1st biggish bet at the festival And best WIN......

the anti  aftertiming boys will be salivating  watching this thread and fingers on the buttons ready to pounce .........you have been warned !

Can't remember my biggest bet - think it may have been on I'm Supposin each-way inone of Istbraqs Champion Hurdle wins.

Biggest wins were on Andreas in the Grand Annual, followed and eclipsed half-an-hour later by Pedrobob in the County Hurdle, when it was the last race on the Friday. This was still in the relatively early years of Beftfair when layers used to put up very silly offs on supposed outsiders.

Won a fair bit on Long Run in his Gold Cup win and again last year on Darna in the Plate on the Tote where it paid out a dividend just shy of £50.00

offs = odds

Quite right Foyles, they'll love this one.
The 18th March 2010 is burned into my memory as being probably the best days punting of 'career', but also the tale of the one that got away.
50p EW Yankee on the first 4 races to supplement my singles in those races, you know, just in case.........
Copper Bleu 12/1 Won
Buena Vista 16/1 Won
Albertas 14/1 Won
Left me with about a grand and a half (more than 5 times my max single) going on.......... Tidal Bay. I genuinely loved the old rogue, but never expected to be in that position and if there's one horse you don't want running for your life, it was that fella

Also can't remember my first big bet. Best day was the year Anzum won the stayers when it was still run on the Friday and I'd backed it ante post. I think I had another couple of winners on the day and several hundred with the books on Sir Talbot in the County at 10-1.

I still have nightmares about Well Chief being touched off in the Triumph. With the possible exception of Valiramix in the champion hurdle that hurt more than any other loss.

Think it was Thursday EO, when Anzum came from the clouds.
I remember the day well, as I'd had an epicly poor Festival and hadn't backed a winner all week. I honestly thought that I was never going to back one again. I followed the money on Space Trucker, managing to get 5/1 as he was punted in from a big price - but there was no skill in that. It did break the hoodoo though and I got stormyfairweather in the next, before giving it all back on decoupage as your Sir Talbot swooped to deny favourite backers. Good times.....

First decent bet , but alas  not a winner was 1980 Triumph Hurdle £1000-30 Starfen , only 3 clear at the last, was standing on a seat in members and the c word rang out loudly , given the result there wasnt much cheering . Took till Big Bucks first WH to have more on .

1st decent win Home Counties 1995
County Hdle. 16/1.

First Festival bet (actually placed on course) Wither or Witch 1996 Bumper. Had a terrible journey over and had to wait all day to back it. Biggest win - Douvan in last year's Supreme. Had taken 12's, 10's and 8's - biggest buzz of my life when Ruby went clear.

Yes Desmond. Getting mixed up. Meant before they went to four day festival and of course the final day was Thursday.

I was always smallish Ante Post bets, and main bets on the day, until I joined here. My first big bet was on here for Midnight Chase in the 2011 Gold Cup, all odds up to 410's, and though I laid off, stood to win a fair amount on the day. It wasn't to be and he wasn't good enough, but what a buzz on the day. Did the exact same in 2012 with him as well

Biggest win was Rock On Ruby for 2012 Champion Hurdle, from 55's to 200's on here, and a good few quid with the books at 33's before his Gerry Fielden win. My biggest ever single win on a horse, and I still watch it regularly. Best bit was putting him up on here the October before, so thankfully not one for the aftertimers thread haha, I hope

Best win was couple of years ago, fancied Lac Fontana for the County Hurdle but liked Montbazon too, so backed them both ew, was discussing it with a bloke I know in local bookies who is a proper student of the form and he said 'chuck in Arctic Fire for your tricast, he won't be out of top 3' so I did but just to pennies, still picked up just short of a grand!

Two massive ante-post trebles placed back in November/December in 2003 (Azertyuiop, Baracouda and Best Mate) and 2013 (Simonsig, Quevega and Sprinter Sacre). Can't wait for 2023.

Pete/Prefat.....If one of you could kindly do the honours.

