1948 Cheltenham Gold Cup Fetches Thousands at Charity Auction

A Cheltenham Gold Cup, awarded nearly eight decades prior, was recently sold at auction, fetching thousands of pounds. This auction, held at the National Horseracing Museum, was organized to generate proceeds for the Bob Champion Cancer Fund, The Injured Jockeys Fund, and Racing Welfare. The trophy, won in 1948 by Cottage Rake, under the training of Vincent O’Brien, achieved a sale price of £26,000, exceeding its initial valuation of up to £15,000. Accompanying the trophy at the auction was a scrapbook compilation containing locks of hair from the manes and tails of renowned racehorses. This hair collection, gathered by enthusiast Ray Goddard between 1948 and 2004, featured specimens from Shergar, Red Rum, Arkle, Nijinsky, and other champion thoroughbreds, ultimately selling for £41,870. Shergar, valued at £10 million, was widely believed to have been abducted by the IRA in 1983, an organization reportedly experiencing financial difficulties and seeking alternative revenue streams. Shergar’s remains were never recovered, and the precise events following his kidnapping remain undisclosed. “Collecting locks of horse hair might seem like an unusual pastime, but it’s provided us with an incredible archive, featuring some of the most famous horses the racing world has seen,” auctioneer Graham Budd explained. “It tells a wonderful story of half a century of racing history.” “We’re fortunate to be selling several lots in aid of some great charities, which have a huge impact in the racing world and beyond,” he added. “We’ve had plenty of interest from around the world, so we’re in a good position to raise a lot of money for these good causes.”