1987 Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase

Date: Thursday 19th March 1987 |
Course: Cheltenham |
Distance: 3m 2f |
Going: Good |
Winning Time: 6m 56.5s |
Winner: The Thinker (Ridley Lamb) [W A Stephenson] |
Runners: 12

[@MEECHIO]

What a warrior Wayward Lad was. For me along with Pendil, the best horse never to win the Gold Cup.

[@danpalmer7676]

I still find myself cheering on Wayward Lad even though i know he doesn't win.He was under pressure along way out but still gave his all.Shame Pendil got injured when he did,wasn't the same when he returned.Those 2 and Captain Christy were my favs'

[@MEECHIO]

Love reading all the comments about Wayward Lad, he was a horse the public loved. One of the very best chasers of the 80's and one of the finest jumpers of a fence too. 3 King George's in a very strong era speaks for itself. My favourite NH horse from the 80's....:-)

[@k99999n]

I was there. A bloody cold day! Spent a lot of time in the Guinness tent, got the train back to Paddington with £289 winnings, happy days. The wife was horrified at my drunkenness, slept on the sofa. Happy days!!

[@johnnyserdon9694]

Happy Days 💕

[@philipmurray3974]

My first Cheltenham as a raw 17 yr old Irish man ..saved my money from a claokroom job all winter ..slept in the stand....jumped the last hurdle at 2am too keep warm(if half the horses I backed over the years jumped it as well is be a rich man now😂) ..backed forgive n forget at 5/4 for a place on the tote😢..backed the County hurdle winner at 10s...with my last 2 quid ...put the 22 pounds on western sunset at 10s only form him to be caught on the line in semi darkness by francome😢..then met 4 caracters on the tran to London and got pissed on whiskey...great memories

[@DutchDixon94]

Brilliant Gold Cup in very difficult conditions. Great finish by West Tip. He was my favourite horse back in the day.

[@stephenholmes1036]

Arthur Stephenson what a horseman and trainer

[@DutchDixon94]

I backed West Tip. What a smashing horse he was. Brilliant race. Shame Wayward Lad didn't win the Gold Cup. He really deserved to win one!

[@ormonde1111]

I was there! My first Gold Cup, I was freezing and while we waited during the delay, an Irish guy offered me some whiskey from his hip flask! Sadly the winning jockey Ridley Lamb met an early untimely end.

[@stationofdreams9269]

A good field that year and the race run in very difficult conditions. It was a minor miracle that the race took place at all. But it was a good one with The Thinker a worthy winner, though probably not remembered as one of the great winners, none the less it was a fine performance. And a great run too by Cybrandian.

[@petehunt4534]

Love it! This was my 1st time at Cheltenham ... what a day!

[@stephenhart1411]

Wayward Lad, what a great run again , one of the best he was.

[@markcorrell741]

My dad n his freinds were there for the 3 days and were snowed in for 2 days playing a card game called kallooki for 2 days in the Tara hotel , this was the only days racing that was on 😎

[@dukeonthewater]

I was on Wayward Lad that day and, just for a moment after the last I thought he was in, but didn't quite stay the extra. 3m was his trip.

[@112sje]

+dukeofmodena He raced in a strong era that included Burrough Hill Lad and all the other star chasers from Michael Dickinson's yard. He would have beaten Dawn Run at level weights in 1986, going down by only 3/4 length trying to concede the 5lb mares' allowance. This is the best Gold Cup performance by an 11yo since Mandarin' s victory in the 1960s. Only Denman has equalled it since. It's a travesty that Charter Party went on to win a weak Gold cup in 1988 but wonderful Wayward Lad never won one.

[@jamesvaughan7697]

if Wayward Lad was around now he would have won a few Ryanair chases at the festival

[@shelleymoore5740]

Brilliant round of jumping by Cybrandian, always a shame when they get pipped at the post like that, but all wonderful horses l remember well, especially the lovely Wayward Lad.....!

[@lessamuels3767]

Wayward lad was the unluckiest horse never to win a gold cup....amazing brave horse and was trained for the famous defeat to dawn run which without the 7lb allowance he would of won i dont doubt

[@greencard572]

Goodness me, what courage and heart the Thinker had !

[@beverleymorris167]

Made a terrible mistake 3 out.... very game to get up after that.

[@HayabusaR1300]

Remembering waiting for the race to begin,great memories :)

[@tadhgcomhaltas]

An absolutely top class field

[@uhegbu]

Yes, including previous winner Forgive 'N' Forget and future winner, Charter Party. Also Grand National winner, West Tip.

