1980 Cheltenham Gold Cup

BBC coverage of the 1980 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Won by Tied Cottage on the track but unfortunately disqualified several weeks later after a banned substance was found in a urine sample. The race subsequently awarded to Master Smudge.

[@petermcmanus7288]

First time I seen this race in the whole since 1980. What great memories.

[@rasslem]

Tied Cottage? One of my all time favourite horses. Is it me or did horses run a lot more back then?

[@stephenholmes1036]

Yes they did

[@petermcmanus4895]

Who will ever forget Tied Cottage and 15 years old Mac Vidi. This was my favourite Gold Cup.

[@davidkent8606]

I had a fiver EW on Mac Vidi at 66 to 1 with our firm's bookie. Everyone told me I was mad, and he had no chance, but I was convinced that his form, previous to this race, that season gave him a great EW chance.

[@stephenholmes1036]

£10ew Mac Vidi his form.was brilliant got laughed at that day on course.
They weren't laughing later a damn good horse if he hadn't been injured closes too the race he'd if got closer.
Well ridden by Paul Leach.

[@stevenpark7919]

Tied cottage was my favourite horse of all time a great front runner and one of the unluckiest ever to grace the cheltenham festival,until recently there was a race named after him at punchestown before the dublin festival came into being,I think it would be appropriate for Cheltenham to have a race named in his honour at one of their meetings does anyone else agree?

[@julzyboy1973]

not at cheltenham no but he should have a race named after him in ireland

[@davidkent8606]

I think there should be a Mac Vidi veteran's chase.

[@befairish]

Thanks for this++; Tied Cottage attacking the first fence was a spectacle!!!

[@sigball3971]

Mac Vidi 15 years old ....outstanding

[@josephstewart6706]

Never forget this my Late Dad was waiting on Master Smudge for a treble he was gutted when Tied Cottage was disqualified weeks later it unfortunately was to late for his bet.

[@PeterMc141]

Who can ever forget MacVidi. 3rd in this Gold Cup at 66/1 and a 15yo horse

[@teenoso4069]

Dan Moore, trainer of Tied Cottage rode Royal Danieli to a close 2nd in the 1938 National

[@gazowen7310]

Also died not long after along with the owner

[@davidmcmahon5234]

Great old races and the magnificent peter o Sullivan comentateing great stuff 😊

[@julzyboy1973]

Disgusting that Tied Cottage was disqualified over some contaminated feed. Would have made no difference at all. This is on a par with Cahervillahow in 1992. In my eyes Tied Cottage was the true winner of 1980.
Am guessing Midnight Court, Silver Buck and Night Nurse were all injured for this renewal.

[@andycook1597]

I might be wrong but I think Silver Buck was taken out due to the heavy ground

[@julzyboy1973]

@@andycook1597 yes that makes sense

[@davidkent8606]

@@andycook1597 I think that's why Mac Vidi ran such a big race, he liked the mud, apparently he had feet like soup plates according to his trainer.

[@andycook1597]

@@davidkent8606 it's certainly hard to imagine a 15 year old contesting the race nowadays never mind being placed

[@davidkent8606]

@@andycook1597 He had bad legs for most of his racing life, and never got a decent season in until he reached 14, if I remember correctly, he came into the Gold Cup on a long winning streak. The first race where he came to my attention was a 3 horse race, where he was the outsider of three, beating the well thought of Bengazi Express easily, he also made quick work of his more illustrious rivals in The Rip Chase.

[@JSB-IZ-ME]

Did Tied Cottage jump hardly any of the fences correctly, seemed to get in tight to nearly all of them except the last 3.

[@moyajanko6642]

Super stuff, thank you Steve.

[@chatham43]

.....much appreciated....

[@greentombdive]

Thanks. Subbed.

[@Baskerville22]

Great run by the winner

[@sigball3971]

Tied Cottage was a Machine

[@ftorres93]

First time in many years seen whole race..... MacVidi one of my faces.

[@ftorres93]

I mean faves ....lol

[@joefishlynch5632]

Mac Vidi is why I'm here , 3rd in gold cup at 15 years of age , loved that horse

[@davidkent8606]

@@joefishlynch5632 Me too, I backed him EW at 66 to 1.

[@Eastlondon1973]

This was when racing was at its peak . Not a great gold cup by any means. But the best horses weren't kept from racing each other. Sadly its crept into national hunt racing as well.

[@gillpayn3104]

I think the BBC director didn't have a clue how to deal with Tied Cottage's huge lead.

[@mervyncharter]

Thank you very much. Would you have any Cheltenham Gold Cups from 1975- 1978. thanks.

[@goingbehind1093]

I'm afraid not sorry

[@davidmcmahon5234]

They say jp ploughed jack of trumps this day was well fancied by the legend himself edward o grady 😊

[@pauljamison3340]

Does anyone have any info on “Narribinni” in this race?? We had a horse in NZ with the same name and I’m sure he was sent to the UK!

[@richardbranton7396]

He was a nz bred and sent to uk to be trained by Derek Kent

[@pauljamison3340]

@@richardbranton7396 I broke him in. What a nightmare!!🤬🤬😁

[@davidfletcher1116]

And later disqualified, I was at the Gold Cup that day

[@martinmalone6324]

yeah but the bookies still payed out. was only if it was with other anti post bets running later on that you lost.

[@pearlyman8790]

Thank you!

[@gazowen7310]

Your profile pic the best 2 mile chaser ever

[@pearlyman8790]

One of my favourites would have won more champion chases if he had stayed sound!

[@gazowen7310]

Perhaps an unlucky horse

[@stephenholmes1036]

Mac vidi what a horse

[@edwardwinder7877]

What ever happened to tied cottage

[@chatham43]

....you mean Master Smudge....?

[@goingbehind1093]

Hahaha well spotted!

[@stephenholmes1036]

No Mac Vidi

[@waqarkhan25]

shame though it ruined the great gold cup

[@calvinaitkin-sf9up]

In the days before the Irish took over Cheltenham.