Powers Gold Cup

The Powers Gold Cup is a Grade 1 steeple-chase run at Fairyhouse Racecourse over a distance of 2m 4f with the horses taking on sixteen fences before crossing the finishing line.

Run right-handed, the Powers Gold Cup, sponsored by Powers Whiskey, is an integral part of Fairyhouse’s Easter Festival; a four day race meeting which also includes the 3m 5f Irish Grand National.  Run on Easter Sunday each year the Powers Gold Cup is open to novice chase horses aged five or older.  The Powers Gold Cup 2011 had a guaranteed prize purse of €90,000 with £50,431.03 going to the winner.  The Easter Sunday Powers Gold Cup card also includes a Grade 2 novice hurdle and a Grade 3 mares only novice hurdle.

The Fairyhouse Powers Gold Cup was first run in 1960 and up until 1994 was run over the shorter distance of 2m 2f.  The first running, the Powers Gold Cup 1960, was won by the Darrell Farmer trained Owen’s Sedge with Christy Kinane aboard.

The mighty Arkle won the Powers Gold Cup 1963 but even he, like all other winners, has been able to secure victory in the race more than once.  The leading trainer is Jim Dreaper who has won the race five times since 1960, his most recent victory coming in 1994 with the six year old 8/15f Merry Gale, winning by a distance to Noel Meade’s Glencloud in a three horse field; Atone, the other runner with Charlie Swan aboard falling at the first fence.  Dreaper’s other winners include Vultforo in 1973, Ballyross in 1978, Persian Wanderer in 1979 and Carvill’s Hill was the winner of the Powers Gold Cup 1989.

The most successful jockey in the Powers Gold Cup is Paul Carberry whose four wins include Thari in 2003, Conna Castle in 2008, Aran Concerto in 2009 and the winner of the Powers Gold Cup 2011, the Noel Meade trained Realt Dubh.

Realt Dubh, a seven year old bay gelding by Beneficial out of Suez Canal, ran a good race at Fairyhouse in 2011, going clear when two out and coming home the winner by eleven lengths to the Henry De Bromhead trained Loosen My Load with Michael Hourigan’s Mr Cracker back in third.  The 13/8 favourite, the Paul Nolan trained Noble Prince, was ridden by AP McCoy but fell two from home when challenged for the lead.

Full Result – Powers Gold Cup 2011

1st – Real Dubh

2nd – Loosen My Load

3rd – Mr Cracker

4th – Mikael D’Haguenet

5th – Roi Du Mee

Faller – Noble Prince

Pulled Up – Bob Lingo

The Powers Gold Cup 2012 Steeple Chase – Fairyhouse Racecourse Sunday, 8th April 2012