Racecourse number: 2
First visited: 1985
Number of visits:7York's Benson and Hedges Gold Cup Day meeting in 1985 is one of my favourite days racing. My first dozen or so trips to the races were to my local track Haydock Park and so this first visit away from Haydock would open my eyes to other horse racing possibilities. As good as Haydock was, York was simply better. In terms of scale, racing quality, atmosphere and viewing options this was something very exciting indeed. My family watched most races that day in a seated area way up in the stands overlooking the final furlong. What a view. Bourbon Boy was a winner I remember backing for Michael Stoute, Walter Swinburn and Sheikh Mohammed. On this particular occasion I noted the results in the racecard along with the winning distances. Not something I continued with but certainly helpful in terms of this record. The full colour cover of the racecard was as distinctive as the meeting itself, and at 40p a bargain.
The big race of the day which is now the Juddmonte International featured many racing superstars of the time including many future breeding superstars. Top of the bill and favourite for the race was Oh So Sharp who had already won the 1000 Guineas and the Oaks. She would go on to complete a rare triple crown by winning the St Leger. Other leading contenders were Commanche Run, Triptych, Bob Back and Palace Music. The later had previously beaten Pebbles in the Champion Stakes. I was very conscious of the importance of this race. I backed Oh So Sharp but she could only manage second. Racing legend Lester Piggott riding Commanche Run got first run on the favourite partnered by Steve Cauthan and won by three quarters of a length. These equine stars of the 1980's were bred from the equine stars of the 1970's. Sires of the 1985 renewal runners included Roberto, The Minstrel, Alleged, Bustino, Troy and Kris. What a race that would have been. This race was also to provide me with a link to Dancing Brave's Arc De Triomphe one year later in which Triptych competed. To me the 1986 Arc is the best race ever run and was won in thrilling fashion by a fantastic horse.
Perhaps one reason I enjoyed the day so much was some betting success which included a successful dual forecast on the final sprint race. I used to do the old dual forecast quite a bit in those days and with optimism I choose Dorking Lad and Mary Maguire in race seven. The payout was around £30 which was a decent amount for a teenager in the 1980s. The real thrill though was watching it take shape in a perfect way from this unfamiliar yet wonderful viewpoint. This day definitely acted as a major catalyst for my racing hobby to extend nationwide. I was fourteen years old and York had made a big impression on me. By the time I left school two years later my racecourses visited total would have increased to ten. My journey to all the British racecourses had begun in earnest.
