A DAY to REMEMBER
Sitting in my lounge just deciding which medison I take next.
Prednislone, Seretide. Amoxillin, Belcometasone, or even a litte Lactulose.
I cant get away from the exitment of the MATCH. for lovers of Horseracing this can only mean, one thing Cheltenham and the Gold Cup. no doubt that is something to look forward to.
Over the years there have been many Great matches, Coe, Ovett, David and Goliath, but you should never make excuses afterwards.
The vanquished are ussually forgoten, for ever, very few ever mention Goliath, even though he only lost on a TKO.and who was Ovett ???
But like Goliath, I only have to close my one good eye and there in full. colour, I can see the real MATCH. not Denman v Kaoto Star, but.
ARKLE v MILL HOUSE. (1964) no doubt the younger set, will say here he goes again. like all Granddads, yesterday seems better than today. well I cannot fully agree that yesterday was better,
Life was calmer. less violance, if we ignore WW1 and WW2.
But are the Horses of today better, can Denman or Kaoto Star be compared with Arkle and Mill House.
Well. I can only give my slant on the THE MATCH.
I had been introduced as an Arkle Fan, in 1963, whilst sitting in a Brummie Casino. an old Greyhound Bookie called Ted Major, had told me to Beg Steal and Borrow, and put it on this irish upstart called Arkle. TED was certainly well loved in the Betting game and the sort who would be told, of possible greatness coming over from the Emerald Isle.
He was a personality in abundance, after the War, he offered, every returning soldier a free £5 bet at Perry Bar, Greyhounds all the local Army and Navy Stores sold out of berries, forcing Ted to abandond his concession before the 3rd race.
It was November when I received a phone call. in my little Betting Office.
“Fancy a day out at Newbury”
“That horse ive been telling you about is running.”
I didnt nead to be told in fact I already had a nice Eachway Bet at 9/2, Arkle. only Mill House the British Champ stood in his way.for the Hennersey.
In the parrade ring I cant say that Arkle looked a better stamp than Mill House who was enormous.
It was great to see Arkle backed down to 5/2 it only endorsed all the stories that I had heard all through 1963.
The day was misty a November Race day.
3 out Mill House was in front, Arkle not far behind, bigest anti climax for me since Manchester City steam rollered over Birmingham City.in the Cup Final.no mention of Arkle again that day.
I wasted no time in getting down to the last jump. and all I saw was a cheaky grin, from Mill House,s Jockey Willie Robinson. talk about the Cheshire Cat, he was almost laughing. no doubt he had been ribbed from Cork to County Clair about what the new kid on the Bloc was about to do to the champ.
However when Arkle arrived at the post well beaton. Pat Taffe also had a smile from ear to ear, they both couldnt be right could they.??
The next days Sporting Life, did mention a little about Arkle, losing his footing 3 out. but only after reading the memoirs of Taffe, did the full truth emerge.
Arkle had lost 10 Lenths, for sure, slithering into the fence, but still managing to get over if you beleaved what Taffe said then this was a Shoe in for the Gold Cup. and no doubt many an irish gambler, taking it on face value never had to work again..
When they arrived for the MATCH. the market told a story. and that story confirmed the Pat Taffe Smile against the Robbinson Smirke.was worth taking notice of.
When I arrived at Cheltenham,you could cut the exitment with a knife,
A massive crowd. outside the tattersalls enterance. there were two tipsters, and par for the course both had differing oppinions..
Paddy the Tipster, with the Yellow of Arkle round his neck, covering a bloody patch, received the night before in some pub brawl.
The Shilling Shocker, the brummie version of Phil Bull, had pollished his brown boot. but ignored the black one on his other foot, shouting that Mill House was a cert.
The first thing I did was get to the Fish Restraunt in the main stands, any one who knew me, could tell the weakness or strenth of my finances by what I ordered at the restraunt
Jellied eals, out in the cheap enclosure. not all that well. Crab, in the Silver Ring, a little better, but a Lobster, in Tatts, and things are looking up, and a dozen Oysters and Champers, in Members, and and I was ready to tackle the world. . every year a different meal. but nothing had changed, I well remember having bread and lard for sunday dinner. it didnt nead the brains of Sir Winston Chirchill, to tell me that the previous weeks results hadnt been that favourable.
I always arrived for the Festival early and this year even a litle earlier, I could sence some history about to be made.
