Your Worst Chelt Festival Memory

kfallon

Everyone always likes to talk about their fav Cheltenham Festival Memory and how they backed a horse 3 years in advance at 1,000/1 and it romped home on the day

But what's your worst Festival Memory, be it a losing bet where defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory or is it a tragic moment like Valiramix's fatal fall

Perhaps it was actually losing your car in a card school late at night or following thru with a big dirty Guinness fart as you took your place to watch the bumper

Anyway the first one to spring to mind for me was Refinement getting beat in the Mares Race on Gold Cup day '08 when we had 25 races on that day alone and racing started about 9am (or at least that's how it felt :pac:) McCoy was at work a long way from home but she responded to his urgings, hit the front then idled to allow Whiteoak to get back up. I was on at 10's and I was nearly physically sick after it

ft9

Ruby working on Hurricane Fly last year and not gaining the ground I expected him to is the first that springs to mind. I had to lie down for a while after it. Great thread.

dahat

I have two.....

Gloria Victus when he fell going well in the Gold Cup,had him backed for good money at 66/1

Best Mate the year Foot and Mouth claimed the Festival,had him backed at all prices for the Arkle,damn disease!!

UrbanSea

Don't know about my worst Cheltenham memory but can remember when Age of Aquarius went wrong at Goodwood a few years ago. Was one of those times when a huge collective groan can just be heard

ft9

RichieLawlessness wrote: »

Don't know about my worst Cheltenham memory but can remember when Age of Aquarius went wrong at Goodwood a few years ago. Was one of those times when a huge collective groan can just be heard

You can talk about this in the summer with other boring people.

jimjamcos

Has to be Hurricane Fly losing last year. Had him in a big antepost accumulator from early doors with Zarkander (Betfair Hurdle), Sprinter Sacre, Quevega and Big Bucks. They all ended up odds on come the festival of course and really couldn't see any of them losing!

At least HF was well bet...would of felt a lot worse if he'd been beaten by a neck! Still hurts when I think of what he lost me though! :P

supremenovice

My memory is from that mad 10 race card on the Thursday of '08.
The race in question - The Racing Post chase and Mister McGoldrick.
I was in the pub with a friend and he said to me what about McGoldrick? he recognized the name I think.
I said "nahhhh' no chance, better off looking at something nearer the top of the betting".
LOL I never heard the end of it when he p***ed in at 66/1.

Overthelast

Had £20ew double kayf aramais & ping pong de sivola. Both trained by veneiatta williams. I had kayf @ 22/1 in the bag. Ping pong leading, turning for home and Veniatta's 3rd runner of the day caught my fella on the run in. They were clear of the rest. Cost me 3k+ from memory. Vomit.

3ndahalfof6

Saved 3k for it, took 5 days off work went to the pub listened to the big punters (big mistake) I done a tenner EW on 2 horses, the first horse won @ 33/1 in the first race, the second horse was in the last race of the meeting, backed from 12/1 into 4/1 fav on the day it never even placed,

I love the other meetings when chelt is on now, trainers send horses to them @ big prices to win.

Gautama

2009: First Cheltenham. First Day. First Race. First Roar. First Cry. Cousin Vinnie.
2010: Binocular romping home... recalling JP saying it was his banker for the festival.
2011: Got onto the Raise The Beat bandwagon (22nd) forgetting about Davy Russell lauding Cheltenian.
2012: Being tipped up with Alfie Sherrin by a friend who'd been to the Jonjo yard that morning. But backed Fruity O'Rooney at 20/1 instead. Former mugs latter by 1 length.

kksaints

From a betting point of view Rock on Ruby in the Neptune. Had him backed ante-post and on the day. Just pipped.

Otherwise champion hurdle 2002 was a rotten race with Istabraq and Valiramix.

Shane732

Dunguib and Hurricane Fly last year.

Dunguib is my biggest loss ever I think.

Slattsy

Backing Big Zeb in the without Master Minded market at 4/1 and then it won at 10s.
Raging.

tipster

boston bob in the albert bartlett last year would have won a fortune got a terrible ride from ruby.hopefully he"ll do the biz this time

Slattsy

Not backing Sublimity when he won the CH.
There was tips flying round left right and centre. I didn't listen.

