Cheltenham gold cup

Today was the Cheltenham Gold cup - the big race in the jumping race calendar. Both my Father and my Mother were keen on horses but it was my Mother that first got me interested in following the horses competitively.

I remember her hurrying home one day because she wanted to see the Arc de triumph on what was then a black and white TV set. "It is a biggest horse race there is" she said

Back in 1990 she and I went to the Cheltenham Gold cup together. It was very much a last minute spur of the moment thing. I was working on an assignment in Bristol and bunked off work for the day. By 2pm we were at the festival in with all the rest of the crowd. This was in the era of Desert Orchid - A famous grey horse that had won many of the big jump races who had won the Gold cup the previous year. 1990 was going to be the year Desert Orchid won it twice in a row.

Of course jump racing rarely runs to the form book even if coming up to the last two jumps all looked well. Desert Orchid had cruised to the front and looked to be a certain winner when out of nowhere came a horse nobody had heard about before - Norton's coin the 100-1 shot. Over the last Norton's Coin took over the lead leaving Desert orchid a struggling second. Incredibly Norton's Coin continued up the notorious steep hill to win with ease.

In the crowd there was stunned silence. Most had had their interest on Desert Orchid. What should have been a coronation parade had suddenly been rained upon very heavily. However out of the silence there suddenly the sound of somebody singing - a noise that got louder and louder - right down the stands somebody who knew nothing about racing was dancing a jig . It turned out he had put £20 on at 100-1! We did have such a giggle about it. It was so typically jump racing - just when you thought there was certainty there wasn't. A special moment which I cherish to this day.

I have to admit to having a tear in my eye this afternoon as Kauto Star stormed to the lead to take this afternoon's race for the second time. The first horse to win back the trophy having lost it to Denman last year. Maybe it was because Gold cup's are always emotional affairs however if I'm honest it is probably because today have been my mother's birthday. God bless you and thank you for nurturing that interest you had for horses in me.