What was your favourite Festival race ever ?

Amazing times Grey.

O'Sullivans commentary magnified the experience tenfold also : without equal.
 
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Desert Orchid's Gold Cup
Kauto's 2nd Gold Cup - in fact any of the Kauto and Denman Gold Cups
Rooster Booster's Champion
One Knight hitting every fence in the RSA Chase and still beating Jair Du Cochet - Richard Johnson was immense that year.

For financial reasons, No Refuge winning the R&SA Hurdle after being flat to the boards for half the race and jumping the last in 5th place - still don't know how he won that.
 
harry said:
Amazing times Grey.

O'Sullivans commentary magnified the experience tenfold also : without equal.
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I cannot listen to that commentary without crying. I used to work in the industry and had cause to ring various departments of the BHA on a regular basis. For a while they had Peter O'S's commentary as their hold 'music' - that was a trying time for me!
 
Denman's Gold Cup - it was my first Gold Cup day at Cheltenham. I was stood in the ring and to see them come back so close was magic, despite being a big Kauto fan. We had a runner in the County who finished second last but it was wonderful nonetheless. I also backed Celestial Halo in the Triumph beating that old dog Franchoek.
 
I'd like to add French Ballerina's Supreme win into the mix.

It was only my second-ever Festival visit, and the feeling of being there, and blazing out of the traps - unchallenged! - with a 9/1 winner trousered?.......well, the sense of joy was indescribable.

#beatthatforaftertiming
 
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I'm one of the very very few (I might even be alone) for whom Dessie's Gold Cup does nothing and Dawn Run's Gold Cup also leaves me cold.

I was one of those who couldn't see him winning the race and backed Yahoo at 100/1 instead, because of the deep, deep ground. I still can't quite get my head around that defeat.

I was also a huge fan of Wayward Lad, who also struggled with that hill but that year I thought nothing else would be close enough for it to matter. When he went clear after the last I thought 'job done' only for him to tie up again and let the over-rated mare get back up...

Let's be honest, Dawn Run wasn't that much better than Flakey Dove...
 
Cruella said:
I cannot listen to that commentary without crying. I used to work in the industry and had cause to ring various departments of the BHA on a regular basis. For a while they had Peter O'S's commentary as their hold 'music' - that was a trying time for me!
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If it was one of Thommos, you would have strangled yourself with the phone cord
 
Remittance Man's victory in the 1992 Champion Chase is probably my favourite race.

Others off the top of my head -

1991 Arkle - Remittance Man
1993 Supreme Novice Hurdle - Montelado
1990 Champion Hurdle - Kribensis
2003 World Hurlde - Baracouda
2004 Arkle - Well Chief
2005 Champion Chase - Moscow Flyer
1998 Champion Chase - One Man
2011 Gold Cup - Long Run
2013 Ryanair Chase - Cue Card
 
Master Minded's first Champion Chase was probably my favourite race to watch on TV - WOW.
 
Norton Coin's Gold Cup.
It was my first Festival and Kribensis had won the Champion Hurdle two days earlier. I was ridiculously upset that this Flat horse had come along and beaten all of the NH bred hurdlers and being owned by Sheikh Mohammed just made it a whole lot worse. I never had a penny on him but Norton's Coin winning the Gold Cup for a small Welsh farmer was the best posisble result for NH racing; as someone who loves this sport it brought tears to my eyes!
 
Badsworth Boy - 1983 Champion Chase.

Anyone who thinks that Master Minded was impressive, and he was of course, needs to remember that BB won the 1983 race by a distance from a field that included the 1982 champion.
It helps that it was my first complete Festival and my first winner in the 9th race of the meeting. The next day was the Dickinson Famous Five and, even though he went on to become the only 3 time winner (second and third wins by a mere 10 lengths) , Badsworth Boy never really got the credit that he deserved.
 
I empathise totally with DO as I too was left cold by those two widely celebrated victories
I feel Ten Plus had done for Desert Orchid when he left them way behind at the top of the hill. A horse that I feel had the potential to be counted as one of the "greats" and that certainly didn't seem to be slowing down, what a margin a margin of victory looked on the cards. My bet of the meeting and I started cheering, as did one of my friends who then said "I'm glad I changed my mind and followed you as none of my horses so far ( at the meeting) have finished" As he said that- well you know. The money mattered not a jot, here was a possible great that would not be going home. Gut- wrenched made worse by the cheering for Desert Orchid and the happy faces all around.
Hey, I loved Desert Orchid and had seen and backed him in a large number of his races but I chill even now to think on that day.

