Greatest Cheltenham memories!!

Just watched it on you tube

Small field but a great finish and some very interesting camera angles

I was on Andreas and Pedrobob as well

marychain1 Joined: 05 Apr 05
Replies: 20480 28 Jan 14 20:22   

I was on Andreas and Pedrobob as well

Lovely stuff above from Roger. That's what it's all about. I've had dozens of memorable winners and losers, but it was one of the losers that gave me the best buzz. Marychain has mentioned the race. I had €500 on Harchibald at 7/1, and my eyes were glued to him all the way round as he jumped and travelled like a dream and cruised up to Hardy at the last with Carberry motionless. I was king of the world for a few moments, but we know what happened next.

Sorry to hijack the tread and after I've said this I'll shut up.

There are so many great Cheltenham memories and times to be had but I can't help but feel they are cheapened by playing on easy emotions and commerciality such as the plethora of Preview Nights and the number of people who post stuff like 'only xxxx days ( and then hours and minutes if they're really sad)'.

Why does this spin my wheels so much?

Because for me it's enough just to let the Festival be. The greatest horses, the fiercest punters, us against 'them' - the rest of the world stuck in their offices who haven't got the first clue about what we're on about!

But if all you've got to offer is a countdown clock and some talking heads recycling wisdom you can get here (and better expressed and argued too) for £10 a pop and more, then include me out.

Okay...whatever....go with your bad selves and get what you want from it. Just a shame it's so little for some people.

Just my 2 Euros.

Well put Steamship. That Monday before the Festival is basically the equivalent of Christmas Eve when Santa still existed!

I started folowing racing age about 8 Im now 45 and from I think 1979 I never missed acheltenham albeit on TV but I would play truant from school, when I first started working I would put that week in march down straight away for holidays. I would never do that for a flat race.

I agree roger and what I dont like is the bookies offering CHdl prices for the following season after the Supreme. We live in a society that struggles to enjoy the moment and this is clear throughout the NH season.

Another fond memory was 1977 and the champion hurdle.
Night Nurse vs Monksfield.
One of those races you just had to see live.

I was working as a driver/minder for Glenn Frey, from the American band The Eagles.
He was touring England with his band. Glenn loved horse racing but being an American was much more a flat fan.
I persuaded him to phone in sick and miss rehearsals so we could go to Cheltenham and watch the two greatest hurdlers.
He loved the experience and has been to the festival many times since.

I was working on a building site in March 1994. In a hut with a few Irish lads I mentioned I was going to Cheltenham. “As we’re drinking coffee, you might want to look out for Chance Coffey,” one of them said. “Isn’t that right?” he added, turning to his mate. I always remember that bloke keeping his head down over his mug and saying nothing. I backed Chance Coffey each- way in the Coral Cup and he finished a nice third, nine and a half lengths behind Time For A Run who was given the legendary ‘balls of steel’ ride by Charlie Swan.
Back then it wasn’t as easy to keep track of Irish horses’ careers from England and I forgot all about him until February 1995 when I happened to see the result of the Boyne Hurdle in the Weekender. There was Chance Coffey staying on to finish ten lengths behind the wonderful Dorans Pride who went on to win that year’s Stayers’ hurdle on the bridle. More interestingly, he was only five lengths behind Time For A Run off levels – a full 21lb worse off compared to their Cheltenham meeting. Improvement!
When the weights for the Coral Cup were published Time For A Run was set to concede him an astounding 26lb. What was the handicapper on? Chance Coffey? I got on as much as I could at 33/1 before panicking a bit when it dawned on me he’d stayed at that price because his rating was so low that there was a strong possibility he wouldn’t get in. I was comforted to read that the astute trainer, Mr. P.F O’Donnell was barrowing his savings into the bookies. Of course he got in, carrying 10 stone (2lb overweight) with Time For A Run topweight off 11-10.
The race itself was like a dream. Held up, the grey horse with jockey in blue and white quartered colours stuck to the tail of the main bunch as tired horses dropped away, until the top of the hill where he started making his ground. He came down the hill in a canter and got a beautiful run on the inside before he was able to saunter up to the finish saying cheese for the cameras with Time For a Run a commendable third.  In the winner’s enclosure O’Donnell said it was the culmination of all his dreams, hopes and aspirations and I couldn’t top that.
I still have the cutting from the following day’s Sporting Life in which the winning jockey, Gerry O’Neill said “If you thought that was good, look out for Imperial Call next year.” I did, but that’s another story.

I live for threads like this!!

I hope the guy's well.


i sure you do autocue

i'd have his picture on my wall

It was 2003 and I'd become obsessed with NH racing. All winter I'd had a great time backing the likes of Moscow Flyer and Best Mate win a few races. For Christmas my sister got me and my old man 2 tattersalls tickets for Gold cup day. I was delirious with excitement. As Winter drew to a close and the Daffodils started flowering I found myself almost unable to think straight. Sadly for me I was sitting my A levels that year. My parents said I could miss school on Gold cup day so long as I attended every other day. Impossible. I was most certainly not sitting in class studying tectonic plate movement whilst Moscow Flyer was running in the Champion chase.