Johner

tipster wrote: »

boston bob in the albert bartlett last year would have won a fortune got a terrible ride from ruby.hopefully he"ll do the biz this time

Best horse won that race. Brindisi Breeze would have been a monster of a horse.

TheMilkyPirate

Baby run falling at the second last in the foxhunters, Cost me a nice few pound.

jayroyal

Paul Carberry ride on Psycho was terrible in the County Hurdle, done me out of a lucky 15 :mad: I guess that's a risk you take with the likes of Carberry and Murphy I suppose.

Shane732

Slattsy wrote: »

Not backing Sublimity when he won the CH.
There was tips flying round left right and centre. I didn't listen.

That was horrible.

Motivator

Thankfully I have never got involved in any if the hype surrounding ridiculously short price favs at Cheltenham. However I've had plenty of horrible moments involving horses at big-ish prices.

By far the worst day of my life as a punter was Celestial Halo getting done by Punjabi in 2009. I was physically sick after the race. I had €2,500 on him at prices ranging from 12/1 down to 7/1 & I'll be honest when I say this, I wept like a woman a few times even weeks after it. I've learned my lesson though & will never clear 3 bank accounts (1 of which was a joint account) to back a horse again.

tipster

Johner wrote: »

Best horse won that race. Brindisi Breeze would have been a monster of a horse.

not denying that at all crackin horse but boston still got a shocker of a ride it would have been very tight

Dicky Pride

I have two.

I forget the year but I had done a free newspaper €2 placepot. I had 5 up and was waiting on refinement in the bumper. Finished 4th. Pot paid 1600.

Sublimity was another one. I tipped him to people when he was 50-1 but never backed him myself.

Sometimes I believe that I don't believe to win money. I make ridiculous decisions and its usually about 10 seconds after I make the bet when I realise it hasn't a hope.

Juwwi

I saw an owl lad drop his wallet near the parade ring one year.

Stuck it in the pocket and went to the jacks to check the contents.

Bloody £15 in it I taught I was gona be loaded.:(























* Edit for the people who cant get a joke this was not a true story.

bellybuster12

Motivator wrote: »

Thankfully I have never got involved in any if the hype surrounding ridiculously short price favs at Cheltenham. However I've had plenty of horrible moments involving horses at big-ish prices.

By far the worst day of my life as a punter was Celestial Halo getting done by Punjabi in 2009. I was physically sick after the race. I had €2,500 on him at prices ranging from 12/1 down to 7/1 & I'll be honest when I say this, I wept like a woman a few times even weeks after it. I've learned my lesson though & will never clear 3 bank accounts (1 of which was a joint account) to back a horse again.

:eek: U mean you didn't go e/w??

bellybuster12

robbie1977 wrote: »

I saw an owl lad drop his wallet near the parade ring one year.

Stuck it in the pocket and went to the jacks to check the contents.

Bloody £15 in it I taught I was gona be loaded.:(

oh dear!!

Sir des champs

My worst memories always surround irish bankers when will we ever learn!!
Moscow flyer 2004 champ chase unseating geraghty,limestone lad beaten by bachanal,harcon beating in the rsa, joe mac beaten by alexander banquet in champ bumper just a few from the past to menti 2011 on to the most recent dunguib in supreme,last yrs 2 the fly and boston bob. So who is it going to be this year, the fly again, pont alexandre or what i suspect quevega.

Morleystreet

Not backing hardy eustace when he won champion hurdle at 33-1. Huge tip around town for him and everyone else was on him but I couldn't see past rooster booster.

Other one was Gloria vicis tragic fall in gold cup.

UrbanSea

My worst was one year I was going up to the bookies' ring to back Punjabi at 25/1. Had a bad day and was down to my last 15 quid. Walked from the Parade Ring there and realised I'd lost my wallet en route. Hope whoever picked up the wallet lost all their money, I was sick

bellybuster12

Dunguib in the supreme was one, Moscow flyer in 2004.

Hoofer

These three memories il never forget..Im sure iv had few more close ones but these haunt me as I was well on them heavy!

2007 watching Juveingeur go down by short head to Joes edge..had him well backed..had to sit down after.