[@Sunburst75]

Sadly the winning rider Ridley Lamb died 7 years later in a car accident aged only 39. He was a very good jockey who rode 547 winners in his career. He was champion amateur in 1975 before turning pro. He also rode the Scottish National winner Sebastian V in 1977 making all. Remember this Gold Cup well, Forgive N Forget did seem a worthy favourite at about evens but jumping errors cost it. The 80s was a fantastic era for jumpers, so many great horses including Wayward Lad and of course Desert Orchid. My own favourite was Sea Pigeon, the late runs it used to come with were adrenalin buzzes when the money was down! RIP R.Lamb

[@strosiemead4242]

Sebastian V fell at 1st Bechers in 1977 National

[@Sunburst75]

@@strosiemead4242 Yeh, meant to say Scottish National thanks.

[@strosiemead4242]

@@Sunburst75 no problem 👍🏻

[@Sunburst75]

@@strosiemead4242 I seem to remember Sebastian leading for a long way at Aintree because I had backed it. Then it fell !

[@strosiemead4242]

@@Sunburst75 he was 2nd to Lucius in 1978 👍🏻

[@sparkle935]

Ridley lamb was such a good jockey, r.i.p.

[@davidmcmahon5234]

Thats true great jockey like Chris grant hard as nails 💅 the two of them 😊

[@jamesh9033]

Every time i see this i still cannot believe they actually ran the race on that course. No way would it happen now.

[@teenoso4069]

From memory race was delayed by an hour, which added to the atmosphere and expectation. The last race on the card, the Cathcart was run in near darkness around 6pm.

[@garymiller9058]

What a great jumper and stayer The Thinker was.❤️

[@davidmcmahon5234]

Great field that day some of the best horses in that era backed the thinker each way happy days stayed on well 😊

[@tonymcgrath700]

Wayward lad deserved to win a Gold cup and over the last it looked good for him, that hill got him every time and he eventually finished 5th which surprised me after looking at this again

[@csb7376]

Cheltenham just wasn't his track. Bradley would have got a whip ban for sure today, gave him a right beating in this.

[@maureenormston1687]

Wayward Lad was, to my mind, the best horse never to win a Gold Cup. Class horse, just wasn’t to be for him.

[@glynnevans1851]

@@maureenormston1687 Hello Maureen, I don't think he ever got up that Momentous Cheltenham hill in my view. It tends to be make or break with most Gold Cup horses but as you say a Class horse and very gallant genuine horse like Spanish Steps . You can apply similar slant ' to the now diluted Grand National but with the distance you need a stayer like Red Rum or Lescargot..... Kind regards Glynn n greetings from Stourbridge West Midlands UK 🕊🕊🕊

[@maureenormston1687]

@@glynnevans1851 yes I agree, that Cheltenham hill has been the bete noire for so many horses (including a lot of my bets 🙄😂). Spanish Steps was a grand horse, remember him well, he was a National stalwart ❤️

[@glynnevans1851]

@@maureenormston1687 Hello Maureen and thanks for your reply, He surely was and in 73 National ' might of won but Crisp led them a merry dance.Two more favourites of mine were The Dikler and Titus Oats you may well remember Ron Barry rode them and a very acumlished horse man and modest too. Can you remember when Stan Mellor got his 1000 winner at Nottingham December 1971 on Ouzo then no one thought that would be passed. Late 60s n 70s n 80s were Fab years for racing. Kind regards Glynn

[@starbucktraining]

Wayward Lad what a horse. Graham Bradley a great Jockey . The Best horse never to win the Gold cup

[@liamg353]

+Tim Starbuck No Flying Bolt was the best horse not to win the Gold Cup, He was rated only 2lb behind Arkle. Flying would have picked up Wayward Lad and carried him and still win,Alas he never got to run in the Gold Cup due to a couple of circumstances. 1- He was from the same stable as Arkle,2- he developed Brucellosis

[@mervyncharter717]

Flying Bolt would have given Arkle a real run for his money if allowed to run in the 1966 Gold Cup. This would have been a tremendous race as that whole season Flying Bolt put up some remarkable weight carrying performances in Bottomless ground in the Massey ferguson, Irish National & Thyestes Chases. Other great horses never to win the Gold Cup, Pendil, Brown Lad & Tied Cottage.

[@rohansrider]

Tied Cottage was disqualified .

[@1414yorks]

As he never ran in the race Flying Bolt is not the best horse not to win the Gold Cup Yes probably a better horse than Wayward Lad but pick him up and carry him no certainly not around Kempton,its to his credit he ran well/tried hard over a course that didn't play to his strengths and a distance 2 1/2furlongs too far and but for those freak conditions in 1987 who's to say he might not have won at 12 yrs of age.

