Your Top 5 most memorable racing-related experiences

C

Cruella

At the Start
Joined
Apr 1, 2008
Messages
680
What five racing or racing-related memories will stay with you forever? Mine are:

1. Having dinner with Henry Cecil at the Jockey Club Rooms (he insulted my dog :lol: ) and then spending the next morning on the gallops with and being shown round Warren Place by him
2. Being at York for Frankel's Juddmonte - the most emotional day's racing I'm ever likely to experience
3. Getting to choose BTO and present a winner's trophy - okay, it was only at Leicester but still...
4. Being at Newbury for Denman's first Hennessy, including managing to get 11/2 from a rails bookie and queuing up to collect my winnings in a hailstorm
5. 2007 Greatwood Hurdle day. The races were run in torrential rain and high winds and the bumper was abandoned because the post holes where the hurdles had been were filling up with water. The previous day had been OH's and my first ever visit to Cheltenham and the entire weekend kindled our love for the Paddy Power meeting. On the Sunday our brolly blew away on the trek from the car park; we watched the whole Sunday card on one of the TV's in the Arkle bar, leaning on the Himself cuttings display case next to an illegal bookie whose daughter was his reluctant runner and we didn't see a horse in the flesh all day. It wasn't the greatest days racing but it was a brilliant experience.
 
1) Red Rum's third National... I was only young... but I was there :)

2) Shergars Derby... Day off school... he was a hell of a horse that day..

3) Shahrastani's Derby... My mate's Dad ran a Hotel in Newmarket... the year before a drunk Walter Swinburn had broken a bar stool and to compensate said he had the winner of next years Derby... Shahrastani. My mates Dad had £100 @ 33/1, £100 @ 16/1 after he won the trial and £100 @ 13/2 on the day... I'll never forget him shouting "where's the f***king line?" with a look of pure pain on his face during that final furlong... priceless

4) Nashwans Derby... My biggest ante-post win still to this day and I jumped off a stair-rail I was balanced on to watch the race when he went clear... and landed on some poor unfortunate woman with me screaming in her ear... I'm surprised she didn't sue :) ... but it wouldn't have been my best win if only Mister Baileys hadn't pipped Grand Lodge in the Guineas... still can't bring myself to watch a recording of that race :((

5) Getting in a cab on Oaks day in 1987 and finding myself sharing it with H.Cecil... I teased him that his filly Scimitarra was going to get turned over in the Oaks... I felt awful when she broke her leg in the race...

and then there was the day Cheltenham held it's first sunday race meeting... but that's a story for another day ;)

Jeez... looking back they are all old memories... time flies :(
 
1. Travelling up from Cornwall to watch our first Grand National in 1993, only for it be declared a void race.

2. Being show around Martinstown the home of J P McManus and then going outside to see an empty paddock. One of the stable girls gave a shout and Istabraq came bounding up over the hill to greet us.

3. Meeting Ruby's family at Ted's stables and after being wined and dined being allowed to wander outside and spend as much time as we wanted with Papillon, Commanche Court and Rince Ri.

4. Was at Exeter races the day Best Mate died, after the announcement of the tragedy you could have heard a pin drop, everyone just wanted to go home (and some did)

5. Kauto Star's second Cheltenham Gold Cup.
 
1 - Seeing George Washington in the flesh, that was a horse that knew he was something special and dared you not to believe the same!

2 - Making the OH come with me to see Frankel's 3yr old debut and managing to get a rails spot close to the winning line videoing the last furlong (still have it)

3 - Presenting the winning trophy to connections (OK it was only Huntingdon but turned out they knew one of my non horsey friends - small world!)

4 - Going to Tattersalls October Sales and looking knowledgeable enough for a 500,000 filly to be taken out and trotted up for inspection. Closely matched by standing elbow to elbow with Sheikh Mo bidding for her and freaking out as my mate was trying to make me move to pretend to bid

5 - Owning a hoof of one of the worst horses in training but loving the feeling of standing in the paddock with the Owners badge on. Its days like that that make you know you are a racing addict.....

