Betting on a horse because you like the name isn’t always the worst course of action.
Who knows, one day you might stumble upon Norton’s Coin, the 100-1 shot that won the Gold Cup in 1990.
Cheltenham Festival was made for the underdog – and there have been plenty down the years.
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A punter celebrates at Cheltenham as a winning bet comes in
At The Heart of Cheltenham: Betfred are Non Runner No Bet on ALL races at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival*
It’s a glorious week in March where punters get the chance to bash the bookies if they manage to predict an upset.
So here’s a reminder why even the most unlikely horses could be worth a cheeky flutter at The Festival this year…
Kirriemuir – 1965
Shocks didn’t come much bigger than this in 1965.
Kirriemuir’s starting price – 50-1 – was the highest in the history of the Champion Hurdle at the time.
Understandble, given it was running alongside the likes of National Spirit, Hatton’s Grace and Sir Ken, who were truly iconic horses at the tiime.
Nobody saw this one coming, not even his trainer – Fulke Walwyn.
Cue Card – 2010
Given what we know about Cue Card now, it’s hardly a shock that he won the Champion Bumper in 2010.
What is surprising, however, is that he did so at 40-1. The Colin Tizzard-trained horse was underestimated by almost everybody, including the bookies, on his debut.
Cue Card has gone on to become a bit of a legend, amassing nine Grade 1 victories and becoming a bit of a legend at The Festival.
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Cue Card also landed the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham in 2013
Arctic Kinsman – 1994
Usually, the drama at Cheltenham gradually builds before reaching fever-pitch ahead of the Gold Cup on Friday.
But 1994 was proof that you don’t want to miss a thing at The Festival, not even the very first race.
The punters were barely in their seats when this 50-1 shot bolted in by eight lengths in the Supreme Novice.
Observer Corps – 1989
This was a shock for so many reasons, not least the fact that Observer Corps entered the 1989 Cathcart at 66-1.
He hadn’t run for 11 months, and even before that, the John Edwards-trained eight-year-old didn’t come close to winning any race in his four starts before that.
There must’ve been a sense of pure bewilderment when he galloped clear of the field and won by eight lengths.
Betfred boss Fred Done’s verdict…
“I can remember all the greats – Arkle, Dawn Run, Best Mate and Kauto Star. But one of the biggest moments for me was when Annie Power fell in 2015. After the three Willie Mullins hotpots had already won, I was looking down the barrel at paying out over 30 million quid. I’d stopped watching and I still don’t know how she fell.”
Norton’s Coin – 1990
The Racing Post headline the following day read ‘Shock of the Century’ – and they weren’t exaggerating.
Norton’s Coin remains the highest-priced winner in the history of Cheltenham.
His trainer, Sirrell Griffiths, just had a few horses in training, sort of like a hobby more than anything else.
And it wasn’t some sort of weird fluke. Norton’s Coin saw off stiff compeition up the hill from odds-on favourite and reigning Gold Cup hero Desert Orchid, as well as Jenny Pitman’s Toby Tobias.
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Norton’s Coin pulled off the biggest ever shock
*18+ T&C’s apply. See Betfred.com for full details. Begambleaware.org.
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