11 March 1997 National Hunt Handicap chase

Went to the track with my dad, and a good friend who loved racing,his first time chelt,but when it came to betting he always said those Immortal words,heres the money, you two pick em for me.
Fancied two horses in the above race,one was an old favourite who had won for me in 1995.
Few minutes before the off decide to get bets on,then  watch the race at last fence.Between us we had been doing forecasts, along with win bets on tote,some win bets with the books.

As usual,me and the old man decide on some combination bets for the three of us,and muggins has the honour of writing them out on the tote slips,putting my dads own bets on as well, and duly standing in the queue!
Tokens are handed to me,mate wants to back my two,and my dad wants a saver on it,but he likes the favourite as well.

Off they toddle to the last fence, via the loos, where we arrange to meet up shortly.Standing in the tote queue get stuck behind the punter that produces the andrex version of tote slips,all minimum stakes and times a ticking.

Crisis worsens when I get to counter, as the bimbo behind says "you aint got enough horses on this one",senior has stuck his reverse forecast on a trifecta slip,no stake etc.....doomed.

Shout out his numbers and eventually we get there,only I have this trifecta ticket with two names only, In the any order section.

NEVER CHANGE YOUR BETS......thats what he always said......sod it ,added my two fancies to his half filled out ticket,asked what it came to and duly went to pay for it,at which point bimbo says, 30 secs before the off, "can u wait,got no change"

To this day I cant quite remember the exact words I replied, but to save time I asked for the rest as reverse forecast on my two fancies.

Phew....just  in time, I hear tannoy say  " coming into line"

Anybody knows the course,I was tatts side of the horse walkway,the other two were now on the other side of the walkway,by the last fence,never being that late before,did not realise once race started the walkway was now shut!

Arazi type acceleration took me back to the tote screen,where in amazement,amid total silence around me,my main fancy FLYERS NAP 20/1  got up on the run-in to beat my second choice STORMTRACKER 25/1 ,with a few lengths back to the rest.

Two things will remain with me till the day I pass.

The first was greeting the other two,my dad was a seasoned gambler,he knew he was on the winner,he was not a big punter,and of course  my mate was on the winner,both were ecstatic,we all were,off to the nearest tote screens we strode, 10ft tall ,to reap our reward

It was only on the way,as the result was announced officially,they called photo for 3rd,that my dad realised what had finnished second,all he could blurt out was "Don,t tell me that was OUR other one boy?".

Little did they know what was tucked in the inside  of my jacket,over the next few minutes we got to the screen and old FLYERS NAP paid £35.40 for the win to a pound stake.The forecast was the old Dual forecast,£211-00,we had that covered between us twice,plus what I had added just before the off.

Finally I had to come clean,it was only when I heard the result it twigged,3RD place had gone to GENERAL COMMAND 9/4 FAV,we had all three in the trifecta.

The second memory......watching my dad when we strolled up to the window,the three amigos,I knew it had to be that tote window,where said bets were struck,and the smile on his face when she exclaimed " WE AINT GOT ENOUGH IN THE TILLS TO PAY THAT OUT "

The sum is Immaterial,the memory is priceless.

That's a helluva story Nocturnal and brilliantly told. Shirley nobody can top that?

I have been to one or more days of most of the festivals since Tied Cottage and the mars bar incident: I had £3 at 6/1 when he won.

My biggest bets have both been on losers, £300 on Rathgorman (a year too late) and £500 on Carvills Hill. The Carvills Hill day coincided with the cricket world cup and I arrived in the Garricks Head in Cheltenham (now closed) for an 8.30 breakfast, a few hours of cricket and then racing. Never made it to the course!

After-timed winners aplenty, the bigger ones being the "dual" forecast - Top Cees and Khayrawani (or something like that). My bet was 3 times d/f on those two plus Big Strand and a fiver to win BS (last years winner). History will show they were fist second and last and the DF paid £300+ to a £1.

But proper after-timing was having a chunk (not quite the full pound) of the Gold Cup day placepot a couple of years ago: nearly shat myself when I was told the divi

This is the sort of thread i love, reading about fellow forum member's memories of betting, sod the laughable aftertimers thread, these are priceless memories we hold dear to our hearts.

