The Cheltenham Gold Cup 2020 falls on what is deemed the unluckiest day of the year.
Friday 13th. Since 2005, when Cheltenham Festival expanded to a four-day meeting and consequently Gold Cup Day has fallen on a Friday, there have been two occasions that the Blue Riband event has taken place on the dreaded 13th.
The first was in 2009, when the favourite, Kauto Star ridden by Ruby Walsh romped to victory by 13 lengths, over stablemate Denman. The Paul Nicholls-trained horse entered the record books in becoming the first horse to regain the prestigious Gold Cup, having previously won in 2007, but finished as runner-up in 2008.
On Friday 13th 2015, it was a different story – and the favourite wasn’t the victor. The 3/1 favourite was Silviniaco Conti, another Nicholls-trained gelding. He finished seventh in the race, beaten by 33 lengths, with Conegree stealing the thunder. With Nico de Boinville in the saddle, the eight-year-old horse became the first novice to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup since 1974 – not only defying the odds but making history.
This year, there’s pressure on Al Boum Photo to not only retain the Gold Cup but ensure Friday 13th March is a lucky day for his connections. The current joint-favourite in Cheltenham Gold Cup odds will look to swing the favour of a day deemed cursed. Another win for Willie Mullins will see two of the three favourites win on the unfortunate date.
Friday 18th: a lucky date
Interestingly, there have been three occasions when the Blue Riband event has taken place on Friday 18th – with the bookies’ favourite winning each of these, making it a lucky day for operators.
In 2005, the 4/1 favourite Kicking King with Barry Geraghty in the saddle, won the Gold Cup by five lengths. It was a greater margin of victory in 2011 for Long Run. The six-year-old, trained by Nicky Henderson, went out as the 7/2 favourite and beat Denman by seven lengths. In turn, jockey Sam Waley-Cohen became the first amateur jockey since 1981 to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
More recently, in 2016, the 9/4 favourite Don Cossack won the prestigious race. It was a first victory for both jockey Bryan Cooper and trainer Gordon Elliott, as the nine-year-old beat Djakadam by four-and-a-half lengths.
Which dates are unlucky?
The Gold Cup has fallen on Friday 14th and Friday 17th twice respectively, and on all four occasions, the favourites have never won.
On Friday 14th March 2008, Kauto Star was looking to make it back-to-back Gold Cup wins, but he finished second to stablemate, Denman. Losing by seven lengths, he would of course go on to return to winning ways the following year.
In 2014’s race, the favourite was Bob’s Worth, priced at 6/4. The winner of the previous year’s Gold Cup could only muster a fifth-place finish, but the margin of defeat was only four lengths, with 20/1 outsider Lord Windermere taking the crown that year.
It was a comfortable finish for the 2006 winner War of Attrition on Friday 17th March 2006. The Gigginstown House Stud-owned horse made it an Irish one-two-three, beating Hedgehunter by two-and-a-half lengths. While it was an afternoon to forget for the pre-race favourite Beef or Chicken, who never really got started and trailed in 11th, some 19 lengths behind the victor.
The 2017 race was one to remember for Jessica Harrington who entered her first horse into the Cheltenham centrepiece – and Sizing John (7/1) won the Gold Cup, handing jockey Robbie Power his first win on his debut in the Blue Riband event. The 3/1 favourite French-bred Djakadam finished fourth, after a mistake on the second from last fence.
—
The success of Gold Cup favourites
Lucky dates:
Friday 18th March – 3/3 winners
Neither lucky nor unlucky dates:
Friday 13th March – 1/2 winners
Friday 15th March – 1/2 winners
Unlucky dates:
Friday 14th – 0/2 winners
Friday 17th – 0/2 winners
Friday 19th – 0/1 winners