Who Won the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup? A Plus Tard’s Famous Cheltenham Victory

A Plus Tard won the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup, producing a brilliant performance under Rachael Blackmore to beat defending champion Minella Indo by 15 lengths.

The victory on Friday, March 18th, 2022 was also a major moment in Cheltenham Festival history. Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Gold Cup, adding another major prize to a remarkable period in her career.

Trained by Henry de Bromhead and owned by Cheveley Park Stud, A Plus Tard started the race as the 3/1 favourite. He had finished second in the Gold Cup a year earlier, but returned in 2022 to turn the tables on stablemate Minella Indo in emphatic fashion.

The Build-Up to the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup

There was no single horse dominating discussion before the 2022 Gold Cup, although A Plus Tard had come very close to winning the race in 2021.

Ridden by Blackmore, he finished a length and a quarter behind Minella Indo as Henry de Bromhead trained the first two home.

A Plus Tard strengthened his Gold Cup claims when beginning the new season with a superb performance in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November 2021. He beat Royale Pagaille by 22 lengths and immediately became one of the leading names for Cheltenham.

His next run was less straightforward when he was sent off odds-on for the Savills Chase at Leopardstown in December. He was caught in a close finish by Galvin, with Gordon Elliott’s runner getting up to win by a short head.

The defeat did little to damage A Plus Tard’s reputation, but it added another serious Gold Cup contender to the mix.

Minella Indo was also attempting to defend the title he had won in 2021, but his season had not gone completely to plan, including a disappointing run in the King George VI Chase at Kempton, although a second-place finish behind Conflated in the Irish Gold Cup suggested he was returning to form at the right time.

The field also included Al Boum Photo, winner of the Gold Cup in both 2019 and 2020, plus Protektorat, King George winner Tornado Flyer and Royale Pagaille.

The 2022 Gold Cup Runners and Betting

A Plus Tard eventually started as the 3/1 favourite, just ahead of Galvin at around 10/3. Two-time winner Al Boum Photo was 6/1, while defending champion Minella Indo started at 7/1.

Tornado Flyer was available at 9/1 and Protektorat at 10/1. The rest of the field consisted of Chantry House, Royale Pagaille, Asterion Forlonge, Santini and Aye Right.

Eleven horses went to post for the Grade 1 contest, which was run over three miles, two furlongs and 70 yards with the official going confirmed as good to soft, soft in places.

How The Race Played Out

Blackmore did not rush A Plus Tard during the early part of the race. Aye Right and Asterion Forlonge were among those prominent as the runners settled into the contest, while A Plus Tard was kept towards the rear.

The pace was not especially strong early on, leaving a large part of the field still involved as the race began to get serious.

Minella Indo gradually moved closer before taking control three fences from home, and for a short time, it looked as though the defending champion might repeat his victory of 12 months earlier.

Robbie Power sent him clear, and he established an advantage approaching the second-last fence, but Blackmore still had plenty of horse underneath her; she just needed racing room.

A gap eventually appeared, and the response was immediate when A Plus Tard quickly closed on Minella Indo, moving into second at the penultimate fence before challenging for the lead approaching the last.

He jumped the final fence in front, and from that point, the result was never seriously in doubt.

A Plus Tard accelerated away from Minella Indo up the famous Cheltenham hill and crossed the line 15 lengths clear in one of the most decisive Gold Cup victories of the modern period.

2022 Gold Cup Result

A Plus Tard finished first at odds of 3/1 favourite, with Minella Indo second at 7/1.

Protektorat took third at 10/1, another two and a half lengths behind Minella Indo, while Galvin finished fourth.

The winning time was 6 minutes 41.75 seconds.

For Henry de Bromhead, it meant another Gold Cup one-two, but with his two leading horses reversing their finishing positions from 2021.

A year earlier it had been Minella Indo followed by A Plus Tard. In 2022, A Plus Tard had his revenge.

Rachael Blackmore Makes Gold Cup History

The result also ensured the race would hold an important place in the career of Rachael Blackmore as she became the first female jockey to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

By then, Blackmore had already made racing history several times. She had become the first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle aboard Honeysuckle in 2021 and the first woman to finish the Cheltenham Festival as leading jockey.

Weeks later, she won the 2021 Grand National aboard Minella Times.

Her victory on A Plus Tard meant she had now won the Champion Hurdle, Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup in a little over 12 months.

There was also a sense of redemption attached to the result because Blackmore had chosen to ride A Plus Tard rather than Minella Indo in the 2021 Gold Cup and finished second, and she remained loyal to her horse when Cheltenham came around again.

What Happened to A Plus Tard After the 2022 Gold Cup?

As impressive as the Gold Cup victory was, it proved to be the final win of A Plus Tard’s racing career.

His attempt to return to the top level during the following season did not go smoothly when he was pulled up in the 2022 Betfair Chase at Haydock and was unable to run in the Savills Chase that Christmas.

A Plus Tard returned to Cheltenham in March 2023 attempting to defend his Gold Cup crown but was badly hampered during the race and eventually pulled up. Galopin Des Champs went on to win the race.

A Plus Tard later finished third at Aintree before returning for one final season. His last appearance came in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown in December 2023, after which his retirement was announced in January 2024.

He retired with eight victories from 23 starts and more than £950,000 in prize money.