Nocturnels story is a very good one, don't think anyone can top that, gave it 5 stars myself. Amazing!

I am not great at telling stories, no where near to the calibre of nocturnels but here goes;

My first ever 'proper' bet on a horse at the festival. Worked at the Pontins in Blackpool off and on 1999 - 2004 with couple years in between at Minehead Butlins but that is immaterial to the story. It was the now closed down Pontins in Blackpool that the staff in the kitchens were all mad on sport, rugby was the main one but horse racing by a few was a close 2nd.

Xmas 2002 and we are all very busy and one of our fellow colleagues points out to the head chef (both mad on horses) that Best Mate is fav for the King George. Having won 2 gold cups, it was inevitable that the TV would be brought out for the race and of course everyone that liked the occasional bet would be on him and remembering i had won a few quid (about £50, it was a huge amount of money to me back then cos we earned that in a week before min wage started) 

Of course we all know he duly obliged, the kitchens were buzzing, the vibe was amazing. However, something stuck in my head, it was Big Mac spurting out the odds he was now for a 3rd gold cup. Inevitably he was the first antepost wager of my life. I walked to the billy hills on squires gate, collected my winnings of £23.75 (and proceeded to put on £8.75 on him for the gold cup. I decided there and then on my walk to the shop that I was to place a £10+ bet each pay day (weekly on a Friday) on him not having a clue about antepost punting. The only thing that i could think of was he couldn't be beat and although it was a long time till the race, it was better than putting it in a savings account.

I of course let spill that ive been putting these bets on as the weeks rolled by and so instead of the little portable in the kitchen the manager got us a big screen put in the staff canteen and the banter for the days leading up to the race was the salad chefs got 500 on best mate hes been gambling on him all winter for this race off sum, sum people are saying ive got 1000s on him others are more prudent reckoning im full of cr@p and i only have 7-50 on etc.
Never been so nervous (i was genuinely sh!!ting bricks) about a horse race in all my life!

Anyways we know the rest, i picked up in excess of £500, (5 weeks wages) and the beers was on me. Never placed another antepost bet till Azertyuiop, i had backed him the year before, was almost an equally big win than best mate was and of course i followed him through the year, he won his seasonal debut, was 2nd to Moscow Flyer pitched up to 3 miles in that years king george to which i backed him for again (as well as a small saver on the winner kicking king) thought ok he doesn't stay, next race against Well Chief, another favorite of mine, i remember properly wrestling with my head as to who to back(it was well before the days where i have been doing multiple selections and building books) he wins that so i bet him for the QMCC big, half me wages on, remembering the year before and Best Mate.

He was 3rd beaten 15 lengths behind the so called great Moscow Flyer in 2005, it would be another 6 years after that before i would venture antepost again lol That year however i did manage to scrape a few quid together to bet Kicking King in the gold cup so not a disaster (thanks for those of you that borrowed me the money )

Good thread and some great stories. First 3 figure bet was Kauto Star in the QM. Up to that point was only betting£20/£30 a race. Absolutely shocked when it fell in front of the stands.

Biggest win was Lord Windermere in the RSA. E/w ante post at 25 and 20. Standing in front of the books in Tatts shouting and jumping like an idiot.

Seathestars - I was at Pontins Blackpool from 96-2000.

Remember the Saturday morning walk to the newsagents, then the dunes cafe then into Billy Hills and back in time to welcome the new guests !!! :)

Happy Days Pal !!  -Nigel the chef your boss then>??

Yeah I thought most of you would enjoy it hence why I thought I would stick it up as there was bound to be a few crackers between us all matter how big or small the bets! It's all just about the great memories thinking back on great days :) we all have enough bad days hence why we remember the good ones so much lol another great bet I remember having was when kauto star won back his title I was pretty rooked by the Friday that year and was going away with the lads for a pool weekend and had about my last £60 on the forcast him to beat the tank! Think I got back about £440 I loved kauto anyway but I think that race especially made just made him my all time fav and a great weekend was had after that lol lost count of the times I have been pulled out of the 1st day mire by Quevega and a bad week by the Thursday and Big Bucks not ever great prices but still great memories watching them with your mates!