2008 watching Venalmar get beat by a neck to Fiveforthree in the Ballymore up in club..I was gutted for hours after as I had him well backed and lost my voice roaring him home...went to the bar for a brandy after.

2012 watching Toner d'oudaries get beat by a neck to Ataglance in the martin pipe..had him well backed and in a double with Brindisi Breeze..sick

klairondavis

Nick Dundee.

I still haven't seen footage of the fall 14 years on and I don't think I ever want to see it. He was only a shell of a horse when he returned nearly two years later. Such a shame.

tipster

klairondavis wrote: »

Nick Dundee.

I still haven't seen footage of the fall 14 years on and I don't think I ever want to see it. He was only a shell of a horse when he returned nearly two years later. Such a shame.

such a pity with him he was a machine at his best god knows how far hed have won that day

Sir des champs

Hoofer wrote: »

These three memories il never forget..Im sure iv had few more close ones but these haunt me as I was well on them heavy!

2007 watching Juveingeur go down by short head to Joes edge..had him well backed..had to sit down after.

2008 watching Venalmar get beat by a neck to Fiveforthree in the Ballymore up in club..I was gutted for hours after as I had him well backed and lost my voice roaring him home...went to the bar for a brandy after.

2012 watching Toner d'oudaries get beat by a neck to Ataglance in the martin pipe..had him well backed and in a double with Brindisi Breeze..sick

2007 race a nightmare for me i was on that distant thunder in the blanket finish,russell was strong on joes edge, as for a j mcnamara on distant thunder 5 lengths clear jumping the last and caught by the other 2 ,what a gob****e weakest furlong ever ridden by a jockey up that hill.

klairondavis

tipster wrote: »

such a pity with him he was a machine at his best god knows how far hed have won that day

He was in the process of laughing at a future Gold Cup winner and they were a parish ahead of everything else in the field at the time.

I will never forget the atmosphere after that race. The place was like a morgue.

byronbay2

Slattsy wrote: »

Backing Big Zeb in the without Master Minded market at 4/1 and then it won at 10s.
Raging.

LOL, that is hilarious - your worst Cheltenham memory is backing a 4/1 winner!!! You are, without doubt, the greatest punter in the history of the world - any tips for this year?

ste2010

Flying to get to my first ever Cheltenham and being delayed by 3 hours as a consequence missing copper bleu who I backed at 30-1 win the jewson. That would have been the best start to my Cheltenham experience. The same day on te flight getting a rip for pigeon island at 27-1 and not betting , it hosed in.
Also I guess all my winnings from Cinders and ashes at 20's, 16's and 9's, on sprinter sacre and then all on hurricane fly...to say I nearly puked would be an understatement

Rastadoyle

When Dorans Pride was fatally injured at the festival. should have been retired well before that race

shy-tall-knight

Garde Champetre got me (and many other Irish punters) out of jail a few times over the banks at Cheltenham. Was very upset after the cross country last year when we lost him and Scotsirish. Two fantastic warriors.

benzy00

Lads new to the site, just searching the web for cheltenham hints and clues and came accross this site and this great topic. there have been a few shocking momets for me, the fly last year, not taking evens on big bucks last year as well. but one sticks out..
Picture the scene, my first proper cheltenham,the whole workplace took a half day, my fav horse denman has just won the gold cup, i never really backed him, more of a fan but would throw him into accumalators etc.. so had denman 5/2,nenuphar collenges 14-1,red scally 3-1 (ran at fakenham that friday i think) and tony martins psycho at 5's. 2e lucky 15.. carberrys ride was a disgrace, the whole bookies were saying it except for one lad cheering on the 50-1 winner.. the dust settled psycho dockets on the floor everywhere in the bookies.. except for one smiling little bald pr**k..my boss, one bet at cheltenham for him, one winner. every time cheltenham comes round he never fails to remind me of it!! as for the jockey, havnt backed him since!!

Slattsy

byronbay2 wrote: »

LOL, that is hilarious - your worst Cheltenham memory is backing a 4/1 winner!!! You are, without doubt, the greatest punter in the history of the world - any tips for this year?

I missed out on 6 points.

