Horsing About

This was a commissioned article for the theatre programme of the 2012 tour of John Chapman's play Dry Rot.



The Big Three

Cheltenham Gold Cup

Held annually around St Patrick’s Day, the Cheltenham Festival is Britain’s most prestigious national hunt race meeting. The Gold Cup championship race was established in 1924 and is second only to the Grand National in terms of prize money.

  • Bookies' favourite: Arkle (winner 1964–1966).
  • Photo finish: Arab Boy, the horse that saved The Belles of St Trinian’s (1954).

Ascot Gold Cup

Held annually in June, Royal Ascot is the social event of the horseracing calendar. Introduced in 1807, the Gold Cup is held traditionally on the third day, known as ‘Ladies' Day’, and as much focus is on the female attendees' flamboyant hats as on the flat racing.

  • Bookies' favourite: Yeats (winner 2006–2009).
  • Photo finish: Dover, the horse given ‘colourful’ encouragement by Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady (1964).

The Grand National

Held annually in April at Aintree, the Grand National is the country’s longest national hunt race at four-and-a-half miles. It’s also the most valuable national hunt event in the country, making the National a favourite for punters who wouldn’t normally have a flutter on a horse.

  • Bookies' favourite: Red Rum (winner 1973–1974 and 1977).
  • Photo finish: the Pie in National Velvet (1944), the gelding ridden to victory by a prepubescent Elizabeth Taylor.

 

Horseplay

The canned National

The 1993 Grand National ended in farcical circumstances when several of the riders failed to notice a false start. After protestors had delayed the start of the race, there followed another two false starts, the second of which wasn’t spotted. Despite attempts from the crowd and officials to notify the riders, seven of them finished the race, which was declared void. As a result, bookies had to repay £75 million in bets.

Frankie Dettori’s magnificent seven

One of the most impressive individual moments in horse racing occurred at Royal Ascot in September 1996 when Italian jockey Frankie Dettori won seven races in a single day. Bookies had placed 6720–1 odds against Dettori achieving the feat. By the time the seventh winner, Fujiyama Crest, had crossed the line, some bookies had lost up to £800,000 on 25,051–1 accumulators. Betfred responded by flashing a wry message upon their betting shop screens: "Reward, dead or alive: good-looking Italian kid, last seen in Ascot area."

100–1 shots

There have been a few rank outsiders over the years that came in at 100–1. These include Norton’s Coin in the 1990 Cheltenham Gold Cup, and Foinavon and Mom Mome at the 1967 and 2009 Grand Nationals respectively. Foinavon later had a fence named after him to commemorate the scene of the melee that led to his victory.


© John Good


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