Cheltenham: Glengouly springs surprise with 33/1 December Gold Cup success for Sean Bowen and Faye Bramley
Glengouly ran out a hard-fought winner of the Support The Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday under champion jockey Sean Bowen; Vincenzo finished second, with 11/4 favourite Jagwar third
Saturday 13 December 2025 15:04, UK
Sean Bowen rode his rivals to sleep from the front on Glengouly to give Faye Bramley the biggest winner of her career in the Support The Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
Champion jockey Bowen was allowed to dictate matters at his own pace, stacking up the field behind him as he continued to give his mount breathers.
Turning into the straight all the main market fancies were moving into a position to challenge with Vincenzo, Hoe Joly Smoke and Jagwar close enough if good enough.
Bowen knew exactly what he was sat on, though, and the former Willie Mullins inmate had plenty left as he powered up the hill for a 33-1 success.
Vincenzo was a length and a half away in second with Jagwar a neck away in third.
The winning owners, The Cheeky Pups syndicate, pledged to donate £10,000 of their winnings to the Hunt Family Fund with close to £500,000 being raised through various channels over the course of the week for charities.
"I honestly can't believe it, I'm gobsmacked. He's a star. I'm speechless!" said Bramley.
"I couldn't have been happier through the race as I know the horse inside out and I could tell he was loving it.
"I can't believe I'm ever near never mind having a winner.
"I've worked for AP (McCoy) for about eight year, helping his daughter with showjumping and what have you but to be honest we got a bit bored of the pre-training and we just wanted to give it a proper go and he was behind the decision.
"This horse was quite hard to train, but he's come to life."
Sam Thomas said of Vincenzo: "It was better ground today on which he's jumped well and run a blinder. He's still a young horse in National Hunt terms and I hope there is more to come.
"We will step him up to three miles at some point in the future."
Oliver Greenall, joint-trainer of Jagwar, said: "He was a little bit rusty and he got shuffled back and lost his position, then it turned into a sprint and the winner got a freebie.
"With the top weight out he was carrying top weight.
"I think we will stick at two and a half miles and come back here on New Year's Day."
