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.

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!

Cheers Duffy.

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

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

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

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

No, not me fella.