Peter Crouch delighted as his 9-1 bet Good Time Jonny romps to victory

Cheltenham Festival delight for Peter Crouch as the former England and Liverpool star roars home his winning 9-1 bet Good Time Jonny in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle

At 6ft 7in tall, former England footballer Peter Crouch knows plenty about long odds.

And today the retired striker was celebrating a big win at the Cheltenham races.

On day three of the annual horse-racing festival, the 42-year-old punched the air and waved his arms as he watched his 9-1 bet Good Time Jonny romp to victory in the second race of the the day - the 2.10 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle.

The ex-footballer roared the Irish horse home from his seat high in the main grandstand above the finishing post. He was seen enjoying the races alongside former Portsmouth team-mate Glen Johnson. 

Earlier, Stage Star had won the first race of the day, the Turners Novices' Steeple Chase, to give his owners a day to remember – all 3,500 of them.

Peter Crouch was delighted to see his 9-1 bet pay off on Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival 

Good Time Jonny romped to victory in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle

The Owners Group members paid just £59 each for a share in the talented seven-year-old, who is trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Harry Cobden.

Karl Budge, one of the lucky syndicate members, said: 'We paid £59 to buy into him. We have just the one share but I think there is about 3,500 people in it. We were here last year when it lashed it down on the Wednesday and it didn't happen for him so it is lovely to be back again this year.

'It is fantastic for The Owners Group and it is lovely for us to be back as it is more than 30 years since our last Cheltenham winner as a family. We had Danish Flight, who was trained by Jimmy Fitzgerald win the Arkle in 1988, and Smooth Escort, who was trained by Di Haine win the National Hunt Chase in 1991. They were both great days.

'These wins might be more than 30 years apart but it is still just as much fun.'

Stars at the races included Coronation Street actor Mikey North, 36, who plays Gary Windass in the TV soap.

Standing among thousands of Irish race-goers celebrating St Patrick's Day, he said: 'This is the highlight of my year, it's like Christmas week for me. It's always the first one to put in the calendar.

Crouch was delighted with the Irish horse and would go on to punch his arms when it crossed the line

Crouch was seen high up in the grandstand with his ex-Portsmouth team-mate Glen Johnson watching along with him

Crouch was seen enjoying a beer as he watched the races on Day 3 at Cheltenham on Thursday

Of Corrie, he said: 'It's very good. We're still there and still enjoying life. I'm very lucky to have good storylines coming up, so I'm still very much enjoying it. It's been 15 years now for me, so it's a long time. I'm very happy there.

'The one stipulation is that I get Cheltenham off every year.'

Fellow Corrie star Alan Halsall, 40, who plays Tyrone Dobbs, was also at the races. He said: 'This is the meeting of the year, certainly for me. When you come to Cheltenham it's just a different atmosphere.

'If I win big today I'm going home regardless because I'm in work in the morning. We were going to stay down for Gold Cup Day, but I've got work so I'm going to go back up tonight.'

Asked if that meant he'd have to take it easy with the drinking, he replied: 'We'll still do a bit of that, I'll just have to spend a bit longer in make-up.

'I love working at Corrie. It's brilliant. I'm starting my 25th year in October. Every single day I'm in work I love it.'