It was an incredible race and it was some feat for a horse with such low odds to win a race of the Gold Cup’s prestige, especially taking into factor that he had beaten favourite Desert Orchid to win the race, who was placed at odds of 10/11.
It was a superb race, which saw the underdog overtake Toby Tobias on the final furlong, who was rode by Mark Pitman to win the race. In the aftermath of the race, there were joyous scenes for jockey Graham McCourt, becoming the highest priced odds to win the Gold Cup – and that record stands to this day.
In honour of #StDavidsDay we’re making this #ThrowbackThursday Welsh themed!
It was 28 years ago, in 1990, when Norton’s Coin, trained by Sirrell Griffiths landed the Cheltenham Gold Cup at 100-1! #IllBeThere pic.twitter.com/aTIaAV9wur
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 1, 2018
READ MORE: LAST FIVE WINNERS OF THE CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP
It is still an astonishing story, and one which is no doubt still talked about on the terraces on Gold Cup week, following a tremendous ride which saw the Welsh horse steal the headlines from the much fancied Desert Orchid.
It will also go down as one of the greatest races of all time at Cheltenham, due to the significance of what had happened. The only other majors in which the horse had won during that era was the Silver Trophy Chase – in 1989 and 1991.
Norton’s Coin ended up with a total prize money of £138,990 before its death following a suspected heart attack in January 2001, but what he achieved in March 1990 will never ever be forgotten for all its glory and brilliance of what happened 28 years ago.