My 1st big bet at the festival was baracouda, the year Iris's gift won, I was certain it could not be beat, put £100 on as soon as got to course, then another £100 just before the off, that was massive for me at the time... My biggest disappointment at the festival was my mate getting a tip for cue card in the bumper, announced it as we were having breakfast in town, and over course of day mentioned it at least another 6 times, I was having a dreadful day ( the Tuesday was bad as well ) and the bumper came, every one of my mates are on cue card, but I knew better, dismissed it as having no chance and put £80 on the fav ( think it was shot from the hip ) the inevitable happens, and cue card wins, pays 60 odd on the tote, I was totally gutted why I never threw £20 at it I'll never know..!!!! Last 3/4 years have been a lot more profitable than my early years of going to Cheltenham, I put this down to experience, ruling nothing out,not being drawn into hype horses and drinking less alcohol through the day..... Most satisfying win was just last year in the world hurdle, Cole harden, some 20s in the morning and 16s at course, both ew, I remember thinking surely he can't keep this up, expecting the race to be set up for someone in behind. Win or lose at Cheltenham it's a great week,  a unique atmosphere, over the years I've struck up conversation with people while trying to get served and end up buy them a pint cos I'm served 1st, have a natter for 15 mins, wish them the best of luck and run into them again years later, to be told "right my round this time, lager?"

Yes Sheikh, small world! Nigel - boss mad on rugby, Dicky head chef mad on horses but would never admit it, would readily stand in the bookies all day without having a bet if he thought you was watching him , Trevor (rugby) and big Mick (horses and football especially Man City) the chef's team leaders. Them were great times my friend!

First big bet was on Pendil when he got brought down in 74 Gold Cup. Second big bet was L'Escargot in the last race of that day when trying to get out of trouble (finished second). Even ignoring inflation it was the biggest losing day of my punting career of nearly 60 years.
Best win was Night Nurse in 77 Champion Hurdle when he drifted massively because of ground which I felt he would handle. Also had another good winner that day but can't remember the name.

I was on the course in both years and both very memorable for contrasting reasons.

A photo of Night Nurse can be found in my punting corner of the house. Needless to say there is no photo of Richard Pitman.

Had many winning and losing years but the most nerve wracking and one that caused the most 'roller coaster' like period of emotions was 2004/2005.
I told all and sundry that Trabolgan would win the RSA and had backed it accordingly from before it's chase debut in the November (had read a great update from Nicky Henderson around September) and started with putting fivers and tenners on at every opportunity starting at 25's and all the way at whatever odds were available, it coincided with a time in my life when I was emigrating to Canada and so was very exciting. It dotted up on it's debut when I was in Canada which I missed, I then returned to the U.K at Christmas and pounded it for the feltham, I was gutted when it was nutted by Ollie Magern but still held out great hopes for the RSA as it was only the 2nd run... I had tonns of things to do for my return to Canada but noticed that he had an entry at Haydock so decided to stay home an extra week thinking that I could make easy money and then be on my way, Me and my pals decided to have my last day at the races to watch the wonder horse murder em before going on to Cheltenham glory !! well, if only !! It rained and rained so bad, and the horse got absolutely murdered, I couldn't believe it, never at the races, just plodded round, I was devastated, all my ante post bets were surely up in smoke. I returned to Canada devastated.
Morning of March 15th the internet in the condo went down, we had nothing, nobody would come out until lunchtime (7 hours behind) so I missed the whole day, The RSA was the next day and the signal was intermitten, it was the worst time ever, I got up at 5.30am on the 16th for the race day, no internet !! devastated !! the race was the 4th on the card and i unplugged everything, trying to get a signal, no pictures but I somehow managed to Billy Hill racing radio and listened to the race, I was so excited, going crazy that the dogs were barking, the wife got up and thought something was going on, she came into the "bonus room" and found me on the floor surrounded by wires, wrenches, screwdrivers etc, mumbling about how much I loved Mick Fitzgerald and Nicky Henderson.... She had no clue what was going on, turned around and went back to bed ... me, I agreed with Mick Fitz winning a big race was better than sex !!! :)
GET IN THERE TRABOLGAN you beauty !!! :)
*The final 2 furlongs were agony with the radio commentary as it really sounded like he was done !! Never listened to a cheltenham race again, always watched since :)

I don't know what it says about me, but I get more annyoed at losing a tenner than I do get happy about winning a hundred - don't know if that's just me, but I remember the ones that got away more than the winners.

