FIVE OF MY FAVOURITE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL RACES. WHAT ORDER WOULD YOU PUT THEM IN? FAVOURITE FIRST

StayOrGo

Hi guys.

No crowds at Cheltenham this year, but still going to be great racing, lets look forward to this in 2022!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci7bpYPd6Tg

Here are five of my favourite horse races from the Cheltenham Festival, which I had the good fortune to watch live (random order)

What order would you put them in? Favourite first.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xk3DJTSvGM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcCuIVn6egM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLLKZLWq3us&t=5s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M55uXN8859I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Klmzyz5qINo

vaigret

FIRST -DESSIE WINNING
SECOND - ALDERBROOK
3RD - WELL CHEIF
4TH- BEST MATE
5TH-FLAGSHIP

StayOrGo

Not too dissimilar to you @vaigret

FIRST - DESSIE WINNING Still remember that day so well, as a 20 year old jumping up and down in the Cheltenham mud celebrating his win. It felt like the crowd "lifted" him over the line. Had £400 on at 11/4 but it took over a month to get paid. (long story)
2ND - BEST MATE Cruised the whole way around, mighty horse, winning his first of three consecutive Gold Cups as a six year old
3RD - ALDERBROOK This was the year of the ALDERBROOK/MASTER OATS Champion Hurdle/Gold Cup double for trainer Kim Bailey. Amazing run as a novice!
4TH - WELL CHIEF Great ride on the inner by A.P.McCoy. Overcame a sloppy jump at the last, thanks to the McCoy drive, and use of whip to prevent Kicking King passing.
5TH - FLAGSHIP In what was a truly attritional race. I think Richard Johnson used his whip, like 24 times. (The limit then was 14) It provoked mixed responses with some people feeling it was acceptable as the race was a "war of attrition" It probably "wasn't OK", but a mighty race! Got the Placepot up this day, which paid over £10K to a £1 stake. Had it for 40p. Did 480 line perm at 10p per line with a couple of "double ups"

Hope you are doing OK Terry.

gpc70

some great memories there Graham and some very expensive ones.

first Alderbrook was a massive fan of the Bailey Williamson combo backed them both and a small double at fancy prices,was at Lingfield one wet day in 94 and saw Master Oates win by miles with Williamson pulling up from the last but going further clear and
backed everytime the ground was deep.

2nd best mate one word class.

3rd Well Chief a masterclass from McCoy.

4thFlagship.

5th Dessie this is the painful one after backing Yahoo most of the winter at 66/1 50etc ,during the race i'm confident of getting the e/w money which was a fair few quid,but as they ran down to 2 out i was thinking oi oi we got this in the bag Dessie won't get up the hill Yahoo going 2 clear to this day i still say to myself Dessie's a non stayer cant get up that hill over 3and a quarter miles they were thinking of running it in the Queen Mother,i still shake my head in horror to this day oh well no post mortems.

StayOrGo

gpc70 said:

some great memories there Graham and some very expensive ones.

first Alderbrook was a massive fan of the Bailey Williamson combo backed them both and a small double at fancy prices,was at Lingfield one wet day in 94 and saw Master Oates win by miles with Williamson pulling up from the last but going further clear and
backed everytime the ground was deep.

2nd best mate one word class.

3rd Well Chief a masterclass from McCoy.

4thFlagship.

5th Dessie this is the painful one after backing Yahoo most of the winter at 66/1 50etc ,during the race i'm confident of getting the e/w money which was a fair few quid,but as they ran down to 2 out i was thinking oi oi we got this in the bag Dessie won't get up the hill Yahoo going 2 clear to this day i still say to myself Dessie's a non stayer cant get up that hill over 3and a quarter miles they were thinking of running it in the Queen Mother,i still shake my head in horror to this day oh well no post mortems.

Love the comments @gpc70

Yes, I feel your pain if you backed Yahoo.

I swear the crowd lifted Dessie over the line that day.

I still don't know how he won either!

Great race though, you have to admit.

vaigret

Just a few comments on why I chose the first two.

Watching horse racing most of the time , my six year old son Cieran was well versed in Dads pastime and he absolutely loved Dessie. He has two limited edition prints of the master still. For the Gold Cup I was running a Union Training Course, bad planning I know, but managed to watch a lot of the races whilst others were doing their slots. Raised the roof of my hotel room in Southport cheering him on.

@gpc70 and I have a lot in common, I put ALDERBROOK second as I also had the double with Master Oates, loved following them both and Kim Bailey. Great to see him back in the spotlight and Norman Williamson could do no wrong for couple of seasons.

Hi Graham yes doing a lot better thanks mate.

gpc70

Terry/ Graham do you remember the rematch between Dessie and Yahoo at Aintree 3weeks later,it was only a small field 8 runners i think, Dessie was odds on Yahoo was around a7/1 poke,as far as i could see it was a two runner race the other's were handicappers out of there league couldn't see Yahoo out of the frame so played my winning's from the gold cup on him and low and behold Dessie fell at about the halfway to leave Yahoo to come home clear.

StayOrGo

gpc70 said:

Terry/ Graham do you remember the rematch between Dessie and Yahoo at Aintree 3weeks later,it was only a small field 8 runners i think, Dessie was odds on Yahoo was around a7/1 poke,as far as i could see it was a two runner race the other's were handicappers out of there league couldn't see Yahoo out of the frame so played my winning's from the gold cup on him and low and behold Dessie fell at about the halfway to leave Yahoo to come home clear.

Yes I remember it well. That was my turn to be gutted as I had a big bet on the forecast Dessie to beat Yahoo.

vaigret

Yes I also remember it well and luckily I dont back odds on unless enable against a lot of selling platers LOL

gpc70

This is bad news we can remember races from 20+years ago BUT can we remember the wife's birthday ffs i'm in the s hithouse again lol.