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Your best Gold Cup memories
Your best Gold Cup memories
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Replies: 79
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I will at some stage find out Hayden
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Hayden
I have been and got the sporting life from Friday March 20th 1987 the official off time was 626 Front page stories that day Arthur’s biggest catch Piggott pays out 3 million Tyson on a busy schedule Racegoers hurt as stand collapses Attendance up at 48,301 from 42,815 in 86 Charlie brooks rides the fox hunters winner Reference point is back in work Scottish league to extend season to help Dundee united after there victory over Barcelona |
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Oh and 29 runners in the triumph hurdle as Mary Hopkins sang
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Hi jimnast,was the stand collapsing story to do with Cheltenham on Gold Cup day? I was standing on the scaffold stand behind the Tote building when a bunch of people fell through the roof of the building.From memory we heard it was some Brummies who had had a good drink but nothing about any stand collapsing?
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Hello Cagliari
It was as the triumph hurdle was finishing an asbestos roof gave way some people ran away but 8 ended up in hospital Frank edwards 38 from stoke said one of them knocked his pint out of his hand A 10 feet gap was left in the roof of the old stand I watched the triumph that year n the lawn not far from there and wasn’t aware of anything can you imagine the carry on nowadays. |
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Can't remember hearing about that jimnast,the scaffold stand was the other side of the course on the triangle.In front was the Tote building which had a flat roof,saw some people on there as we waited for the Gold Cup,suddenly a commotion and we took little notice tbh.Heard back at the hotel a bunch of drunk Brummies had fallen through,never heard anymore and never saw a newspaper as travelled home early Saturday.
As you say,would probably have had the health and safety mob baying to abandon these days,even the scaffold probably would not be allowed. |
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Thank god for you ,there weren’t a bunch of drunken brummies in your hotel.
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Lol,there was bunch of drunken Irishmen though,we played cards until the early hours and walked the course once whilst still pis$ed,best 3 days ever with great bunch of lads.
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They were happy days no doubt,I remember walking the course on the Sunday loads of punters trainers and jockeys now punters not welcome
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There was 8 of them (all family) who's right of passage was to go to Cheltenham when turning 16,all backed The Thinker at 9s,I had £400 FAF and knew my fate early,it was a helluva party just the same.
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I always believed the delay was against forgive and forget pretty sure Jimmy fitz did also ,since it’s become 4 days those families you refer to don’t make the trip in the numbers they use to,met many myself when I use to stay in Cheltenham in the80s and 90s always had great fun and great conversation about the racing.
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I have been a few times since jimnast but never had as much enjoyment,even in a private box.I kmow we often look through rose tints but I do believe it was much better back then,real NH fans.
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Even with just 5 days to go I’m not up for it this year Cagliari I think not only the uncertainty and dilution is one of the reasons the all round cost in particular the hotels along with the hassle involved ,and in no way is it as much fun ,
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L'Escargot's second Gold Cup win.
My first day on a racecourse, missing primary school for a day with an imaginary illness. Got Peter O'Sullevan's autograph courtesy of my Dad spotting him weaving his way through the crowd, the Great Man responding with courtesy and class. Still got the colour programme he signed. On that same day, a then little-known horse running in unfamiliar colours finished unplaced in what I think was the last race of the day/meeting. It would be a further two years before his name was unforgettably stitched into the tapestry of the NH game. I was thrilled to have seen that horse's name in the programme when looking at it again around 40 years afterwards. Never realised until then. Name the horse. |
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Jimnast backed my first winner at cheltenham many many years ago Meladon .People say I will miss it this year to tell you yhe honest truth I don't think I will.one bit of good news was invited only today to a meeting in Berkshire today the best meeting in the world .might see you round the bandstand.
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Ronnie I will be at the bandstand the first 3 days but nowadays I stand at the back away from all the real fun
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Meladon same colours as pollardstown I think.
Alun guessing red rum |
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Correct it was the immortal R R
The race was won I believe by THE LAIRD. |
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What a great memory for you to have alum
My first day at the festival was 1980 the great sea pigeon won the champion hurdle I have loved the place ever since but I’m afraid I love it less nowadays |
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Thanks Jimnast great find
 So after paying everyone out i probably broke the law by about 10 mins  |
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No problem Hayden enjoyed looking through some old papers today in fact I might do a Cheltenham quiz on here tomorrow night.
