On paper, the 1992 Cheltenham Gold Cup appeared to have an outstanding favourite, in the form of Carvill’s Hill, trained by Martin Pipe and ridden by Peter Scudamore. Following his transfer from Jim Dreaper in Co. Meath in June, 1991, Carvill’s Hill had won all three starts for Martin Pipe, including a runaway 20-length victory, under 11st 12lb on heavy going, in the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow; the runner-up that day, in receipt of 19lb, was the subsequent 1992 Grand National-winner Party Politics.

Consequently, the ten-year-old was sent off at even money favourite, in a field of eight, for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. If Carvill’s Hill had a weakness, it was an awkward, ungainly jumping style and, once the race was underway, Michael Bowlby, jockey of Golden Freeze, a 150/1 chance trained by Jenny Pitman, seemed intent on unsettling that favourite. As noted by commentator Sir Peter O’Sullevan, Bowlby was ‘clearly to bustle’ Carvill’s Hill by taking him on for much of the race and jumping upsides at every fence.

Whether intentional or not – Bowlby and Pitman were cleared of running a ‘stalking horse’ as a Jockey Club disciplinary hearing – the tactic worked; Carvill’s Hill made several notable blunders, including at the very first fence, and eventually trailed in a distant last of the five finishers, have been virtually pulled up. Injured in the process, Carvill’s Hill never raced again.

Notwithstanding the controversy, the race actually produced a thrilling finish, with the first three home covered by just over a length. Docklands Express, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by Mark Perrett, led over the final fence, but was headed on the run-in by The Fellow, trained by Francois Doumen and ridden by Adam Kondrat, and Cool Ground, trained by Toby Balding and ridden by Adrian Maguire. The latter, a 25/1 chance, led in the last strides to win by a short head.

Owned by Charmain Hill and trained by Paddy Mullins, Dawn Run won the Champion Hurdle, at odds-on, under Jonjo O’Neill in 1984. However, after making a successful debut over fences at Navan the following November, Dawn Run was sidelined with injury for over a year. She reappeared in December, 1985, with easy victories at Punchestown and Leopardstown, and was subsequently sent to Cheltenham for a preparatory race for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, for which she started odds-on.

However, having made the running, Dawn Run blundered and unseated her regular partner, Tony Mullins, at the fifth fence. Consequently, at the insistence of Charmain Hill, Tony Mullins was replaced by Jonjo O’Neill, once again, for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Despite being woefully short of experience over the larger obstacles – she had, in fact, run in just four steeplechases – Dawn Run was sent off the heavily-backed favourite, at 15/8, for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Jonjo O’Neill once again made the running, but was accompanied throughout the first circuit by Steve Smith-Eccles, aboard Run And Skip. Dawn Run incurred ‘four faults’ when dropping her hind legs in the second water jump and mistakes at the fifth-last and fourth-last fences further hindered her chances.

Nevertheless, Dawn Run rallied to lead turning for home, but after the second-last fence Wayward Lad and Forgive ‘N Forget swept by as if she were ‘standing still’, according to O’Neill. Only third, and apparently struggling, jumping the final fence, Dawn Run gained encouragement from Wayward Lad hanging left as he tired in the closing stages and, switched to the outside, picked up again in gutsy fashion, effectively outstaying her nearest rival to win by a length, with Forgive ‘N Forget a further 2½ lengths back in third place.

The 2019 Cheltenham Gold Cup was a competitive affair on paper, with the first, second and third from the 2018 renewal, Native River, Might Bite and Annibale Fly, once again in opposition and the King George VI Chase-winner, Clan Des Obeaux, also among the fifteen runners. Favourite, though, was the eight-year-old Presenting Percy, trained by Patrick Kelly in Co. Galway.

Presenting Percy had travelled and jumped well when winning the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2018 but, unusually, had been seen just once in public since. Nevertheless, he had demonstrated his well-being when winning over hurdles at Gowran Park in January and his potential was deemed sufficient for him to be sent off market leader at 100/30. However, Presenting Percy was never really travelling or jumping with any fluency and, although close enough in seventh place as the field, led by Al Boum Photo, turned for home, weakened soon afterwards; he eventually trailed in eighth, beaten 33 lengths, and was subsequently found to be lame on his right hind leg.

Might Bite and Native River disputed the lead for the first circuit, but could not dominate the opposition as they had done when fighting out the finish in 2018. Might Bite weakened quickly turning for home and was soon pulled up, while Native River, who was another who was never really travelling, dropped out of contention between the final two fences; to his credit, he rallied on the run-in to finish fourth, beaten 9¼ lengths, but never looked like picking up the leaders. Clan Des Obeaux looked briefly as if he might be involved in the finish, but from the second last his stamina ebbed away and he faded to finish fifth, beaten 11 lengths.

Ultimately, it was the aforementioned Al Boum Photo – one of four runners saddled by Willie Mullins, but the only one to complete the course – who landed the spoils. Once set for home by jockey Paul Townend turning in, the 12/1 chance stayed on strongly to beat Annibale Fly by 2½, with Bristol De Mai a further 3¾ lengths back in third. In so doing, the seven-year-old became a first Cheltenham Gold Cup winner for Mullins, who previously saddled the runner-up no fewer than six times.

On what trainer David Elsworth later described as a ‘grotty day’ in March, 1989, the iconic grey Desert Orchid – by that stage, he was almost white – enjoyed what was considered, by many observers, the defining moment of his long, illustrious career. Indeed, 16 years later, the 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup was voted the ‘Greatest Race of All Time’ by Racing Post readers, ahead of the 1973 Grand National.

Despite racing on unsuitably heavy, almost unraceable, ground – the meeting survived a midday inspection – on a left-handed course, in a field of thirteen, which included The Thinker and Charter Party, winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1987 and 1988, respectively, Desert Orchid started 5/2 favourite.

Ridden by Simon Sherwood, who unbeaten in eight previous rides on him, Desert Orchid made most of the running and, after the third last, was one of just three horses left in contention. The other two were the aforementioned Charter Party and Yahoo, a 25/1 chance at the ‘off’, but a confirmed mudlark, who was admirably suited by the atrocious conditions. Indeed, it was Yahoo who moved into the lead, travelling sweetly, approaching the second-last fence and, although Desert Orchid rallied, under strong pressure, to jump the final fence almost upsides, the leader still looked the more likely winner.

However, urged forward by Simon Sherwood, and an expectant 58,000-strong crowd, Desert Orchid responded gamely and, despite edging left on the run-in, forged ahead in the final hundred yards or so. At the line, Desert Orchid was 1½ lengths ahead of Yahoo, with Charter Party, who could only keep on at one pace, a further 8 lengths back in third. Sherwood said later, ‘I have certainly never ridden a braver horse – and never expect to either’.