Theres many more but these are 5 that arent betting related :)
 
Cruella said:
2. Being at York for Frankel's Juddmonte - the most emotional day's racing I'm ever likely to experience
Click to expand...

Because of Frankel or Sir Henry Cecil?

I was also there that day and agree it was emotional. The moment I saw Henry Cecil come into the parade ring I knew he was really ill, had deteriorated rapidly and would not be with us for much longer. I felt physically sick seeing him looking so frail and very upset that he looked so thin and pale. It was also a pleasure and privilege to see Frankel in the flesh, knowing how special he is/was.
 
mowgli77 said:
Because of Frankel or Sir Henry Cecil?

I was also there that day and agree it was emotional. The moment I saw Henry Cecil come into the parade ring I knew he was really ill, had deteriorated rapidly and would not be with us for much longer. I felt physically sick seeing him looking so frail and very upset that he looked so thin and pale. It was also a pleasure and privilege to see Frankel in the flesh, knowing how special he is/was.
Click to expand...

Mainly because of the palpable affection that the crowd had for Henry - which was in no small part for the reasons you describe - and because of Frankel's magnificence and his continued fulfilment of his status as the best most of us there would ever see. The most potent and poignant "I was there" moment of my racing life (and worth queuing in the 15-mile tailback from the course to the A1 for).
 
1. My son (Fallon) meeting Kieren Fallon who he was named after at Pontefract races. They say don't meet your idols but he was really friendly and genuine.
2. Picking Hallo Dandy to land my first National winner in 1984. I was only 7 yrs old, had picked one out for my dad to back based on the world famous tactic of "I like it's name" and we all gathered around the TV at my Nan's every year to watch the race. I'm assuming Hallo Dandy was held up as I remember us thinking he had stopped for a dump or being pulled up as there seemed to be no mention of him until late on.
3. My first ever tricast (and the only one I've ever won) back in 1996 - Jenzsoph, Strong John, Circus Colours. It was an evening jumps meeting I think. It paid £62 and the lady in the bookies tried to fiddle me out of my winnings.
4. Malton Open Day - a more recent memory but a chance to see the horses I follow in their home surroundings and also got to meet Monets Garden. It was strange how horses at John Quinn and a few other yards were really laid back and calm yet the horses at Fahey's yard seemed more highly strung and kept trying to take a chunk out of me. It was good to see the gallops, walkers, stables and meet some of the trainers etc.
5. 2000 Guineas - The first classic winner I'd seen live was Rock Of Gibraltar and it was my first visit to Newmarket. We stayed with a friend of a friend that had an apartment next door to Richard Quinn and it overlooked the gallops. She used to ride out for Willie Musson and you could see the horses working on the morning out of her apartment. She got us free tickets but there were 4-6 free tickets and 8 of us so 2 of us being gentlemen let the women have the tickets. They got to go in the parade ring, got a meal, met the trainers and also met Vinnie Jones, Frankie Dettori, Johnny Murtagh and a few others while we stood by the parade ring looking on enviously. Not a favourite track of mine (for viewing) but a great weekend.
 
1 Grundy's Derby 1975. The first winner I backed aged 9 1/2. 5p ew but a winner is a winner and I was hooked.

2. Irish Derby 1979. My first Classic at the races.
Getting Lester and Willie Shoemaker's autographs and seeing that the legends were real people.

3. Standing at a bus stop waiting to go to Leopardstown Derrinstown Derby Trial meeting 1987 two guys came out of a pub and seeing my binoculars offered me a lift to the races. Many racing days came from that first chance meeting. Michael Doody alas passed away all too young but Paddy is still going strong. Through these guys i met Art, got involved in race horse ownership, got to post my thoughts on here so boy am I glad the 46A bus was late that day !

4. 1988 York Ebor meeting. My first overseas racing trip.
Beautiful weather the first two days, horrible the third. My first pay cheque went on a beautiful experience.