The Tuesday arrived. At midday I found myself in class. 2 hours time the tapes would be going up for the supreme novices hurdle. Panic gripped me. What the Hell am I doing here? I had to escape. I had no time for a clever plan so I waited for my teacher to turn his back and I ran like Usain Bolt out of the classroom. I was not capable of coherent thought at this stage so I just carried on running until I got to the bus stop. I hopped on the bus with the self satisfied look that an escapee from a maximum security prison would have had. I arrived home just in time to see Back in front hose up in the first. Azertyuiop romper home in the Arkle and Rooster Booster was imperious in the big race.

Wednesday I got some sensational news. A text message from my mate saying my only class of the day was cancelled. My prayers had been answered. Dad suggested we drive to Cheltenham straight away and watch the racing in a pub. I could only nod by head in agreement. I used dads mobile on the drive down to place a cheeky fiver each way on young Spartacus in the mildmay of fleet at 20/1. Wednesday was Moscow Flyer day. My then favourite horse. He won. That Henry Daly beast in the mildmay also won! I was headed into Gold cup day in great spirits. We stayed at my sisters and I nipped out for a takeaway. Whilst waiting for the food I got chatting with a rather drunken Irishman. ' I fancy Best mate but he's not much of a price' I said. His reply was simple yet effective. ' Listen. Phukk value. Get yourself a winner'. We shook hands and wished each other well.

I woke up at 6am. A time of day I hadn't seen since childhood. Got my placepots on and did a mug ten pound treble on Baracouda, Best mate and my favourite horse Spirit leader in the county hurdle. She was a tiny little thing but had won the ladbroke hurdle and the tote gold trophy at big prices. She owed me nothing and I was definitely backing her especially as the man Geraghty was on her and riding out of his skin. Barracouda won one of the best races I've seen. Best mate made his gold cup rivals look like cart horses and my favourite horse won the county hurdle and in the process made me feel like I'd just won the lottery. I have been back every year since. Sadly have never replicated the first years punting success ( everything I backed won or so it felt like!). A truly special place.

Lots down the years. My first day at a Festival was when Salmon Spray won the CH. It was foul weather and 2 white faced chestnut horses emerged from the murk with SS dwarfed by Flyingbolt but still beat him. The difference in style between John Haine and Pat Taaffe made them seem even more different in size.

The other red letter days were Collier Bay in the CH and Best Mate's third Gold Cup.

Like so many too many to mention. A few special memories regarding the bumper. First one was backing Data Star in the early nineties. I recall we'd all had a pretty good day and were all convinced it couldn't lose. In those days it was always the last race on the Wednesday and before the old tatts stand was knocked down. I'd been separated from my mates the race before but was still in the ring. and I had pretty much every penny I had at 5 and 9/2.

I watched the race on my own and roared it home and left the course feeling pretty smug. Met the lads in the car park who were all ashen. I couldn't understand why until they told me that they couldn't get down the shute between the new and old stands to get a bet on as it was that busy. Pre-mobile phone days. Got back home and bought them all a curry to cheer them up.

The other 2 were sadly close up seconds. The infamous Rhinestone Cowboy / Pizarro race where there was uproar after the stewards enquiry.  The other was Pressgang who should have won too but drifted right across the track giving lengths away and got beat by Hairy Molly. Painful.

Happy days.

Joist you mention the Chrltenham roar when Amaretto Rose was running in the supreme.

Well let me tell you of the roar that will never be equalled.
The 1989 Gold Cup.

Ran in a bog after snow and rain had fallen.
The "people's" horse Dessie was running over too far a trip on ground he hated.

He was beaten turning for home but from the depths only true champions can go to, he slowly but surely started to get up. He jumped the last a length down and the crowd could see he was going to get up. The was a roar like I have never witnessed. It is a race you can watch every day and still cry.

I was with my good friend Herol Graham, a real NH fan. We were both roaring him despite not backing him. It was a magical day.

Joist your description is why i try and take someone new to it with me every year.My Missus' uncle was all set to come with me this year but has now bailed leaving me to go it alone this time around and it's my 40th on the Weds.I don't mind it at all but to just experience the place with someone is amazing.Im still deffo going as usual,leaving home on the Monday and returning Thursday evening (gold cup day is too rammed now.People who ask me why i get so passionate and excited about it all get the same reply..."until you've been,you just won't understand"

Like everyone, too many great memories to mention.  Earliest memories is probably Comandante winning the arkle in 1990.  Only a student at the time so although perhaps not the biggest win ever, perhaps meant the most to me.

Ever since, in yesterday all Rooster Booster, Blowing Wind, Frenchams Creek, Iris Gift, Buena Vista all mean to a lot to me.

only 7 weeks.... count em down

Talking about great commentary...

"He still hasn't said go on Harchibald...he's laughing at his rivals...and still he waits...but Hardy Eustace finds more...and he wins again!"

Richard Hoiles pretty solid as well