[@jamesvaughan7697]

+1414yorks you any idea how good Flying bolt was? 2nd highest rated chaser ever within 1lb of Arkle. Jim Dreaper who trained both reckoned Flying bolt was the better. Would have carried Wayward Lad (who I loved) and stop for a sandwich and still beaten ANY GOLD CUP FIELD

[@bernadettestewart]

my first ever Cheltenham Festival I thought the Gold Cup wouldnt be run due to the weather but thankfully it survived, Thanks for the memories.

[@drybrookwarbler7445]

Yes happy days . Remember some ladies in the Old Arkle Bar " hut" during the delay in Racing got up on the tables and did an impromptu strip Jeremy Beadle was parked next to us in a field stuck in the mud. We gave him a push unfortunately it was like one of his sketches as he ended up in a ditch Remember backing Half Free

[@mabbrey]

brilliant wayward lad ....if only

[@wayevs]

this is warming me up nicely for next Friday, ill be there backing cue card to win the gold cup that will be a great story cant help but love the tizzards such an honest bunch

[@nijinsky14]

Remember this race was nearly abandoned, eventually being run late tea time. Wayward Lad should have won a Gold Cup.

[@markcorrell741]

Some very good horses in this gold cup 🥇

[@kathcordingley215]

Back in the day when a bit of snow meant nothing, wouldn't be allowed to race nowadays...

[@grincher2006]

seems like yesterday rushing home to see it fearing it was already finished only on reaching home to hope it would start!

[@garyt6747]

God bless Ridley Lamb.R.I.P.

[@stephenbrett4216]

great ride ridley lamb rip what a day yes

[@user-gp8fu4xr6j]

I ATTENDED THAT DAY........TRAINER W.A. STEVENSON WAS AT HEXAM THAT DAY I BELIEVE!!!

[@davidmcmahon5234]

Your right there he was in Hexham mad isint it when you think of it great trainer tough no doubt 🧐 about that 😊

[@hengri]

Great ride by Ridley Lamb RIP.

[@kevinfee6522]

Iconic gold cup

[@ikabodd1]

Chris Grant really loved coming second

[@SteveMullington]

Proper Chasers.

[@jamietaylor7261]

The good old days of a year before I was born, I do miss the sense of not knowing too much about them and just enjoying the races as a spectacle.

[@SteveMullington]

I was late for my evening paper round because of this race but I was determined I was going to watch it after school.

[@cathrynfry8951]

I was there and had left my gloves at home!

[@SteveMullington]

Cathryn Fry I would have warmed them up

[@goldenmiller7942]

Brings back fantastic memories ..cheers espmadrid

[@WESSERPARAQUAT]

they seldom win the way the tinker absolutely rooted the always tricky third last fence , but somewhat remarkably he recovered in time to win , ridden by Ridley Lamb who later died by drowning in a car accident

[@tadhgcomhaltas]

Wonderful! Thank you

[@darren2514fv]

Presumably the 1987 running was delayed 90 minutes

[@willienomates6498]

Wayward Lad the greatest horse never to win the Gold Cup, it did not like that Cheltenham hill

[@richardbranton7396]

Willie No Mates Pendil????

[@bernardthegwp71020]

He would have won a gold cup if dawn run hadnt been given an allowance. She was built bigger than all the geldings and shouldnt have had the allowance,in fact should be no allowance for mares in grade 1 races just like conditionals cant claim in them.

[@jamesmenzies7986]

He was alongside Pendil.

[@lessamuels3767]

Agreed

[@somersetfan1]

Him and One Man, at least he wasn't walking across the line...

[@stevelee4952]

I was there that year. It was freezing. I backed Wayward Lad each way at 18/1 and thought the old fella ran yet another stormer. I met my ex-wife that day. Shite day all round!!

[@RobinCarmody]

My experience exactly. I was six years old ...

[@mabbrey]

love the old man wayward xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[@dawnkeir549]

great race some classy horses here I backed the thinker

[@lukejfmccann]

Coneygree made Cybrandian proud earlier this year..!!

[@mabbrey]

love it when he says the old man wayward lad

[@bushst1972]

Fabilous horse loved him but he never got the gold cup trip

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

Heartbreaking for cybrandian, that hill can change outcomes in an instant. I had a sickener a few weeks ago when I backed spiritofthegames at 40/1 and he went 4 lengths clear after the last and got done on the nod right on the line because the hill stopped him and warrthog of David Pipes done me.

