The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race for five-year-old and above horses. It is run over a distance of 3 miles 2½ furlongs (5,331 metres) on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse during the Cheltenham Festival in March. There are twenty-two fences to be jumped in the race.

It was first run in on March 12, 1924, and is the most prestigious chase in Great Britain.

The most successful horse in Gold Cup history was Golden Miller, who won five times from 1932. Three other horses have won the race three times consecutively - Cottage Rake in 1948-1950, Arkle in 1964-1966 and Best Mate in 2002-2004.