2025 National Spirit Hurdle

Would I be right in saying that back in the day it was run on a Monday -Beech Road possibly won it before going on to win his Champion Hurdle.
Tom Scu in tears after winning on Lough Derg is probably the iconic image I associate with the race.
 
LUKE said:
Mad isn't it -an actual Champion Hurdle trial on a Monday.
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It sounds mad, but, for me, that was part of the charm of UK jump racing back then.

You actually got a quality race in midweek virtually very week, the press would descend on Fontwell Park, or wherever that big race was.

Racing wasn't just about Saturday (apart from Cheltenham and Aintree) back then.

I kinda miss all that.
 
As a struggling student I hit upon the perfect gambling scam -reverse forecast doubles.These were not a bet that was popular in Ireland and I was only charged for 2 bets instead of 4.It lasted for the best part of 12 months and Paddy Power went mental when they found out.At the time they communicated to all shops by fax and a message went out telling everyone to be wary of criminals.
Beech Road/Vagador was definitely part of a reverse forecast double.
 
Ian_Davies said:
It sounds mad, but, for me, that was part of the charm of UK jump racing back then.

You actually got a quality race in midweek virtually very week, the press would descend on Fontwell Park, or wherever that big race was.

Racing wasn't just about Saturday (apart from Cheltenham and Aintree) back then.

I kinda miss all that.
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Wednesdays at Ascot covered by the Beeb were excellent.How many Champion Hurdle trials have disappeared.
 
Farting against thunder here but I'm all in favour of the big races being on Saturdays.

When I think back on all the good midweek races I had to ignore because of work commitments and not having access to a radio or TV and having to wait and see if they showed the final half-furlong on the news or gave the result in the Late News section at the bottom of the back page of the evening paper?

No thanks.

I was fortunate enough to be hit by heavy colds / flu / pleurisy (seriously!) latterly in my career somewhere around the second week of March.
 
Game of opinions, Maurice, and I get where you're coming from.

I was lucky - when I was at school I was at school and didn't expect to be any place else, at uni I was more likely to be at a race meeting than at a lecture or seminar and when I was a racing journalist I got to go as often than not.

Life must have been a drudge for those who - unlike Peter Pan here 😂 - had to grow up and have proper jobs.
 
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