We reflect on the best and worst Cheltenham Festival results

With just over a week to go until the biggest week in the jump racing calendar, we take a trip down memory lane and reflect on Ladbrokes’ best and worst Cheltenham Festival results.

Last year was definitely considered a good one, but 2015 in particular stands out as a winning year after Annie Power’s £100 million fall.

Other outstanding results include Gold Cup victories for Lord Windermere (20/1) in 2014 and Norton’s Coin in 1990, who remains the biggest priced winner in the festival’s history at 100/1.

2003 is considered the worst year in festival history for Ladbrokes, as millions rode on La Landiere (5/4f) in the last race of the meeting, the Cathcart Chase.

Losses in 2016 reached an estimated £60 million, with Don Cossack’s Gold Cup triumph causing the most damage. 1998 is another year best forgotten, with Unsinkable Boxer (15/8f) in the Unicoin Handicap Hurdle and Blowing Wind (2/1f) in the County Hurdle resulting in bumper pay-outs.

This year, Getabird in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is currently the biggest loser. If he lands the first, then the multiples on Footpad, Buveur D’Air, and Apple’s Jade will be enormous.

Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes said: “The Cheltenham Festival can make or break the bookies. There are still some names in racing that make our traders shudder including day one in 2015 when the Willie Mullins/Ruby Walsh treble of Douvan, Un De Sceaux, and Faugheen all landed.

“However, that same week Annie Power would go down in the history books as our biggest ever saviour. There were millions riding on her following on from the earlier wins Mullins/Walsh racked up and her defeat saved the industry an estimated £100 million.

“The worst year in memory has to be 2003. Results were catastrophic with the likes of Azertyuiop, Moscow Flyer, and Best Mate among the stand-out disasters. However, the nail in our coffin was a victory for La Landiere in the Cathcart Chase, where an extraordinary number of bets were running on to her.

“Last year was definitely one of our better memories with the likes of Melon and Yanworth getting turned over. Obviously a repeat of that would be a dream but if the likes of Getabird, Footpad, Buveur D’Air, Apple’s Jade, and Samcro land, this year could knock 2003 off the top spot as the worst Cheltenham in living memory.”

The BEST Cheltenham results:

2017: Special Tiara – Champion Chase – 11/1 (Beat Douvan -2/9f)

2015: Glens Melody – Mares’ Hurdle – 6/1 (Beat Annie Power – 1/2f)

2014: More Of That – Stayers Hurdle – 15/2 (Beat Annie Power – 11/8f)

2014: Lord Windermere – Gold Cup – 20/1 (Beat Bobs Worth – 6/4f)

1994: Artic Kinsman – Supreme – 50/1 (Beat Sound Man – 7/2f)

1990: Norton’s Coin  – Gold Cup- 100-1 (Beat Desert Orchid -10/11f)

1989: Beech Road – Champion Hurdle – 50/1 (Beat Kribensis – 11/8f)

1989: Observer Corps – Cathcart Chase -66/1 (Beat Rusch De Farges – 4/5f)

1981: Baron Blakeney – Triumph Hurdle – 66/1 (Beat Broadsword – 15/8f)

The WORST Cheltenham results:

2016: Don Cossack – Gold Cup – 9/4f

2015: Douvan – Supreme – 2/1f

2015: Un De Sceaux – Arkle – 4/6f

2015: Faugheen – Champion Hurdle – 4/5f

2015: Vautour – JLT – 6/4f

2011: Junior – Kim Muir -10/3f

2009: Mikael D’Haguenet – Neptune- 5/2f

2009: Wichita Lineman – William Hill Handicap Chase – 5/1f

2009: Quevega – Mares Hurdle- 2/1f

2004: Xenophon – Coral Cup – 4/1f

2004: Best Mate – Gold Cup -8/11f

2003: La Landiere – Cathcart Chase -5/4f

1998: Unsinkable Boxer – Unicoin Handicap Hurdle – 2/1f

1998: Blowing Wind – County Hurdle – 15/8f

All Odds and Markets correct as of date of publication