Lowest: I still wake up in a cold sweat thinking how Western Warhorse won an Arkle, in various multiples, Champagne Fever was the only one that let me down .  Or maybe it was Annie Power falling? .  Or was it when I had a 12/1 Sprinter and 12/1 Simonsig (Supreme) double?   On Darlan at 25's in the Supreme - how did Cinders and Ashes beat him?  I mean....Cinders and Ashes   How did McCoy get Whichita Lineman up to mug Maljimar on the line in the William Hill, when Maljimar was a massive winner for me

On the plus point, Silver Jaro winning the County at 50/1 when the whole course was screaming on Psycho was a good day.  I'll never forget when all of us lumped on Dunguib in the morning...."Rite of Passgage is travelling well" (Cue a massive raw)...."but not as well as Dunguib!" (Cue an even bigger raw!!)

On the train from Bristol a few years ago, there was an Irish fella sat opposite us.  He was on the phone telling his mate how everyone needs to back Rock on Ruby in the Champion Hurdle and Hunt Ball in the 0-140 race.  He said, tell everyone you know, back them in singles and a double.  Me and my mate laughed, and said to each other "as if that'll ever happen".  I bet that fella was dancing with no top on in the Guiness Village a few hours later

rag trade 75 grand national not big but first one i relly remember

Great thread,just to read !
Prompted me to give my best memory though, 2010 just like Desmond Orchard and would you believe let down by the same horse. A festival I will never forget and will probably never happen again. My winners were imperial commander ( g cup ) , baby run ( fox hunters) , peddlers cross ( Neptune ) , ballabriggs ( Kim Muir ). Already a good week without the following Yankee ( and win bets too)
Menorah - supreme
Binocular - champ hdle
Albertas run - Ryanair ( Des you are a genius )
And wait for it, my arkle bet from 2 years previous ( and influenced by the my way de solzen example ) the nutter that was Tidal Bay
I'd done a head over heels in my brothers living room (which hurt may I add) after albertas had been forced over the line by McCoy. I'd already won £3k and potential to win 30. Thank god I only had to wait about 40 mins because I was shaking like a leaf. Do I lay off on betfair ( don't have that sort of money in my account) asking my brother how to maximise my winnings - he said stick a grand in your acct and have it on big bucks - should have listened. Just watched and suffered as he dropped himself out and ran on like a lunatic from an impossible position.
I'm feeling the shakes just writing this !

I am traditionally a tenners and twenties punter, but 2005 was the year I fancied myself as a high roller. I started with €1000 on War Of Attrition in the Arkle. Can’t remember what price I got, but he started at 11/4. He was a mug’s bet anyway. He was one of our Irish bankers that year, but I still remember Sean Graham  Jnr sounding a word of warning in a radio programme beforehand, wondering why Mouse Morris had started him off over fences over a longer trip. He was beaten out of sight behind Contraband in the Arkle but came back in 2006 to win the Gold Cup.
Undaunted (hah) by my Arkle reverse,I launched my second torpedo in the form of €500 on Harchibald at 7/1 in the Champion Hurdle. Harchi had been trading at a pretty steady 3/1 fav or jt fav through most of the winter, courtesy of three stellar performances early in the season. He would have been shorter but for the serious doubts about him getting up the hill. In the days before the race, there was some scare, a bad blood test or a lacklustre piece of work or some such, and he ended up going off at 7/1. Although it ended badly, the feeling I got watching him cruise up behind them coming to the last remains the best thrill I have ever got on a racecourse. I was with a group of lads who all had their tenners and twenties on Hardy Eustace, and they roared him home. I can laugh about it now .....
I had one torpedo left . The only problem was I was supposed to be firing it from a position of  €6000 up, not €1500 down. Somehow I dredged up the bottle to carry out phase 3, and I had €1500 on Moscow Flyer in the QM at something like 13/8 on here. I phoned that bet in at about 10am from one of the riverside benches in Stratford-Upon-Avon. The swans and the ducks were making their usual fierce racket and the guy on the other end of the line had trouble hearing me. I felt sick all morning and I just got sicker as race time approached. Watching the race was some ordeal. Moscow, God bless him, was never one for stretching clear. ‘I’ll do a length and a half Barry, 2 at a push, so put that stick away will you, like a good man’. Moscow beat Well Chief by two lengths and I was nearly buckling at the knees. I think there may have been some elation, but mainly all I could feel was relief.
That was the end of my career as a serious punter. You need a stronger stomach than mine.

