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Having just watched Barton Bank go over when clear at the last in the 1995 King George…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikw0UKcfwps
…I wonder if anyone else remembers big races being possibly or definitely lost by a last fence/flight fall?
Mike
Tied Cottage was one of my very favourites as a kid, and his last fence fall in the 79 Gold Cup wasn’t great! Compounded by the fact my dad had bet Alverton and was delighted, didn’t really help!
Willsford running away with The Greenals Gold Cup at Haydock is another that springs to mind!
Special Envoy was another "memorable" one at Aintree a few seasons back, and I think, cruelly, that was the second time that season he had suffered this fate!
Last season I had Twigline fall at the last with the race won, and that was bad enough! However, Nataani falling at the last at Taunton, and Outlaw Pete running out at the last in a race at Cork kind of summed up last season for me! Both the Nataani, and Outlaw Pete mishaps still haunt me, both races comfortably in the bag…….cost me well over a grand
This was only a few months after Call The Police came down at the last at Punchestown, again with the race won, costing me a very nice double……
A few years back, 2007, had £10 Reverse Exactas in The Whitbread, with Hot Weld, and Zabenz! Both clear at the last, and Zabenz all but fell. Was lest than amused! I had bet Hot Weld on his own for a fiver or tenner, and my then girlfriend quipped, "at least you had a winner"……..how I laughed
Lots of them, stick in the mind a lot when they cost you money.
Micks Star jumped brilliantly in the three and three quarter mile Pintail handicap chase at Newcastle in 1988 and was winning easily when making his only mistake at the last and unseating Phil Tuck.
Strath Royal was hacking up in the Grimthorpe at Donny when depositing Martin Brennan on the ground, it was the second last but is still worthy of mention.
Both cost me a lot of money, I blame the jockeys.
One I didn’t have any financial interest in was the already mentioned, unlucky Tied Cottage. Not only did he possibly lose the 79 Gold Cup at the last but he had the following years taken off him after winning easily.
Barton Bank was such a brave, unlucky horse given that he jumped so badly and yet always tried so hard. How close would Mr Mulligan have gone in the King George when he fell? Mind you, it gave me a great price for the Gold Cup a few months later!
Having just watched Barton Bank go over when clear at the last in the 1995 King George…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikw0UKcfwps
…I wonder if anyone else remembers big races being possibly or definitely lost by a last fence/flight fall?
Mike
My fathers Saturdays in the early 80’s were often spent at his local snooker club, also frequented by Bill Werbeniuk among others. They’d look through the newspapers, pick their selections and then pepper the green baize whilst the racing was on. Several times he’s recalled an afternoon during the Cheltenham Festival where one of the guys had a five horse accumulator running on to one of the big races. The bloke was sat at the bar, a whisky in one hand to calm his nerves as his hope and dreams fell at the final fence.
I can’t remember the name of the horse though.I namedropped Werbenuik earlier because there’s a second part to the story. As they were gathered round the table, playing a snooker game they called Golf, one bloke had been quieter than the rest for several seconds.
" Lads, we’re wasting our time here "
" Well we all know that ! How d’ya mean ? "
" Well we’re bloody brilliant at snooker and we’re messing around with this "
" What’s the matter wi’ you ? "
" Well Bill’s sat there and he’s 4th best player in the world…he’s only sixth in the bloody club !! "I think he laughs as much now as he did then when he tells it.
- Total Posts 764
Boston Bob in the RSA last year, I know me and a few others on here had decent money on him. Was sent to the front too soon.
Boston Bob in the RSA last year, I know me and a few others on here had decent money on him. Was sent to the front too soon.
I was on Boston Bob at 10/1 and Lyreen Legend at 40/1, had to listen to the race on RTÉ Radio 1 because some genius decided to plan a college field trip for that one week in March.
The picture Tony O’Hehir painted of the race was of Boston Bob and Lyreen Legend coming to the last well clear of everything else, not a mention of Lord Windermere
Couldn’t say for certain that Boston Bob would have won though.
- Total Posts 764
Boston Bob in the RSA last year, I know me and a few others on here had decent money on him. Was sent to the front too soon.
I was on Boston Bob at 10/1 and Lyreen Legend at 40/1, had to listen to the race on RTÉ Radio 1 because some genius decided to plan a college field trip for that one week in March.
The picture Tony O’Hehir painted of the race was of Boston Bob and Lyreen Legend coming to the last well clear of everything else, not a mention of Lord Windermere
Couldn’t say for certain that Boston Bob would have won though.
Yes it’s by no means as clear-cut as some of the others in this thread however I do feel he would have won – especially if my loathed Paul Townend had waited a little longer before letting him attack.
Do we know what’s happening with Boston Bob this year? Haven’t heard anything about him yet other than the fact that he’s a possible entrant in the Gold Cup!
Not a big race really, but one that sticks in the memory. Think it was a Saturday afternoon chase at Chepstow, mid 90s, two going at it hammer and tongs up that long run-in, only to both come a cropper independently at the last.
Sister Stephanie and King Lucifer, possibly?
Also, I think Arctic Call in the early 90s, in what is now the Betfair Bowl at Aintree?
2003 Kerry National – Think it was 2 from home when Cloudy Bays fell after leading all the way. Still going well enough but may not have won. Remember this as i had a few quid on. Had backed against Cloudy Bays the year before in a 3 horse race won by my pick a 10/1 shot Brown ??? Cloudy Bays BD first fence with faller, leaving Norman Williamson to complete the 2 circuits of the track on his own
The first time I went to the Punchestown Festival I had an epic day; in one format or another I backed every winner on the card (a couple were in a double – War of Attrition and the Champion Bumper winner), except for one.
In the second or third last race, a 2m Hcap Chase, my bet Tiger Cry hit the front going to the last only to get it all wrong and come down. I can still hear Des Scahill now.
To go through the card at Punchestown would have been quite something!
Another last fence pearler – possibly the following year – was Aces Four in the 3m Nov Chase. Sadly never the same after.
I can well remember Broadsword tipping up at the last in what is now the Aintree Hurdle in 1982. He was just about to swoop past Pollardstown and Daring Run at the time; my weekly £1 bet went down with Peter Scudamore that day.
Imperial Call at the last in Punchestown Chase, first run of the season after winning the Gold Cup like he could build a sequence. Injured, and was never the same horse afterward.
And of course, saddest of all, Golden CygnetFor me it was Roberto Goldback falling at the last in the Punchestown Gold Cup. It is down as unseated rider, but if he had stood up that race was his without any doubt. I was SO gutted.
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