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2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup
The 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup was a horse race which took place at Cheltenham on Friday 14 March 2008. It was the 80th running of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and it was won by Denman. The winner was ridden by Sam Thomas, and the first three horses were all trained by Paul Nicholls. The odds-on favourite Kauto Star finished second and Neptune Collonges was a close third.
The race had been billed as the most anticipated Gold Cup since Arkle and Mill House clashed in 1964, with Kauto Star racing against Denman for the first time. However, a close contest failed to materialise as Denman defeated his rival by a comfortable margin.
Race details
- Sponsor: Totesport
- Winner's prize money: £268,279.10
- Going: Good to Soft
- Number of runners: 12
- Winner's time: 6m 47.84s
Full result
| * | Horse | Age | Jockey | Trainer | SP | |
| 1 | Denman | 8 | Sam Thomas | Paul Nicholls | 9/4 | |
| 2 | 7 | Kauto Star | 8 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | 10/11 fav |
| 3 | shd | Neptune Collonges | 7 | Mick Fitzgerald | Paul Nicholls | 25/1 |
| 4 | 9 | Halcon Genelardais | 8 | Robert Thornton | Alan King | 16/1 |
| 5 | 16 | Exotic Dancer | 8 | Tony McCoy | Jonjo O'Neill | 17/2 |
| 6 | 16 | Knowhere | 10 | Paddy Brennan | Nigel Twiston-Davies | 25/1 |
| 7 | 65 | Afistfullofdollars | 10 | Paul Carberry | Noel Meade (IRE) | 20/1 |
| PU | Fence 21 | Iron Man | 7 | Denis O'Regan | Peter Bowen | 100/1 |
| PU | Fence 18 | Celestial Gold | 10 | Timmy Murphy | David Pipe | 100/1 |
| PU | Fence 15 | Contraband | 10 | Tom J. Dreaper | Paul Murphy | 200/1 |
| PU | Fence 14 | Fustrien du Paon | 12 | Anthony Lecordier | Richard Chotard (FR) | 250/1 |
| PU | Fence 13 | Azulejo | 10 | Tom Scudamore | Michael Scudamore | 200/1 |
* The distances between the horses are shown in lengths or shorter. shd = short-head; PU = pulled-up.
† Trainers are based in Great Britain unless indicated.
Winner's details
Further details of the winner, Denman:
- Foaled: 17 April 2000 in Ireland
- Sire: Presenting; Dam: Polly Puttens (Pollerton)
- Owner: Paul Barber and Margaret Findlay
- Breeder: Colman O'Flynn