Cheltenham Top 10: Gus Brown
Two-time American champion jockey Gus Brown rode at the Cheltenham Festival in 2003, finishing 11th behind Hardy Eustace in the Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle.
Sean Clancy
Cheltenham Top 10: Garrett O’Rourke
Born in Ireland, Garrett O’Rourke grew up with National Hunt racing before moving to United States in 1986. O’Rourke is the American manager for Juddmonte where he’s been involved with the likes of Empire Maker, Wandesta and other superstars.
Cheltenham Top 10: Dave Carroll
Countdown to Cheltenham. Dave Carroll spent early years in National Hunt racing before turning his attention to flat racing in America. Carroll reminisces about the Festival.
Cheltenham Top 10: Paddy Young
Cheltenham Countdown. Irishman Paddy Young experienced Cheltenham when he worked for British trainers Nicky Henderson and Henrietta Knight. The four-time champion jockey reminisces about Best Mate and dreams about Gustavian at Cheltenham.
Cheltenham Top 10: Matt Coleman
Bloodstock agent Matt Coleman will travel from Newmarket to Cheltenham this year with rooting interests throughout the week, whether they are horses purchased by him or punted by him at 33-1 back in October. A racecaller on the side, Coleman works for Anthony Stroud Bloodstock, selling flat and National Hunt horses around the world. He’ll be cheering on Valdez in the Arkle on opening day of this year’s Cheltenham Festival.
Cheltenham Top 10: Graham Motion
Born in Britain, Graham Motion returned to Cheltenham with American champion Flatterer for the 1987 Champion Hurdle. The four-time Eclipse Award-winner finished second to three-time Champion Hurdle winner See You Then. Motion returned to America, set up shop as a flat trainer and won the Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup with Animal Kingdom.
Cheltenham Top 10: Bruce Miller
Bruce Miller entered the Cheltenham winner’s enclosure in 1992 when Kay Jeffords’ Lonesome Glory upset a Sport of Kings novice stakes in December, becoming the first American-trained jumper to win in Britain. No, it wasn’t the Festival, but it was close. The American-based trainer reminisces about his visits to Cheltenham in today’s Cheltenham 10 Questions.
Cheltenham Top 10: Peter Thomas Fornatale
Peter Thomas Fornatale is a writer, editor, blogger, horseplayer, fan, you name it. He’s written books for Daily Racing Form Press, Crown and Simon & Schuster, among others. Fornatale’s latest book, The Winning Contest Player, hits the streets Wednesday. He’s a regular contributor to The Horseplayer Magazine, blogs for Twinspires.com and his own site, unbearablebetting.com and tweets @loomsboldly. He’s even got a stint with The Saratoga Special under his belt. And yes, he’s been to the Cheltenham Festival.
Cheltenham Top 10: Geoffrey Russell
Geoffrey Russell sees a lot of horses and a lot of races in his role as director of sales for the Keeneland Association. Perhaps more importantly he’s a fan of the game, flat or jump, and he knows the game inside out. TIHR caught up with Russell for the next installment of Cheltenham’s 10 Questions before he headed overseas for the 2014 Festival.
Cheltenham Countdown: Advice for a Rookie
Seven days. Plane tickets booked, race tickets in transit, plans in motion (anybody traveling from Sandown to Marlborough Saturday night?), friends invited (all have said yes, that’s a first), races being analyzed and re-analyzed, favorites soaring, favorites suffering (what, My Tent Or Yours has a puncture in his hoof…). Yes, Cheltenham looms.