Threads like these are now part of the traditional Cheltenham build up.

Best story of mine is the year Alderbrook won the Champion Hurdle. Was it 95? I only remember that because me and my mates were down in London studying 94/95. I hadn't been following things so closely that year but popped into the bookies for no particular reason one day and saw him win at Wincanton I think about three weeks before and just knew in my mind that he was going to win the Champion. I don't know how I can have been so confident about it because I'd seen so little of the action that season. Money wasn't plentiful being back in my student days but I got what I could from a variety of sources and had a few hundred on and then borrowed some more off my mates to go in again. They knew nothing about racing but seemed very taken by much maniacal zeal that this one was going to win. So they started to get stuck in. We were going to Supermarkets getting cash back and all sorts.

On the day we were in the flat and from memory Alderbrook was settled midfield until (I think it was Dunwoody) made his move coming down the hill. In those early parts of the race my mates weren't happy thinking they'd done their dough but I could see he was travelling so wasn't concerned. Of course coming down the hill all three of us are inching our way towards the television as he closed and when he hit the front and went away we went absolutely mental. Grown pretty big rugby men hugging and jumping up and down until we went through the floor and nearly disappeared into the flat below.

Stormin' Norman was on Alderbrook that year, Dunwoody rode it when 2nd to Collier Bay.

I love personally reading these posts and threads about bygone years. As a recent fan of the game (First festival I watched was 2012 after going to University in Bristol), this is a great way to learn the folklore and stories of the sport from people who were there. Year by year I'm adding to my Cheltenham festival memory bank and can only hope that I gain some similar stories! Luckily I can stop making my biggest bet of the festival Silvinaco Conti this year!

Win lose or draw, even after a short love for the sport - Its my favourite week of the year by an absolute country mile.

Best was the Placepot in 2009 .... 537 quid twice.... I had Character Building (16/1 winner) in the last leg on his own.... I didn't back him because I though I may have enough riding on him... bad logic but that was a thrill... in town so couldnt lay him either.

My first big bet was on Best Mate 7/1 to win the 2002 GC. I hadn't had a winner ALL WEEK and was rightfully getting grief from the lads on my impotence so that gave me some welcome respite. With my 'wresters neck' safely in the pocket I went in again for Fadoudal de Cochet 6/1 two races later.... Lordy!! the joy of turning iminent disaster to glory!

Love these stories & Cheltenham week is the best week of the year by miles - Best bets a small double placed the previous September Best Mate (2nd GC) & Moscow Flyer QMCH paid £1500 - Treble Nadal, Barca & Big Bucks small stakes treble returned £1800 - my best ever v small stakes C'Fever to win Supreme £2500 was thinking @ least I had a good run for my money amazing 1st race of the week was an awesome feeling - luckily the festival has always been good to me and although I have had losing years there haven't been many. my best bets this year are Invitation Only in the bumper (not sure what's happened to him) and a double Josies Orders & On the fringe.

Some great stories on here, if we can't celebrate the good days then what's the point? Really whetting the appetite for 6 weeks time too.