5. Cheltenham Festival 2011.
My first experience of a "Carlsberg dont do race meetings but if they did ......" meeting.
I have been to Arcs, Breeders Cups, Epsom Derbys, Melbourne Cups, all great, all unique but not a patch on those March Days in the Cotswolds!
 
  1. May 1978, My girlfriend and I (now my current wife), were given a £5 each to pay for Leaving Cert Physics grinds at the institute of Education in Leeson St. I persuaded her that it would be a good idea to go to Leopardstown instead – Friday night, mixed card, I think Exdirectory won a trial.

She wanted to back a horse called Sword of Light in some kind of hurdle race ~ 5/1. With my ITV 7 knowledge of racing I noticed that the horse was bred in Sweden and persuaded her that SWE suffixes don’t win hurdles at Leopardtown. You can guess the rest. Still nags me about it.

Then when I dropped her home her Dad was waiting at the door for an explanation on the disbursement of tuition fees. The meeting was on TV and he’d seen us at the parade ring. Ouch.


  1. First visit to Cheltenham 2002. Guest of Smurfits in that old ugly stand the Queen Mother used to drink in. Appalled that most of the prawn sandwich brigade didn’t even venture to the balcony for most of the races, including the great ones return for a 4[SUP]th[/SUP] attempt at Champion hurdle. Pulled up, lump in my throat, left the stand never to return. My last acceptance of Corporate racing hospitality – never again.


  1. Sitting in the upper level at Longchamp when the Red Sea parted two out and a yellow flash streaked through – Sea The Stars made me speechless.


  1. Santa Anita 2003, Breeders Cup - High Chaparral and Johar dead heat, with Falbrav a head back in third. Late afternoon Californian sunshine, nice company, great shrimp. Heaven.


  1. Kilbeggan, Killarney, Ballinrobe (insert your own preference here) provincial meetings on warm summer evenings in Ireland, mixed cards, great company, moderate racing, but can’t beat it with a stick.
 
1. My first visit to Cheltenham - Moscow Flyer's second Queen Mother (even though I was on Azertyuiop)

2. My first visit to Sandown - Sprinter Sacre's Tingle Creek. Fabulous day, freezing as anything. Loved the paddock especially.

3. Haydock for Diamond Harry's win in the Fixed Brush race and one of Kauto Star's Betfair Chase wins (the one against Imperial Commander if memory serves) also had a completely immense sort of chicken tikka pie as well.

4. 1991 Ebor Festival. Went all three days, stayed in a b&b in Leeds. All three days were immense to my inexperienced eyes at the time (now I'd moan like **** about Terimon winning the International.

5. Aintree Thursday this year. In particular the South American looking girl serving behind a bar close to Tatts entrance. Long black hair, golden honey skin and hazel eyes. One of the most beautiful creatures I've ever seen, especially in counterpoint to the Scouse dross that prevails at that track with their bingo wings and orange streaks.
 
I remember being at Chepstow over the Easter period in 1959 when they used to run the Welsh Grand National on the Easter Tuesday, David Nicholson rode the winner Limonali in 59, in 1960 on Clover Bud and in 61 on Limonali again. As I recall Michael Scudamore rode the second . Had a few drinks over the years with their descendants and enjoyed recounting these times
 
My best memories are with people rather than with horses or gambling.....had so many big wins I am past caring:whistle::lol:

1. Best days of my life were spent at Bellwood Cottages when Tony Charlton started training there and John Quinn was stable jockey.
Tony had bought the place from Brian Connorton and he and I spent the summer putting new roofs on the boxes.
Tony died in a car accident coming back from Ayr races leaving his wife Sue and children Kelly and Michelle with a yard full of horses.
Sammy Stringer and John Quinn stuck by Sue to keep the yard going and eventually John and Sue married and did a fantastic job of building on Tony's legacy.
All of the above are fantastic people and I am proud to have known them as friends.


