Coral present the Gold Cup infographic

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is known as the blue riband of National Hunt racing and has one of the richest histories in sport. With £550,000 in prize money which makes it the most valuable non-handicap chase on the calendar with twenty two fences to be jumped over three miles, two and a half furlongs. Whilst this year doesn’t look the strongest renewal ever, does look highly competitive and is headed by Paul Nicholls’ raider Silviniaco Conti.

We have compiled all the best facts from the Gold Cup in our handy info-graphic!

Nicholls is going for his fifth win after See More Business in 1999, Kauto Star who became the first horse ever to regain his crown after his stablemate Denman stole it off him in 2008. Silviniaco Conti has tried twice already and hasn’t finished in the frame either time. It’s hard to know where he would have finished in 2013 when travelling omniously well before falling at the third last fence. Similar comments apply to last year as he travelled strongly before coming up the hill like a wayward drunk. This season, cheekpieces have enhanced his performances but he still has the hill to conquer. No horse has also won the Gold Cup for the first time at their third attempt (although The Fellow won it on his fourth attempt in 1994).

Former winner Bobs Worth will be trying to become the eighth horse to win more than one Gold Cup, the second to regain his crown after Kauto Star. He faces an uphill task after a disappointing effort in the Lexus Chase at Christmas. At this moment in time, it looks as though the impressive novice Coneygree is going to run in the Gold Cup as opposed to the RSA on Wednesday. He will be trying to become the first novice winner since Captain Christy in 1974 which has included the ill-fated Gloria Victis and Beef Or Salmon.

Of the current jockeys riding, three have ridden two winners and all of them have rides. Tony McCoy rides Carlingford Lough in his final Gold Cup for John Kiely and his retainer JP McManus, Barry Geraghty has Bobs Worth and Ruby Walsh has the choice of three but is likely to ride Djakadam.