I'm sure that I won't be the only person on here to have had a stellar day on Gold Cup Day 2003. Best Mate's second.I wasn't a big bettor then, I had a £10 acca, Baracouda, Best Mate, Kingscliffe in the Foxhunter and La Landiere in the Cathcart. Also had 3 of those 4 (can't remember which) in a £5 patent. I was in a boozer and could barely watch and definitely couldn't speak as La Landiere cleared the last. I remember one of my mates jumping up and down behind me slapping my shoulders and head on the run in, black and blue I was!

First big bet was £100 a couple of years later on Detroit City in the Champion Hurdle, having backed him all year I just couldn't see any way that he could be beaten. He was though. Well and truly.

And finally, I managed 6/7 (5 really) on Day 1 last year. Douvan @ 12/1, UDS @ 7/2, I backed The Druids Nephew @ 12/1 but only in a double, can't remember the second leg cos it lost! Faugheen @ 8/1, Glens Melody ew @ 13/2, Cause of Causes ew @ 25/1. No winner in the last but I did have the 2nd @ 4th ew. My most incredible days gambling ever, I was on course and couldn't speak for the rest of the week. Worth every second.

Best rtn was 2000 had rubahunish ptm or g.card final and master tern v.o.c.h @ 8/1&9/1 £7w £3p on each £5w dbl  £2pl dbl couldn't be bothered to count it just collected gave the lads £30 Btn them for a pint,as I do when I get a few £,this is heartbreaker  stuff  the year sir de champs won the mphh  backed the 1ST 6 winners triumph  a/p @7/1 for £25  the local indo was doing  £5 match bets on triumph with voucher from  daily  paper so £5 becomes  £10 minus the stake so had 3 of the opposition as a back up,had £30@10/1 Martin's horse in co.Hdl,done a special tbl Geraghty to pl triumph pl GC win AB @22/1 for a 10er and £50@5/1 long run IN GC had £20 sir de champs @6/1 mphh and the bar was doing draws for free £10 bets which I won b4 mphh and had on sir de champs @5/1 and gave to bar staff  b4 the race 3 of them had a nice tip,the reason for the heartbreaker  is the 1ST 3days I had done perms for the jackpot  and the cherry on top I had £3 @ 130 on the Hunter Chase  winner the perms were 50p units and to this day don't know what the dividend was

Watch this trailer and then watch the film and I guarantee you will see yourself in there somewhere, it sums all of us perfectly...bloody hell we are lucky to love this game.

If you aren't addicted to horse racing I reckon you should be able to claim compensation because of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRJ3eovuzcc

I'm sure that I won't be the only person on here to have had a stellar day on Gold Cup Day 2003.

I was backing with the bookies behind club in tatts (next to the old cavern) and I saw one bookie send for extra money twice, they were all taking a terrible beating. That must be regarded as one of their darkest days ever at the festival.... all logic went out of the window as the punters in a fever ran up their money on faves or near faves.... La Landiere put the final nail in their coffins!

Gold Cup day 2003 paid for my (first) wedding. Waste of money as it turned out.

john

johnn 03 Feb 16 11:21 Joined: 14 Oct 02 | Topic/replies: 4,812 | Blogger: johnn's blog
Gold Cup day 2003 paid for my (first) wedding. Waste of money as it turned out.

Early contender for post of 2016.

Cheltenham 2003 paid for my 1st house deposit.

Placed a treble in the Coral betting shop at Sandown on Tingle Creek Day, over 3 months in advance:
Azertyuiop for the Arkle - 6/1
Baracouda for the Stayers' Hurdle - 6/4
Best Mate for the Gold Cup - 3/1

Had worked it all out in advance, winning a house deposit was the plan and was going to put £200 on. But it wasn't going to win me enough for a deposit so I looked at placing £300, still not enough so I went up to £400.

Azertyuiop went off 5/4 and hosed up after avoiding the carnage of Adamant Approach and Le Roi Miguel falling early and having to make his own running.

