A Thread For Roddy Owen

Diamond Geezer

Diamond Geezer

Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
May 2, 2003
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Was at Cheltenham racecourse today and went in via the Hall of Fame entrance, not normally an entrance I use. Whilst my companion was talking to Edward Gillespie ( yes he still goes in there most days) I had a short wander looking up at all the jockey colours for all the CGC winners which hang from the the ceiling and my eyes alighted on the colours of a horse called Roddy Owen, winner of the CGC in 1959. Never realised a horse called that had won this race and my companion informed me that was the first year the CGC was run on the New Course, so since being home I've had a look on google and found this on You Tube. Expect you know all this Roddy but in case you didn't realise, there's a recording of the race here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ljt3vVm274
 
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I and a few others thought at first that Roddy had named himself after the horse, but it turned out not to be the case. We should have guessed that the horse was in fact named after him.
 
DG, the New Course wasn't opened until the mid-60's ('65 I think) and they're definitely running on the Old Course in that clip. The first fence we see is the 2nd last (in its old downhill position) and then they round the bend to the the final, and only, fence in the straight. Old Course no question, and there's no sign of any other course there.

So I'm puzzled as to why Wikipedia et al. refer to the 1959 GC being the first to be run on the "New Course". Perhaps this refers to the fact that they no longer used the long chute, with the start of the race up near the railway station.

Just watched a recording of Arkle's 3 Gold Cups. In the first ('64), no sign of the New Course (it clearly hadn't been built). However in '65 the New Course fences are clearly visible, though the race was still run on the Old Course. Ditto '66.
 
Thanks Michael, will pass that on. Apparently around that time, 1959 or 1960, the GCC had (five ?) CGC winners amongst the runners, possibly including one who had not yet won it. Those present this afternoon seemed to think this was the most CGC winners ever to race in one race, don't know how true that was.

Whilst trawling around I see a racecard for the 1959 CGC recently sold for £42.91 on ebay

In the same year the first Queen Mother Champion Chase took place
 
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Very disappointed to read that this contains no reference to onions or gin.

Seriously, how do you expect to draw our hero's attention this thread, if you fail to mention either of his two favourite subjects?
 
michael_o said:
DG, the New Course wasn't opened until the mid-60's ('65 I think) and they're definitely running on the Old Course in that clip. The first fence we see is the 2nd last (in its old downhill position) and then they round the bend to the the final, and only, fence in the straight. Old Course no question, and there's no sign of any other course there.
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For clarification a number of other sites report

"The Cheltenham Gold Cup as we know it today was first raced as a jumps event on March 12th 1924, however the course was last changed in 1959, so for many people this marks where the modern era of the Gold Cup began. The track where the Gold Cup was run between 1924 – 1959, is now referred to as the “Old Course”, whereas the “New Course” refers to all runnings of the Gold Cup post 1959."
 
If they do name a bar after us it would be a huge rift to leave the Mandarin. The horse was named after a famous amateur jockey around the turn of the last century . After the old man named me accordingly , ( in 1944 ) and especially after we all bet the winner in 59 ,I have been deluged each birthday with caricatures ,photos and anecdotes about him. I remember meeting Lord Oaksey for the first time ,before he was a Lord. His retort was "Roddy Owen ,theres a name to conjure with " Its all been great fun. The racing powers that be, in their wisdom refused to let me be known by my given name , until about fifteen years ago, citing a clash with the old jockey ,and in fact then released it to some American. I objected and managed to get it overturned
 
Diamond Geezer said:
For clarification a number of other sites report

"The Cheltenham Gold Cup as we know it today was first raced as a jumps event on March 12th 1924, however the course was last changed in 1959, so for many people this marks where the modern era of the Gold Cup began. The track where the Gold Cup was run between 1924 – 1959, is now referred to as the “Old Course”, whereas the “New Course” refers to all runnings of the Gold Cup post 1959."
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Yes. But the "New Course" doesn't mean the second course, built in 1965, which we are familiar with today. Just have a close look at the 1959 clip.....where is the New Course?
 
Roddy Owen said:
If they do name a bar after us it would be a huge rift to leave the Mandarin.
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Roddy, I confess that when I read of the impending redevelopment of Cheltenham, I did have a vision of you; standing alone at the corner of the Mandarin Bar, in your best tin-flute with treble Gordons'n'Tonic in hand......surrounded by cranes, boulders and burly men wearing Hi-Vis waiscoats, deftly sweeping the cement-dust from your shoulders.

:D
 
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Roddy Owen the jockey won 1892 Grand National on Father o Flynn. An army captain, he later died in Africa and "Owen Falls" in Kenya is named after him.
Roddy Owen the horse was trained by Danny Morgan, who rode 1938 GC winner Morse Code, defeating Golden Miller ridden that day by Frenchie Nicholson. Along with Fred Winter, Pat Taaffe, and Jonjo O Neill ,he is one of a club of four who rode and trained Cheltenham Gold Cup winners. Roddy Owen was ridden by Bobby Beasley who won GC on Captain Christy in1974,trained by Pat Taaffe. A lot of history following Roddy Owen!
Thanks for the thread DG!
 
Grasshopper said:
Roddy, I confess that when I read of the impending redevelopment of Cheltenham, I did have a vision of you; standing alone at the corner of the Mandarin Bar, in your best tin-flute with treble Gordons'n'Tonic in hand......surrounded by cranes, boulders and burly men wearing Hi-Vis waiscoats, deftly sweeping the cement-dust from your shoulders.

:D
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As long as that bookie from the West of Ireland is there laying me 6/1 Big Bucks or whatever the update is , I will be there,and you and the lads with me I hope old boy:lol:
 
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