I loved to spend time rubbing shoulders with the high and mighty, of the Ring, well as close as possible. the banter between the Kings of the Sport, was infectious, all along the Rails and Tattersalls. you could hear, tales of success and falure in equal measure, during the previous year, even in this period, you could see the golden Tans, and brilliant clear eyes of the leading Bookmakers who had Im sure wintered on some Mediteranian Cruise,
Gone were the days of 5 Carrott Diamond Tie Pins, and Spats, but the mohair overcoats with monagramed shirts till in a bundance,
I always made it a habit of gazing at the cloths, worn by the leading rails Bookmakers.not even the Maternee Idols of the previous decades like Robert Taylor, Cary Grant, or even
Rudolph Valentino. could hold a torch to some of the leading Cheltenham Bookmakers.
Some will say it was reaching the end of the CLASS, structure, in Racecourse Gambling, no betting tickets and certainly the Print outs of today with every vital. piece of betting information, it was all on trust. the word of one man against another, and a bond of trust so strong there were very railrly a dispute.
Beu Goldsmith, was there smoking a 2 ft Cigar, emajine Clark Gable going bald. then you have Beu, except that he dressed better than, Clark. there is a saying that as a friend of the Aly Khan, and Rita Hayworth, this London Bookie, satisfied both, from time to time. he also took there bets.
William Hill was there with a presence so large, that if he had ever smiled I would have liked him a lot better. if he wasnt sure who you were he just grunted, perhaps this policy has been carried on through there staff training courses.
Every one seemed to wear a hat, all those old quality trilbies, that they say you cant purchase now.cleaned and tilted over the right eye.
I also loved to walk about the bars watching the fans, punters singing along to irish shanties, but if you had listened, closly there was only one thing on there lips.this year,
THE MATCH.
When I had come back out into the Ring, you couldnt help feel the atmosphier, this was something special. no ordinary race the Gold Cup is always the Blue Ribbond of the meeting but this appeared to have become personel.
As the two runners, made there way to the start, the smile was no longer on Pat Taffs face more of a serious look. but still Robinson had that smirk.
Just before the off, leading Bookmaker Ted Binns. (Sterman) made his way to the corner of the Rails. Ted was the In Running Expert, in fact the only In Running Bookmaker ever to bet in this way in my life time.
Ted was a 1960 version of BETFAIR , you could back or lay. any offer was excepted, a man before his time.
There was a hush as the runners took there place at the start,
The 1964 GOLD CUP was off.
There was so few runners that the early part of the race seemed an anti climax, but what was expected in the first circuit im not sure.
As they came along the bottom of Cleeve, Hill and only a few yards from were George Stevens, the Cheltenham Champion lost his life.
Mill House was bowling along like a true Champion. Arkle seemed to be going well enough.
Ted Bins, was asking for 1.8 (4/5) have your pick. as it was clear that only 2 had any chance.the others already beaton.
Just for a stride it appeared from the stand that Mill House, was holding the upstart,
“Even thousand TED Mill House,” the request was ignored.
In the same breath, Binns offered ARKLE at 6/4 the writing was on the wall.
But just like the BETFAIR In Running markets of today things change so quickly.
The first of the many crys that raised the Cheltenham Grand Stand roof, was from Ted Bins himself.
I will lay 2/1 Mill House. here a £2000 to £1000 Mill House. he had changed tack alright.
Arkle had just changed a gear and was gaining with ease,
A whip was raised at the very moment that the 4 month smirk. on Willies Robbinsons, face disapeared.
My God what a Horse Arkle was in full charge, and even over the last and on the run in,with less than a lenth and half between them, the cry of ARKLE ARKLE, deafended the comentary.
It was only in the last few yards that Arkle put in a little 5 lenth sprint as if to prove,his superiority.
It was so easy, that when it was realised that the Track record had been shattered, it dawned on everyone there that day that we had witnessed a true and ever lasting
CHAMPION
I Stiil greave a little however for the vanquished Mill House he was never the same after.
So what of the 21st,centry Match. how will it match up.
No doubt we have comparisons on how the race will be run. Denman like Mill House will try to dominate Kaoto Star like Arkle will come late.
But could these new Champs, cut there own throuts, and allow a miracle. defeating each other. what ever happens I will never forget
ARKLE and when I do I will also remember Mill House.
Cubone
purchase cheap viagra online drugstore cialis pharmacy buy cheap viagra best natural viagra soft tabs buy online order cialis soft tabs alternative levitra