[@grincher2006]

great run by west tip to go down a few lengths

[@tonymcgrath700]

Got to feel sorry for Wayward Lad, he won 3 King George's at Kempton but always found that extra 2 furlongs uphill a bit too much for him

[@waqarkhan25]

if this race was run today Cheltenham gold cup they would they would be an out cry that is mean on those horses today and people will say we won't be coming racing if they run the gold cup these day

[@grincher2006]

remember the day like yesterday. will we, won we run was the question all afternoon. This card also became the first unofficial twlight meeting when the Cathcart was run in near darkness ps no low sun and dolled off fences in those days.

[@rohansrider]

In those days, more horses would run again in the National and often finish in top six.

[@starbucktraining]

My wouldn't you have loved to have owned Wayward Lad

[@mabbrey]

im sure he took it up!

[@davidsanderson6601]

Wayward lad the hill would beat him but every year he'd go to Aintree n eat these horses up what a horse

[@Hanamy7777]

Forgot how close Cybrandian came at decent odds. Jumped like a stag from the front and looked the winner with two to go.

[@wibblywobbles2439]

Nice to see all the horses having a smoke after the race

[@jamesh9033]

Funny when you see the betting show before the race the BBC only said it was the 3:30 Cheltenham... Couldnt have advertising on the bbc lol..

[@barbaradyson6951]

don't think graham Bradley was such a great jockey after his exposure as a cheat. how many punters lost money on horses he pulled up or didn't try hard enough on to win.

[@richardbranton7396]

wayward lad didn't get the trip EVER. W.A didn't call his geese swans if he was sending the thinker south he must have fancied it even if he was at hexham.Ridley lamb excellent jockey who had plenty of injuries and sadly drowned with another stepenson jockey alan merrigan.steve charlton who started his career with W.A was also in the accident but escaped.the days when the north was king. Stephenson Dickinson Fitzgerald Easterby all with fancied and/or placed horses.

[@Hen71557]

Chances of this race being run in those conditions nowadays, zero...

[@geoff7393]

i said exactly the same thing

[@drybrookwarbler7445]

Nearly as good as the impromptu striptease show in the old Arkle Bar keeping the troops entertained during the snow delay

[@mabbrey]

amazing horses...............go on wayward!

[@stevenmiller8869]

I remember it well I was there

[@lessamuels3767]

Heartbreaking wayward lad

[@barbaradyson6951]

I would like to see whips banned after watching wayward lad who had given his all being hit to get an extra ounce out of him. Don't tell me some horses need to be encouraged to go faster. The best weapon you have is your voice, horses have very sensitive hearing and growling at them has far more effect. You don't have to shout,

[@rohansrider]

Totally agree - disgusting spectacle, no way to reward such a wonderful horse.

[@Formula1Madx]

Barbara Dyson Horses need to be encouraged to go faster 🏇

[@goingbehind1093]

Stupid woman...

[@thomassmith2227]

Erm, you do realise this is 30 years ago don't you?

[@andrewnelis9791]

The thinker ❤

[@mabbrey]

wow

[@johnnyserdon9694]

Hey the thinker knew he won as well when he was lead in

[@crutemartyn1523]

The crowds were not so big then

[@amazed66]

I think the weather played its part that year.

[@lolaxo5971]

Was more a religious pilgrimage for NH fans back then. Its all jolly up strutting corporation tax avoidance folk now. The prizes were won by a basket full of different trainers with some awesome gambles on the day bookies tongues n' lips covered in chalk from the frenetic scrubbing and repriceing. Won't see that anymore.........those were the days especially £250 @ 18/1 Garrison Savanah.. made banksy twitch a bit he had to go so deep into that satchel or perhapse it was the sight of Dodger in the Q behind me ha-ha thanks Mrs P. X

[@nicoantonio2368]

los jockey son mas teatreros pa pegar con la fusta

[@shaunspadah5790]

chris grant second again

[@jeffreygraham1273]

Brother & myself big GRANTY fans ; tough as old boots not called Rambo for nowt !!

[@johnwilson783]

Arthur Stephenson was just up the road from where I lived and he was training a hundred plus winners a year when it was practically unheard of. I watched this race in jail through the hospital wing window and didn't know who the winner was until later that day 🤣🤣🤣

[@deandoherty8376]

,Cheltenham two January meeting called off over weather never seen it 25 year following racing I think it was nothing to do with the weather It was because there was no fans allowed no fans no money big corse

[@goonervillegonad3662]

'Good' ground lol. Good for fecking ice skaters.

[@silenusut]

Goonerville Gonad + like every other course, the fences have been ‘dumbed down’ from those days: the impact at every fence on the horses was appreciably harder

[@silenusut]

Great race - wonderful horses and riders

[@goonervillegonad3662]

@@silenusut I have to agree. They looked unforgiving to say the least. And higher. Fancy hurtling towards the downhill fence on that ground... Very well ridden by the jocks and jumped by those horses. Real chasers.