WITH the Cheltenham Festival now 16 days away, the Sun Racing team will be bringing you their ‘Festival 50’ every day between now and 10 March.
We will salute the Prestbury Park heroes that made us fall in love with the Festival, all the way until the ‘Cheltenham roar’ signals that the wait is finally over.
Number 16: Cue Card
The highs and lows of the Festival are summed up perfectly by this West Country wonder.
Colin Tizzard is now regarded as a powerhouse in the National Hunt scene and the Venn Farm team owe so much of that to the cult hero that is Cue Card.
With son Joe Tizzard in the saddle, it all started in 2010 off the back of a single run at Fontwell.
As we all know by now, the Tizzards don’t like to shy away from a challenge and not many would throw their once-raced bumper hopeful into the deep end at the Festival.
The bookies gave them little chance and punters were happy to let him go off at 40-1. From that moment he’d always be considered the underdog on the big stage and that’s why the public fell in love with him.
And as the old saying goes, a horse doesn’t know his price. He’d beat Al Ferof by eight lengths in a rout.
But the Nicholls horse got his revenge the following season in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Cue Card could only manage fourth.
Al Ferof was the winner under a masterful Ruby Walsh with Spirit Son and a certain Sprinter Sacre filling the places. Some race.
Chasing was next and a date with destiny in the Arkle. Tizzard’s star had taken to fences well but would once again bump into the imperious Sprinter Sacre.
A runner-up spot behind that Festival legend is no bad notch on the CV, mind you.
Into open company, and Cue Card would continue to kick on and improve. A Haldon Gold Cup was followed by a Grade 1 win in the Ascot Chase.
A fourth visit to Prestbury Park’s main event was next and he was expected to go one better in the Ryanair with no Sprinter Sacre to mess with.
What he produced was arguably his finest hour. Irish raider and 2-1 jolly First Lieutenant was no match for Cue Card and Joe Tizzard as they bounded up the hill.
He would miss the Festival for the next three seasons. Injuries, niggles and a King George priority would mean he was not seen at Cheltenham until 2016.
He had up until that point had a remarkable season. A memorable King George victory over Vautour had trumped early season Charlie Hall and Betfair Chase wins.
The Tizzards had their eyes on the big one and the Gold Cup was next.
What happened in the 2016 Gold Cup would haunt Paddy Brennan forever.
His horse was swinging as eventual winner Don Cossack and Djakadam were vying for the lead. Then three out disaster struck.
He fell and his dreams were dashed. The groan could be heard far and wide.
To this day, Brennan and the yard believe that was it. Cue Card would have won.
History would repeat itself the following year. Cue Card departed at the third last once again, although he wasn’t on a going day.
The Tizzards had missed their chance and as a crowd favourite, so had his loyal followers.
