunt chase is one of the most popular competitions in the country’s jump-racing calendar.
History
Hennessy Gold Cup began in 1957 as Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup. The race was first held at Cheltenham Racecourse until 1960 when it was moved to its current venue. Gerry Madden was the first jockey to win the competition riding
Mandarin. In 1961, the horse won the race for a second time with Willie Robinson, a former Irish jump jockey.
Hennessy has sponsored the race since its establishment. In 2016, Ladbrokes became the new sponsor. At the time, this sponsorship was the longest in the British history. The new sponsorship has come with new prize money of £250,000, £50,000 more than 2016. The name has also changed to Ladbrokes Trophy.
Records
Three horses hold the record as the best at Hennessy Gold Cup with two wins each. Apart from Mandarin, the two others are Arkle and Denman. The former won the 1964 and 1965 events with Pat Taaffe, an Irish jockey, while the latter won the 2007 and 2009 races with two different jockeys, Sam Thomas and Ruby Walsh.
Willie Robinson has won three races, making him the most successful jockey at the event. He won the 1961, 1963, and 1968 races with three different horses namely Mandarin, Mill House, and Man of the West respectively.
Fulke Walwyn is the most successful trainer at Hennessy Gold Cup. The British recorded seven wins with six horses.
His first victory came in 1961 and the last in 1981 with Diamond Edge.
Previous Winners
Total Recall, under Paul Townend, an Irish jockey became the first winner of the race under the new name, Ladbrokes Trophy in 2017. Richard Johnson was the 2016 champion riding Native River.