Once he went in I knew it was on. Baracouda was a drifter on the day as everyone came for Limestone Lad. As they got to the top of the hill the big two and Iris's Gift were all bang there with no-one showing their hand. It was fairly quiet in the stands and I was ready to burst and far too early screamed "Go on Baracouda" at the top of my voice at which point everyone seemed to start shouting, mostly for Limestone. As they passed me in the stands just after the last Baracouda was in front but it seemed to be slow motion and I was waiting for Iris's to grind him down. Felt like forever but he held on and the difference between me living in a rented room for years to come or having a home of my own all rested on Best Mate.

I watched the Gold Cup through my binoculars rather than the screen, and coming down the hill Best Mate was in front. I looked back - nothing. Looked back further - nothing. Thought I'd shifted off the racing line and then I saw - seemingly treading water - Chives and Truckers Tavern. No bloody way were either of them going to catch Best Mate and by the time he approached the last I the binoculars were down and I was literally praying he just clambered over, and he took it fine. I was leaping around like a lunatic.

A couple next to me looked around amused by my mentalness, and I just said with tears in my eyes "I've just won a lot of money" and genuinely pleased for me they both shook my hand - probably thought I'd won a few hundred quid. I rang my mum from the lawn after the race and asked her to guess what I had just won. She started at 50, then 100, then 200, so I told her. "Bloody hell, you'd better ring your dad" she said, who was at work (teacher). Got put through to the science lab and he came out of a lesson to take the call and was stunned when I told him but only really wanted to see the negatives and know how much I put on and what if it had lost. The only one who seemed really pleased when I rang them was me nan who loved the riskiness and excitement of racing, knew how much I wanted my own place and was delighted the two had combined.

Drove home as I was staying at my parents house that week and threw the back door open thinking I was the daddy, to be greeted by massively unimpressed parents who burst my bubble massively by wanting to know how much I was betting, how long I'd been betting like that, what if they lost, etc. Talk about turning a high into a massive low.

Still, that night I fired up my dad's computer and went looking at properties - something I'd never even looked at before as I didn't want to long for something I could never have. By September that year I was in my own house.

To this day, it is still the greatest day of my life - and I have had two kids. Always associate the song 'The Way' by Divine Inspiration with that day - remember singing it all the way back to the car after Cheltenham (a long 30 minute walk as I always left the car by the bowling alley and tile store to avoid queuing out!) - and if I hear that song now it can bring a tear to my eye as I always think about the bet that changed my life.

Tried to upload the scan of the betting slip that I still have to post it but didn't get approved.

Won double that amount in 2013, but still does not compare as despite being more it was not life changing. I'm going large in 2023.

Fantastic Roger

Really enjoyed writing that. Brings it all back! Sorry for anyone enduring it.

You will be pleased to know you were in my 2013 biggie Quevega, and nearly gave me a heart attack in the process!

Great story Roger.

Cheers Duffy.

Agree with Duffy

Incidentally, Baracouda went off 9/4 rather than the 6/4 I took - costing me £8k!

Great stuff namesake!

I live for stories like that!

Brilliant Roger! Fortune favours the brave and all that.
How much can you get on at C0ral now?

Brilliant Roger! I won a £600 place pot at uni and remember having a very similar conversation with Mum & Dad, complete with a diagram explaining the mechanics of a place pot!

great stuff roger loved reading it brought a smile to my face

Thanks team.

Desmond, Coral are actually one of the better ones for me. Not sure a cash shop bet paid out by cheque from Head Office ever got tied up to my online account, which probably didn't even exist back then anyway.

Only drawback (not that there are many to a memory like that) is that nothing will ever compare. This year I'm having two stabs at winning over £100k, and should either come in, it still won't rival that. I will bet til I die but my best day will always be behind me whatever happens.

As so many of you enjoyed the story I uploaded the betslip so you could see it:

https://www.photobox.co.uk/my/photo?album_id=4007680209&photo_id=9069277317#9069277317

RTB did you back a horse in 1995 called MIRACLE MAN SORRY FOR THAT FACE BUT A GUY WE MET BACK THEN IN CHICAGO ROCK CAFE COULD THAT BE YOU

No, not me fella.

NO BAW AND THAT FELLA WAS A KIND AULD SPUD