2. Jonjo making a cooked breakfast for me in his kitchen when he trained at Skelton.
His dog Skip dropped down dead from a heart attack and Jonjo gave it the kiss of life and revived him.
Poor dog only lasted 24 hours after that but Jonjo survives to this day but has given up kissing dogs.......so he claims:lol:
I could tell you a story or 2 but then I would have to kill you all.

3. Jockeys dinner and dance, queens hotel Penrith. Ron Barry Ken Hogg (Forest King) Frank Levey and David Goulding on the **** until 5am.
David had a milk round in those days he goes off to do that. Ron has to go meet with Gordon Richards and Jonjo and suggests that I should go with Frank
and ride out.

How we got from the hotel to Greystoke I can't remember but when we get there Jonjo and Gordons daughter Joey were arriving at the same time.
Frank took me round and gave me a quick leg up on Sea Pigeon which was a big thing for me. Some lad also pissed let Highway Rambler lose in the yard
which had everyone in panic. Luckily by the time Gordon came into the yard everything had quitened down. Sitting in the tack room he looks at me and says" Who are you"
Drunk I say "Ken Oliver sent me to help you out" Gordon sees the funny side and says' "That fat ******* recommended you you must be rubbish"
Long story short I am on a horse called Spondulicks who has no interest in going to the gallops but eventually with some assistance we get there.
Now the gallops face towards the yard and suddenly my fellow thinks he's the fastest horse in the world and starts passing everything at speed.
This has everyone in stitches and I, expecting a bollocking from Gordon gets a big smile. He calls me a kamikaze pilot and tells me even Big Ron can't hold that ****** when he takes off.

Never a day went passed if I went racing and Gordon had runners he would walk passed without stopping for a quick chat. If I were asked who was your hero in Racing I would have to say Gordon W Richards. The last time I saw him was at Carlisle race, a meet I remeber like it was yesterday, where I they have erected a statue of him..........def on my Bucket list on my next UK visit to go and see it.


4. Riding Sea Pigeon round the streets of Norton when he was housed with Pat Rohan. I had an injured horse stabled at Polly Tierney's at the same time Sea Pigeon was stabled there in his retirement so I visited him many times. Twice I ran into Jonjo there who had driven across from Skelton just to say hello to the old horse, although I knew him these were not arranged meetings I was just running into a guy who genuinely loves his horses.

5. Somehow I can not forget the day I played in Trainers Jockeys golf tourney and partnered Mick Naughton.........my jaws still ache from the laughter that day produced.


Worst racing memory: Meeting Dermott Browne.........instantly dis-likable and a backstabber
 
Last edited:
"2. Jonjo making a cooked breakfast for me in his kitchen when he trained at Skelton. His dog Skip dropped down dead from a heart attack and Jonjo gave it the kiss of life and revived him"

Jaysus, I though the only miracle Jonjo ever performed was to win the Gold Cup with Synchronised.
 
In no particular order:
1. Aged 19 spending a few Sunday evenings drinking gin and tonic with the legend Fred Winter (I was a friend of his daughter Jo) and literally quizzing him relentlessly about training racehorses. I knew I was in the presence of a great man and was determined to make the most of it.
2. Meeting my childhood idol (I had posters on my bedroom walls from the age of 13 and swore I was going to marry him!) Steve Cauthen and finding he was every bit as nice as I could imagine. I was working for Charlie Nelson at the time as Assistant Secretary and was sitting having a drink with him when he got a phone call. Steve had just won the Derby on Reference Point and decided to swing by Lambourn to celebrate. Charlie arranged to go for dinner and turned to me and said "you're coming too, right?" OMG! I then had to make an excuse to go home, change, wash my hair etc. Came back - no Steve. He was stuck in traffic. By the time he arrived, it was several large gins later and I was pretty pickled. No matter! I sat at dinner between Steve Cauthen and John Francome (another idol) - I was in a gin-induced seventh heaven.
3. Dawn Run's Gold Cup - they don't get much better than that - the reception was something never to forget.
4. Co-training a cheap pointer (£2k) Fully Loaded, to win 9 from 12 races in the same season and end up as Champion Point to Pointer. And all done being ridden by complete novices (Boss's 2 granddaughters who had never race-ridden before). Whole season was an utter fairytale for us.
5. Ten years ago today (at 2.30) I trained my first (official) winner http://www.racingpost.com/horses/re...lts_top_tabs=re_&results_bottom_tabs=ANALYSIS I was completely convinced she was going to be brought down by a seagull flying into her. It was not a great race but after her first race where she showed so much promise, I knew that this was hers for the taking. Sadly she fractured a canon bone in her next start and although she recovered, she was never right to race again.
 
