For those looking forward to the main event, here’s a little something to get you tingling in anticipation. An extract from a piece on Bailey’s Blog by Peter Kerr who is syndicate manager at Kim Bailey’s.
….. Who can remember the rivalry between the likes of Kauto Star and Denman? Both trained by Paul Nicholls but so different in style. Kauto was elegance, speed and tactical brilliance. Denman raw power “the Tank”, built for war.
At the 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup, Denman crushed previous winner Kauto Star by seven lengths in a demolition job, but the rivalry didn’t end there. Kauto came back in 2009 to reclaim the title becoming the first horse to regain the Gold Cup. In 2011, Denman beat Kauto but alas they finished second and third to Long Run, the first 6 year old to score since Mill House in 1963. It was probably one of the best ever Gold Cups with the winners of the four previous runnings all in attendance.
The rivalry captivated fans not just for the races but for the contrast. Two champions, the same stable, and for once they lived up to the hype. Racing rivalries are more than just contests; they are stories. Stories of glory, defeat, comeback, and character. They give us heroes and villains, drama, and heartbreak. Whether it’s Arkle grinding down Mill Hill on the Cheltenham Hill, or Kauto and Denman exchanging gold at Prestbury Park, these rivalries define eras.
Horse racing is a sport built on form, odds, and analysis, but every so often, a race unfolds that throws all of that straight out of the window. These are the days when outsiders become legends, favourites falter, and the racing world gasps in disbelief.
Who remembers Norton’s Coin? Still the longest-priced winner in Gold Cup history at 100/1. A true fairytale. Trained by Welsh dairy farmer Sirrell Griffiths, who had just two horses. He not only beat the best in the land but did it in style— defeating odds-on favourite and legend Desert
How about the long-priced Grand National winners? My first memory is Fionavon, who wasn’t considered much of a threat; even his owner didn’t bother turning up. At the 23rd fence, the smallest on the course, a massive pile-up took out most of the field. Fionavon, running well behind the leaders, tiptoed through the carnage like a careful cat and suddenly found himself in front. He won unchallenged and went down in history and will never be forgotten as that 23rd fence is named after him.
Mon Mome was another 100/1 winner of the race, and one surprise winner that unfortunately sticks in our memory is 2016 winner Rule The World, who had previously never won a steeplechase! He beat our very own The Last Samuri… so frustrating!
Will there be any emotional returns this season? Chianti Classico perhaps?
Who remembers the huge emotions of Aldaniti and Jockey Bob Champion? Bob was diagnosed with cancer with a 30% chance of surviving, and the horse Aldaniti had chronic leg problems, who was almost retired. Together, they won the 1981 Grand National. This wasn’t just a racing story— it was a human and equine triumph, a duo who refused to give in and inspired millions. It was even made into a film, “Champions.”
Then there was Sprinter Sacre, not an underdog at his peak— but his comeback was pure fairy tale. He dominated the 2-mile chase division, but his career looked over owing to heart problems and injury. However, he came back in 2016 to reclaim the Queen Mother Champion Chase. He went from being unbeatable to broken to beloved, and his emotional return cemented his place in racing history.
There is a reason why we remember these stories. They are not just about the horses or races; they are about fighting back. Overcoming doubt, defying the experts, defying the odds. In a sport where pedigrees and price tags often dominate, there is something irresistibly powerful about the underdog. These are the horses (and people) who were not supposed to win but did and became legends.
One of the greatest thrills in racing is that no outcome is ever guaranteed. Whether it’s a 100/1 shot at Cheltenham, a mud-splattered outsider at Aintree, the sport it’s built for shocks. These upsets remind us that on any given day, a horse that no one believed in can be a future champion, and that is the magic of national hunt racing.
Probably!
. Having said that they are not the only ones chattering about Heldam and I think he might be one worth casting our eyes over, nothing more.