Wayward Lad was my favourite horse and I thought he'd done enough but it all seemed in slow motion at the end. Did I begrudge those celebrating the mare's magnificent achievement, too right. Try as I might to join with the celebrations inside me was a Gollum-like creature muttering " f--king weight allowances".
 
Tout Seul said:
I empathise totally with DO as I too was left cold by those two widely celebrated victories
I feel Ten Plus had done for Desert Orchid when he left them way behind at the top of the hill. A horse that I feel had the potential to be counted as one of the "greats" and that certainly didn't seem to be slowing down, what a margin a margin of victory looked on the cards. My bet of the meeting and I started cheering, as did one of my friends who then said "I'm glad I changed my mind and followed you as none of my horses so far ( at the meeting) have finished" As he said that- well you know. The money mattered not a jot, here was a possible great that would not be going home. Gut- wrenched made worse by the cheering for Desert Orchid and the happy faces all around.
Hey, I loved Desert Orchid and had seen and backed him in a large number of his races but I chill even now to think on that day.
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Absolutely, TS.
 
Simon said:
Master Minded's first Champion Chase was probably my favourite race to watch on TV - WOW.
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Yep

Would be my next fav and one of my rare big bets. He just seem to float round. Unlike anything ive seen over two miles. I cant remember being so sure of a win so early in a race ever. He just seemed to float round. It was beautiful to watch
 
pdleech said:
Norton Coin's Gold Cup.
It was my first Festival and Kribensis had won the Champion Hurdle two days earlier. I was ridiculously upset that this Flat horse had come along and beaten all of the NH bred hurdlers and being owned by Sheikh Mohammed just made it a whole lot worse. I never had a penny on him but Norton's Coin winning the Gold Cup for a small Welsh farmer was the best posisble result for NH racing; as someone who loves this sport it brought tears to my eyes!
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Brought tears to mine too, though for entirely different reasons.:(
 
I was talking about this with his jockey Graham McCourt recently, he really came across as a nice feller. He works for David Redvers these days.
 
Mister McGoldrick running away with the Racing Post Plate way back in 2008 was a great memory for me. Loved that horse and was awesome to see one so in love with the game simply out run and out jump his younger rivals.

For pure class, Kauto Star's 2nd Gold Cup.
 
1975 Champion Hurdle.
My brother was home sick from school and gave me 30p to have 25 win on Comedy Of Errors, 5 to cover the tax.
As a 9yo I knew nothing of racing, betting, bookies or anything else.
Had the horse been beaten I would never have bothered with horse racing as a life style.
Just to reinforce the bug he gave me money the following day to bet on Ten Up in Gold Cup. I had my first bet on Captain Christy for some involvement.
Here I am 39 years later boring you all with my thoughts and observations !
My brother rarely had another bet so blame him not me !

Captain Cee Bee Supreme Novice win.
Having seen the horse in Hartys 12 months previously I felt part ownership.
In a farmyard the day of his first Punchestown hurdle win I got the farmer to watch the race telling him this would win at Cheltenham .
When a plan comes together it is very nice !

Tied Cottage 1980 Gold Cup.
Justice at last !

Dunguib bumper.
To see P Smullen pushing and shoving ( on a future Ascot Gold Cup winner) while B O Connell was taking a pull!
I can only imagine what DK Weld was thinking!

Master Minded first 2 mile Chase.

Al Ferof Supreme Novice .
My first time at Cheltenham festival thanks to Grey for persuading me to go and Baldeagle for agreeing to come with me.
Like having a high voltage power line stuck up your ass such was the atmosphere !
No book no tv not even Alastair Down can prepare you for the electricity, the atmosphere the sense of occasion of being there !
 
The boy Well Chief in the Arkle
Moscow in his 2nd QMCC
Tidal Bay hosing up in the Arkle
Kauto in regaining the Gold Cup

Big Bucks 1st World Hurdle
Big Bucks 2nd World Hurdle
Big Bucks 3rd World Hurdle
Big Bucks 4th World Hurdle
Big Bucks 5th World Hurdle - Come on boy
 
Sizing Europe's Arkle and his Queen Mum the following year
Denman's Gold Cup - I almost wanted it to be a dead heat with Kauto though
Big Bucks' first World hurdle (enjoyed all as he is a favourite of mine but his first was the most exciting)
 
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