1.
My best ever racing experience was an Open meeting a dozen or so years ago. (It might have been the one where Rooster Booster won the Greatwood en route to festival glory but I went to three or four open meetings in succession around that time so can't be certain.) There was a forum get-together in the car park on the Saturday prior to racing. From memory, attendees included BrianH, Relkeel (and either son of Relkeel or dad of him), Paul J, Shadow Leader, Jinnyj, Dave (can't remember his full forum name but he was from Bristol and a guy I instantly took to, a real gent) and maybe a few others, eg Paul Clarke aka Yorkshireman or Grey Desire or something like that. I apologise to them for not remembering them. I had brought along a couple of bottles of Bollinger but there must have been overa dozen bottles of champagne all in and someone had organized eats (the Relkeels,maybe?) I was pished before going into the track but had a great day. I remember meeting up with a few of the forumites at various points during the afternoon and having a pint or two then. I'm struggling to recall any of the races that day. We repeated the meet-up the following day before racing to finish what was left of the goodies. It's a weekend that will live with me for ever. Utterly brilliant.

2-5 in no particular order.
Getting to other Open meetings and meeting the same and new forumites over the weekends. Meeting Krizon, terry and Peter (another forumite - the AW fan) one day at Ascot. Meeting jinnyj, Shadow Leader and SteveM at Newbury on Hennessy Day (Celestial Gold/Barracouda in the big races?). Meeting Pebbles at Ayr.

All thoroughly edifying and enjoyable days and I'm thankful for them all and I'd love to keep in touch with more of the people than I do.

Another experience that I want to recall but wouldn't know where to place in the list would be my first Ladbrokes day at Haydock. It was when they sponsored the sprint cup. As an account holder I got an offer through the post: Car park ticket (didn't need it), entry to the Makerfield Stand suite with bucks fizz reception, Racing Post, Timeform Card, guest speaker (Willie Carson, who seemed just to tip the Timeform top rated), four-course lunch with (literally, it seemed) unlimited wine, betting & tote facilities, afternoon tea (seemingly an unlimited supply of sandwiches and cakes after the third race) and bar facilities (as if you needed them). The cost? £17. It was astonishing value. It was a brilliant day and worthy of a place in the list too.
 
Last edited:
Again, in no particular order:
17/3/83 Dickinson's Famous Five. My first full Cheltenham and only one winner (Badsworth Boy) on the first two days. A nice winner with Saxon Farm in the Triumph but the Gold Cup was a never to be repeated experience. Apologies to Tout Seul, even after all this time, but Bregawn had been my 'certainty' for weeks and I just knew that he would beat Wayward Lad. Captain John gave a few heart flutters though!

7/12/85 First race at Lingfield won by Opening Bars. You never forget your first winner and to have it on C4 with your name being called as the winning owner, the stuff of dreams. Another toot for Tout Seul who was part of the group. Still a kick after all these years to watch the video with the owners congregating in the winners enclosure.

17/2/90 Went to Chepstow to watch Sam Shorrock running. Brought down on the flat (the tight bend at the end of the home straight) but compensation over a cuppa with the trainer, Graham Thorner, his ex-boss Tim Forster, and the ex-wife of his best friend, Jenny Pitman. All with a slightly prickly reputation but just 3 racing people putting the world to rights.

