Cheltenham Festival memories: David Ord 2008 reflections

They say there are certain moments in history when everyone knows where they were upon first hearing the news.

For a racing fan Wednesday 12th March 2008 stands out. The day high winds claimed day two of the Cheltenham Festival.

I’d already fluffed my lines once before as a key reporter at a major event like this. Back in 1997 I was at Aintree covering the Grand National for BBC Ceefax.

That was the year of the IRA bomb threat which meant the great race was rescheduled until Monday. As Charles Barnett politely, but sternly, told Des Lynam that even this particular celebrity had to get out of here, I too was on my way.

The evacuation was smooth, I left the media centre and coolly and calmly, as instructed, made my way to safety.

However, my employers at the time had a very different interpretation to me as to where safety was. They were under the impression that I had remained in the vicinity of the racecourse, as some of the misguided members of the media decided to, and was therefore their man on the ground for radio interviews and eyewitness accounts.

The problem was I’d jumped on the first train to Maghull and was in the confidently named Great Mogul pub adjacent to the station, trying to work out why I had 34 missed calls from a London number.

Windy Wednesday was different. I was at the track by the time the news filtered through that the John Kettley-bespoke forecast winds had indeed reached 50 miles per hour – they had indeed blown down a temporary structure – and racing had indeed been abandoned.

You could hear a collective groan sweep across the Cotswold as thousands of racegoers woke to the news and desperately tried to think of ways to fill the blank day. A brave few souls re-routed to Huntingdon and Southwell, surely unaware of just how far a trek to either was, but most sought solace in the warm embrace of the local hostelries.

The Sporting Life editor at the time was a tougher taskmaster than my Beeb supremo so it was mid-afternoon by the time I fired down the laptop to join the throng at The Red Lion in Evesham – and we all tried to work out how we’d cope with ten and nine race cards over the next two days.

The answer was badly.

We’d already seen the five-year-old Katchit win the Champion Hurdle, leading to hundreds of people setting fire to their Weatherbys Cheltenham Guide in disgust. Hadn’t the five-year-old looked at Paul Jones’ stats preview?

They went 8/1 the field in the Supreme and Captain Cee Bee and Binocular gave JP McManus a one-two, but the wrong way round for most.

The enigmatic Tidal Bay was on his best behaviour as he ran away with the Arkle and then – for once – Kettley was bang on and mother nature intervened.

And his weather chart and isobar graphics looked like child’s play compared to the task facing punters trying to put on Placepots the next day.

Ten races – from 12.30 to 5.50, no time wasters welcome. We had all the right races, but not necessarily in the right order. Get into the queue for the gents and you could miss a couple of Grade Ones.

I hope Trevor Hemmings was able to hang on, he won the first two races with Old Benny and Albertas Run, two trophies under the arm before the Loose Women had even entered their TV studio.

And then a golden moment – Master Minded produced a performance of the ages to win the Champion Chase. His demolition of reigning champ Voy Por Ustedes was brutal, it felt a significant moment, a seismic change in the division.

A stunning moment and one that hadn’t even sunk in by the time Inglis Drever won his second Stayers’ Hurdle and Our Vic the Ryanair Chase at the age of ten.

We’re nearly there ladies and gentleman, just four races to go. Keep concentrating…if you found Mister McGoldrick at 66/1 your predictive powers put even Kettley’s alchemy to shame, Patrick and Willie combined to win a bumper run in near darkness with Cousin Vinny.

Friday would be a doddle. We only had nine races – and we had Kauto Star v Denman. The near-neighbours going head-to-head in the Gold Cup. Smith v Findlay, Walsh v Thomas. Battle busses heading to Prestbury Park adorned in the silks of the two main protagonists. Scarves were handed out and you had to choose your team.

No place for neutrals – not on this afternoon.

It was an epic day and needed an epic commentary. Step forward Richard Hoiles:

“Denman and Sam Thomas, driven out, relentless and remorseless they have pounded Kauto Star into submission. The answer is Denman,” he roared and half of Prestbury Park erupted.

So did Ruby Walsh when Derek Thompson asked him if he regretted choosing Kauto afterwards. Don’t worry Rubes, we’ll have our day again.

And relentless and remorseless really were the key words of the 2008 Cheltenham Festival. A showpiece like no other. And thanks to Master Minded and Denman magnificent was another description.

By Friday evening the memories of windy Wednesday were fading fast. As were the energy levels.

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