From “sticking a pen in a pair” whereas having a youthful flutter to proudly owning a King George VI Chase winner and potential Cheltenham Gold Cup victor, Harry Redknapp has come a great distance in horse racing.
The FA Cup-winning soccer supervisor’s love of the game could be traced again to his grandmother Maggie Brown, who was a bookmaker’s runner in London’s East Finish, at a time when betting outlets and off-course betting had been unlawful.
On Friday, his horse Jukebox Man will try so as to add the Cheltenham showpiece to his King George win in December.
The King George VI Chase is taken into account the most important jumps race of the season earlier than the Cheltenham Competition, whereas the Gold Cup is described by the Jockey Membership as probably the most prestigious steeplechase on the planet.
After claiming a photo-finish victory at Kempton Park on Boxing Day to topple 2024 King George winner Banbridge and 9-4 joint-favourite Gaelic Warrior, Redknapp mentioned: “We have come into the Champions League right this moment.”
However can he win bounce racing’s equal of the Champions League?
“We have now an opportunity, however it’s a robust race,” Redknapp informed BBC Radio 5 Dwell:
Amongst these standing in his approach are Gaelic Warrior, Jango Baie, Haiti Couleur and final 12 months’s winner Inothewayurthinkin.
Redknapp mentioned: “Simply to have a runner within the Gold Cup is a dream come true.
“We have now had a lot enjoyable with Jukebox Man, which gained the King George on Boxing Day, which is likely one of the most iconic races within the racing calendar.
“To go to the Gold Cup and to have a runner with a little bit of an opportunity is nice.”
Victory can be the crowning second of a 70-year love affair with the game that started throughout childhood.
“My nan would take the bets,” he mentioned. “I might come out for my college dinner once I’m eight or 9 and he or she was getting put at the back of a police van and brought to Poplar police station.”
Redknapp’s nan would inform him to “stick a pen in a pair“ that might be her bets for the day.
Regardless of his love of the game, he has by no means been tempted to journey – “not for all the cash on the planet”.
”They get injured, these bounce jockeys, after which they arrive again about three weeks later, he mentioned.
“They don’t seem to be like footballers, are they?”
Redknapp owns shares in 26 horses.
“You are not at all times profitable,” he mentioned.
“For each Shakem Up’arry and Jukebox Man and Taurus Bay, there’s a lot of others that by no means actually did something.”