Lay Pont Alexandre.

SRFC

Slattsy wrote: »

I missed out on 6 points.

Lay Pont Alexandre.

I will be bumping this post when a new superstar has been revealed to the public in the form of PA,he is very special good luck with the lay you only have the hurdles running for you

byronbay2

Oops, forgot to mention that my worst Cheltenham memory is The Fellow being short-headed by Cool Ground in the 1992 Gold Cup. I was there that year (my only visit) and was well ahead by the time The GC came around. (Funnily enough, the week had started very badly and I would have been finished if Remittance Man had been beaten in The CC.)
Carvill's Hill was odds-on but I didn't fancy him with the tough fences and undulations of Cheltenham. Felt invincible by then and put a large wager on The Fellow. Carvill's Hill made a series of mistakes and dropped away with half a mile to run and I was supremely confident as they turned for home - the rest is history! Adam Kondrat was as weak as a kitten on The Fellow while Adrian Maguire was like a man possessed on Cool Ground. They flashed past the line wide apart but I knew my fate before it was announced. I bought a copy of the photo as a souvenir but lost it in Bristol that night.

rossom

I'm yet to have a shocking memory for The Festival as of yet (only been backing horses the last 3 years). If Son Of Flicka goes for Pertemps as opposed to the Coral Cup it will be most definitely that though.

UnitedIrishman

Going all in on Hurricane Fly last year on the first day last year thinking nothing would beat it. Then being told by a mate to back Hunt Ball and it duly winning without me having a penny on it. The first day last year was just horrible. Aside from that, being unable to get even close to picking a Gold Cup winner since I've started gambling - even when it was Denman vs. Kauto, I invariably managed to pick the wrong one.

Thankfully enough though, the festival has been pretty kind to me the last few years. Going with the scattergun approach on Betfair to the handicaps has worked well for me. Last years defeats on opening day has kind of scared me off MTOY and Hurricane Fly this year.

SRFC

UnitedIrishman wrote: »

Going all in on Hurricane Fly last year on the first day last year thinking nothing would beat it. Then being told by a mate to back Hunt Ball and it duly winning without me having a penny on it. The first day last year was just horrible. Aside from that, being unable to get even close to picking a Gold Cup winner since I've started gambling - even when it was Denman vs. Kauto, I invariably managed to pick the wrong one.

Thankfully enough though, the festival has been pretty kind to me the last few years. Going with the scattergun approach on Betfair to the handicaps has worked well for me. Last years defeats on opening day has kind of scared me off MTOY and Hurricane Fly this year.

Plough into them YOLO :pac:



Worst Memory is having too much on Dubguib and definitly Hurricane fly last season when I lumped on with Quevega and Big Bucks,Thankfully the mare and the bank of big bucks helped recover some losses,If I break even after a few days of Entertainment ill be happy after last year.

longshotvalue

I tipped up Son of Flicka at 33/1, here and on other sites, and because during cheltenham i prefer to do my backing on the course, i didnt back him at the 14/1 available.. f*****g raging wouldnt describe it..:mad:

Didnt last long as i found an Nickey Henderson horses with a load of 1111s beside it name at 40/1 (in the very next race), and decided it couldnt be a 40/1 Shot (Un Artiste) depression didnt last long..

luis suarez

robbie1977 wrote: »

I saw an owl lad drop his wallet near the parade ring one year.

Stuck it in the pocket and went to the jacks to check the contents.

Bloody £15 in it I taught I was gona be loaded.:(

I will probably get a ban for this but if that is true there was £15 to much in the wallet for you being such a prick.

Francie Barrett

Had £10 on Sir Rembrandt to win the Gold Cup back in 2004 at 40/1.

Best Mate beat it by half a length.

lorenzo87

Putting a fortune on Vendor last year.

mdwexford

Azertyuiop making a balls of the water jump in 2005.

Kauto Star falling early in the same race the next year.

Istabraq pulling up.
Valiramix, Gloria Victis.

Thread is getting depressing.

mr.jingle

Backing Black Jack Ketchum with nearly every cent I had, walking into the bookies just after the race starts and see McCoy hit the deck. Turned back around and out the door. That was one bad day at the office!