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The 2007 Cheltenham Gold Cup was a competitive renewal, numerically, with eighteen runners facing the starter. However, all eyes were on the seven-year-old Kauto Star, making his first appearance in the ‘Blue Riband’ event of British steeplechasing after winning all five starts since falling at the third fence in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival. Indeed, two of those wins had come in the Betfair Chase at Haydock and the King George VI Chase at Kempton – the first two legs of the so-called ‘Betfair Million’ – so victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup would yield a bonus of £1 million, in addition to winning prize money in excess of £242,000.

Unsurprisingly, Kauto Star was sent off a short-priced favourite, at 5/4, to complete his lucrative treble and, in so doing, confirm King George VI Chase form with his old rival, Exotic Dancer, whom he had beaten by eight lengths at Kempton, despite a heart-stopping blunder at the final fence. Patiently ridden by Ruby Walsh, Kauto Star improved from the rear of the field heading out onto the second circuit and moved into a challenging position after the fourth-last. Paul Nicholls’ charge quickened into the lead two out and although first Turpin Green, a 40/1 chance ridden by Tony Dobbin, and then Exotic Dancer, the 9/2 second favourite ridden by A.P. McCoy, gave chase, neither could make much impression in the closing stages.

At the final fence, Kauto Star made his one and only mistake to give his nearest pursuers renewed hope, but lost little momentum and stayed on strongly up the hill to beat Exotic Dancer by 2½ lengths, with Turpin Green the same distance further behind in third place. By adding a Grade One victory over 3 miles 2½ furlongs to previous wins at the highest level at distances ranging from 1 mile 7½ furlongs to 3 miles, Kauto Star confirmed himself as the best horse at all distances since Desert Orchid, and was still only a seven-year-old.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2003 featured fifteen runners, but the race was really all about one of them, Best Mate, who was attempting to become the first horse since L’Escargot, in 1971, to record back-to-back victories in the ‘Blue Riband’ event. Trained by Henrietta Knight and ridden by Jim Culloty, Best Mate had already beaten Commanche Court and See More Business in the 2002 renewal of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and, fresh from victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton, was sent off a short-priced favourite, at 13/8, to do so again.

Pick of the opposition, at least on paper, appeared to be the seven-year-old novice steeplechaser, Beef Or Salmon, trained by Michael Hourigan and ridden by Timmy Murphy. Hitherto unbeaten in four starts over fences, including two Grade One victories at Leopardstown, Beef Or Salmon was sent off 5/1 second favourite, but departed as early as the third of the twenty-two fences, leaving Best Mate with an apparently easy task.

So it proved, with Jim Culloty moving Best Mate into a challenging position at the fourth-last fence and cruising past stable companion Chives as the field turned for home. Thereafter, it soon became evident that, barring accidents, Best Mate would win, and win comfortably. The eight-year-old Un Desperado gelding went clear approaching the second-last fence and sauntered home for an easy, ten-length win. His nearest pursuer, the 33/1 chance Truckers Tavern, stayed on to take second, 2½ lengths ahead of another largely unconsidered outsider, 40/1 chance Harbour Pilot, but neither of the placed horses ever held any realistic chance with the winner.

The day belonged firmly to Best Mate, who established himself as arguably the best, and most popular, steeplechaser since Desert Orchid, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1989. Enthusiastic owner Jim Lewis said afterwards, “I’ve got a heart here going so fast it could beat eggs.”

The 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup once again featured the Paul Nicholls-trained pair Kauto Star and Denman, who had won the last three renewals between them, plus Imperial Commander, winner of the Ryanair Chase at the 2009 Cheltenham Festival and beaten just a nose by Kauto Star in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on his reappearance in 2009/10.

Kauto Star was sent off odds-on favourite, at 8/11, as he attempted to win his second consecutive Gold Cup and his third in four years, but the writing was soon on the wall for the defending champion. A bad mistake at the eighth fence threw him out of his rhythm and, thereafter, jockey Ruby Walsh could not, by his own admission, ‘get him on an even keel’. The partnership finally parted company at the fourth-last fence, by which time Kauto Star was being driven along in fifth place and looked an unlikely winner.

Denman, ridden by A.P. McCoy, put in another bold, front-running display but, once tackled by Imperial Commander at the second-last fence, was always fighting a losing battle. To his credit, he finished tired, but was still 23 lengths clear of the third horse home, the 2009 Grand National-winner Mon Mome. Imperial Commander, though, was a worthy winner, taking up the running two out and being driven clear on the run-in to win, going away, by seven lengths.

Winning jockey Paddy Brennan said later, “It’s by far the best day of my life. I’m speechless. It was a dream the whole way.” Winning trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies was a little more bullish in his reflection on the race, saying, “It’s just absolutely brilliant. It’s been very hard for us sat there with the third-favourite when all the talk was about Kauto and Denman, but we always knew we were going to win.”

The 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup was a competitive renewal, with 16 runners, including the 2013 winner Bobs Worth, facing the starter. Silvianico Conti, trained by Paul Nicholls, had finished fourth in the 2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup after an arguably unlucky fall at the third last in the 2013 renewal; the nine-year-old arrived at Prestbury Park fresh from his second consecutive victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and, unsurprisingly, was sent off favourite at 3/1.

Coneygree, trained by Mark Bradstock, had won all three starts over fences, including a bloodless, 30-length victory in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. Despite his inexperience, he started 7/1 joint-second favourite alongside subsequent Grand National-winner Many Clouds, trained by Oliver Sherwood.

Ridden by Nico De Boinville, who had won on him twice before over fences, Coneygree led from flagfall and soon silenced his doubters by jumping well at the head of affairs. He still held a 2-length advantage over his nearest pursuers, the Irish-trained pair Road To Riches and Djakadam, at the second-last fence and, although drifting right on the run-in, stayed on gamely to win by 1½ lengths. In so doing, Coneygree became the first novice to win the Cheltenham Festival showpiece since the seven-year-old Captain Christy, trained by Pat Taaffe and ridden by Bobby Beasley, beat The Dikler and Game Spirit by 5 lengths and 20 lengths in 1974.

Djakadam rallied on the run-in to take second, 2 lengths ahead of Road To Riches, while Holywell, trained by Jonjo O’Neill, stayed on to finish fourth, a further 6 lengths away. Silviano Conti travelled well for most of the way but, when push came to shove from the top of the hill could find only one pace and eventually finished seventh, beaten 27 lengths.