24/11/90 Towcester and the very same Sam Shorrock winning a 6 horse race at 66/1. We didn't appreciate until later but his novice chases had included runs against Arctic Call, Garrison Savannah, Knight Oil and Docklands Express so we weren't expecting too much. Quite an experience to be cheered into the winners enclosure by the bookies.

Number 5 is a toss up with a couple of runs by Lord Noelie being very close but, on balance, I'd have to go for a crappy flat meeting at Lingfield where some of us met up as a memorial for TH stalwart Alan Morgan. A journey from the north west made sociable by Dave G and a realisation that cyber people could be genuine.
 
No particular order:

1. Watching Kauto Star win his 5th King George. Had the pleasure to be there on course through so many of his big runs and wins, but this one to my mind topped it. I was watching from the balcony above the parade ring and went leaping about madly, prompting big smiles from the guy next to me who was picking up the rubbish between races.

2. Watching Persian Punch on TV win his Doncaster Cup. So many memorable moments with that wonderful horse, but this one just had the edge, simply by the margain he won in!

3. As an 18 year old during college half term, placing £5 win on Warrsan in the Coronation Cup, followed by £5 win on Ouija Board for the Oaks the following race, both with the same bookie. That £10 would have been my bus fair for the week if not half term. Perfect timing!

4. Picking Holmwood Legend out for the Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, on the tote at 40-1. Picked him out for my mum, who had a tradition of asking me to pick a big price horse for her every Cheltenham week at each way. Picked this one simply because, his name sounded similar to my mum's surname!! :D

5. Finally at Kempton, for the 2012 King George. I was taking photos of Kauto Star in the pre-parade ring, with not many other people about, when the steward began chatting to me. We spoke about his runs and then the steward said "His owner will be along in a minute, why don't you nip over and get your photo with him quick?" I didn't need asking twice and don't know how I bluffed the girls looking after him, but managed to get my photo taken with him. A photo I will always treasure!! Big thanks to that steward!!:thumbsup:
 
Nice thread.

No particular order:

1. Bandini winning the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. We had a tour of Coolmore Ashford in the morning and they were mad keen on Bandini. Did the job in style with a fair amount of my dollars on him. Seeing Coolmore and going racing in Keeneland made for a great day.
2. Harchibald out-battling Rooster Booster in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. No more really needs to be said - magic.
3. Soviet Song winning the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. Went down the day prior to a wedding from London - got hopelessly lost and missed the first race. The rest of the day was top class though - fantastic place to go racing. As it turned out, the best horse that ran that day was actually Shamardal, who bolted up in the Vintage. Got word for Suez in the fillies maiden later on the card as well - won nicely, and played a hand in beginning my obsession with 2yo maidens.
4. 2006 Breeders Cup Classic at Churchill Downs. Great race (Bernardini, Invasor, George Washington, Lava Man etc) but my overriding memory is the atmosphere around the parade ring beforehand - absolutely electric. Have never seen Aidan O'Brien as edgy before a race as he was that day.
5. Beef Or Salmon beating Best Mate in the Ericsson (Christmas 2004 I think) - and Carberry's gesture at the line! Beef Or Salmon getting up to win the Hennessy a few years later (Jacob gave The Listener far too aggressive a ride in fairness) was another spine-tingler.
 
Last edited:
It's difficult but lucky to going racing a lot living where I do so its hard to filter

1 that kauto kgv. Quite stunning performance . A bit wtf.
2 frankel royal lodge. A well respected friend in racing circles turned round and said that's an I was there moment
3 katchit champion hurdle. Just loved that horse.
4 desert orchid first kgv. Following the grey got me so very much into live racing. The crowd was silent
5. First Cheltenham visit. You see it in on the box and expect so much but I just stared and savoured at what is one of the world's great sporting arenas
 
Last edited:
Back
Top