RANGERS legend Ally McCoist has revealed he ‘regularly’ got fined for his antics at Cheltenham Festival.
The former Scotland striker loves his horses – and loves having a drink and a punt at the biggest racing meet in the country.
McCoist absolutely loves Cheltenham Festival – even if it did get him into trouble in the past
But his fondness for the nags also led to him going to extreme lengths to avoid a run-in with then-boss Graeme Souness.
McCoist, 59, will be part of talkSPORT’s team for next week’s four-day Festival.
Going back to Prestbury Park will no doubt bring back memories of losing cash – but unlike everyone else it wasn’t to the bookies.
McCoist told the Racing Post he would get hit in the pocket by clubs for going to the races during the season.
And on one occasion when Souness was manager at Rangers, he embarked on a frantic trip up to Glasgow and back to Cheltenham just to avoid a rollicking from the no-nonsense boss.
McCoist said: “I’ve loved going to the Cheltenham Festival since right back to the days when I used to get fined on an annual basis just for being there.
“One memory stands out. In 1990 the Rangers manager Graeme Souness announced a surprise training session for the following morning.
“Unfortunately, I was already down at Cheltenham waiting for the festival to start the next day.
“I had to catch the Tuesday 7am flight from Birmingham to Glasgow but I made sure I flew back in the opposite direction the same afternoon and got to Cheltenham in time to see Katabatic win the last race.
“He got me out of a hole in the Grand Annual – and the cost of my flights was covered as well!”
McCoist said the early starts – he gets to the course at 5.15am for the breakfast programme alongside Alan Brazil – make it all worthwhile when the racing begins.
The football legend added: “There are some things in sport that are just incredibly special – and among them is the noise at the start of the festival’s first race and then again before the Gold Cup.
“Throughout the festival the action is the best you’ll find anywhere by a country mile, but it’s actually the camaraderie, the punters, the fans and the whole occasion that makes the festival so special.
“The racing is the icing on a superb cake.”
