It was not a good year for the bookmakers in 2003, as over 50% of all races at the Cheltenham Festival were won by the favourite or joint favourite. This cost them a pretty penny, but it wasn’t the issue facing them that year.
With internet betting still in its infancy, there were serious concerns that the volume of bets – £200 million forecast across the 3 days – would crash the systems of the likes of Betfair. Online bookies were just not set up for the wave of business they were expecting.
Onto the racing itself then. The British and Irish are known for their rivalry, but neither are particularly enamoured with the French. So when Chantilly trained joint favourite, Baracouda, won the Stayers Hurdle over Irish favourite Limestone Lad, there were few congratulations.
No one expected Spectroscope to win the Triumph Hurdle either, but the winning combination of Jonjo O’Neill in the training yard and Barry Geraghty in the saddle did the trick. This was one of the races that contributed to their top trainer and top jockey awards for the year.
That wasn’t the longest odds win of the festival though. That honour went to Royal Predica, who triumphed in the Challenge Cup priced at 33/1. This was one of the few races bookmakers will have been pleased about in 2003.
Elsewhere, Best Mate joined an elite list of champion chasers by winning the Gold Cup for the second year in a row, the first horse to do so since L’Escargot on 1970 and 1971. He was followed by two very long priced runners in 2nd and 3rd though (Truckers Tavern at 33/1 and Harbour Pilot at 40/1), so it could have been very different.
The Queen was in attendance this year too.
11th March 2003 – Day One
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:00 | Supreme Novices' Hurdle | Back In Front | 3/1 F |
J: Norman Williamson
T: E J O'Grady
|
| 14:35 | Arkle Challenge Trophy | Azertyuiop | 5/4 F |
J: Ruby Walsh
T: P F Nicholls
|
| 15:15 | The Champion Hurdle | Rooster Booster | 9/2 |
J: Richard Johnson
T: Philip Hobbs
|
| 16:00 | Festival Trophy Handicap Chase | Youlneverwalkalone | 7/1 |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: C Roche
|
| 16:40 | Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup | Royal Predica | 33/1 |
J: Mr S McHugh
T: D Pipe
|
| 17:20 | Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle | Inching Closer | 6/1 F |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: Jonjo O'Neill
|
12th March 2003 – Day Two
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:00 | Ballymore Novices' Hurdle | Hardy Eustace | 6/1 |
J: A P Kelly
T: D T Hughes
|
| 14:35 | Brown Advisory Novices' Chase | One Knight I | 15/2 |
J: Richard Johnson
T: Philip Hobbs
|
| 15:15 | Queen Mother Champion Chase | Moscow Flyer | 7/4 F |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: Mrs John Harrington
|
| 16:00 | BetMGM Cup | Xenophon | 4/1 F |
J: Mick Fitzgerald
T: A J Martin
|
| 16:35 | National Hunt Chase | Sudden Shock | 25/1 |
J: Mr D W Cullen
T: Jonjo O'Neill
|
| 17:10 | Plate Handicap Chase | Young Spartacus | 16/1 |
J: Richard Johnson
T: Henry Dally
|
| 17:45 | Champion Bumper | Liberman | 2/1 F |
J: A P McCoy
T: D Pipe
|
13th March 2003 – Day Three
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:15 | The Cheltenham Gold Cup | Best Mate | 13/8 F |
J: Jim Culloty
T: Henrietta C Knight
|
| 14:00 | JCB Triumph Hurdle | Spectroscope | 20/1 |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: Jonjo O'Neill
|
| 14:35 | The Stayers' Hurdle | Baracouda | 9/4 J |
J: T Doumen
T: F Doumen
|
| 16:00 | Foxhunter Challenge Cup | Kingscliff | 11/4 F |
J: Richard Young
T: Mrs S Alner
|
| 16:35 | Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase | Palarshan | 8/1 |
J: Mark Bradburne
T: Henry Daly
|
| 17:10 | Cathcart Challenge Cup | La Landiere | 5/4 F |
J: Richard Johnson
T: Richard Phillips
|
| 17:45 | County Handicap Hurdle | Spirit Leader | 10/1 |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: Mrs John Harrington
|