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Meladon same colours as pollardstown I think.
--------------------------------------------------- Meladon was Blue with white birds eye spots,blue cap IIRC,Pollardstown was red/wine coloured with crossbelts. |
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Cheers punchestown I knew pollardstowns colours just thought meladon was the same,
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Not even the same trainer
 I wonder who I am getting it mixed up with |
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Jimnast
we all got mixed up at Cheltenham remember one year never backed a winner up to the foxhunters i was on the way to ocean finance shouted at the top of my voice go on edna my darling. hope you are well. Ronnie. |
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We’ve all had bad years ronnie I remember doing no good at all after 16 races not a sniff of a draw then backed the last two winners path of peace and dramatist,the year jonjo was champion rider with one winner imagine that now.
Hope your well to |
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Jimnast
we all got mixed up at Cheltenham remember one year never backed a winner up to the foxhunters i was on the way to ocean finance shouted at the top of my voice go on edna my darling. hope you are well. Ronnie. ------------------ The Edna joke a few days early Ronnie...  |
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Jimnast
here is one for your cheltenham quiz which good looking poster on here who works for corals was one of the last people to stand in the OLD winners enclosure. Jim Wilson was the jockey. |
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I know he rode 3 winners one year ronnie think it as 1980 but don’t know the answer to your question
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Jimnast
was at Cheltenham non festival meeting many many years my dad and his pal had a winner last race of the day, they pulled the old winners enclosure down the next day. M Naughton was the trainer Jim Wilson was jockey. Ronnie. |
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Remember the trainer Ronnie but wouldn’t have an earthly which horse,I would guess your talking the 80s
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I was there for all 3 of Best Mate’s Gold Cup wins and remember the tension in the main stand before and during the race. As they turned in I got things going by shouting ‘Let him Out!!’ at the top of my voice it broke the tension alright. There were hats going in the air, the lady next to me in tears and me 60k winnings from a decent double and a medium single. Even bumped into Edward Gillespie walking around from the main stand to the winners enclosure and told him i had rang him about the Man Utd fans threatening to sit on the course to disrupt the Gold Cup. Never forget it the memories are tresured.
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The OP about the snowy gold cup made my day at an early age, got home from school around 4 pm and was delighted that i could watch the delayed gold cup.
Then aged 17 I watched Desert Orchid beat Yahoo in 89 aged 17. I was hooked. Loved it when Imperial Commander won the 2 horse race. Betting wise, backing Exotic Dancer @750/1 who was always the bridesmaid to a superstar. My favourite is Coneygree. |
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I remember Meladon every well and backed it myself. 8/1 s p or thereabouts having been well backed all day?
A traditional Irish punt? Don;t know how I fell onto it. |
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The greatest jockey's only Gold Cup win was Fred Winter's 7yr old, Midnight Court in 1978. The original race was called off on the Thursday morning because of snow and rescheduled for Wed 12 April 1978. Interestingly Winter was able to run Midnight Court at Chepstow where he won ridden by Graham Thorner(Francome was riding at Doncaster) but the horse didn't jump well and Francome retained the ride in the Gold Cup.
There was much contoversy at the time over Francome getting the ride because of concerns over his relationship with Bookmaker John Banks but Winter was loyal to his stable jockey. He was however later banned for a few weeks and Banks was banned for 3 years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSvy7H4IGGE&ab_channel=VintageHorseRacing. |
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I always remember Fred Winter, in interview with Francome, who had just appealed to him along the lines of "honest guvnor I've never ever given away any information about the stable to anyone", retorting, with a look of grim death ( as was his wont ) - "I know son, and you should know that you wouldn;t be standing there if you had". The inference was clear.
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Denman (2008) and Long Run (2011)
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Jimnast - here's a good one for your quizzes. The 1978 Gold Cup(12 April) took place after the Grand National(1 April)
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Crystall
I recall going to bed on the Wednesday night no sign of snow opened the curtains the next morning could not believe how much snow had fallen. remeber watching the gold cup at Ripon races did not back a winner there. Ronnie. |
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