Harry Redknapp's Cheltenham Gold Cup hopes were dashed as his horse The Jukebox Man faded to finish eighth, but the former Tottenham manager quickly turned his attention to a new challenge: saving Spurs from relegation. The 79-year-old, who managed the club between 2008 and 2012, said he would 'give it a go' if asked, insisting he feels 'as fit as a fiddle'.
Redknapp, who led Tottenham to Champions League qualification, admitted the pressure of the Gold Cup was greater than anything he faced at Spurs. 'Managing Spurs wasn't that stressful when I was there,' he said with a smile. 'We had a good team, so it wasn't too bad.'
The horse, a 7-2 third favourite, jumped well and stayed close to the lead until two fences from home, when he 'ran out of petrol' as Gaelic Warrior powered clear to win. Redknapp revealed The Jukebox Man had missed a week's work before the race and may need a breathing operation, but he refused to make excuses.
'He travelled great until two out, and then he seemed to just fall in a bit of a hole,' Redknapp explained. 'He simply just ran out of steam today. The winner was amazing, different class.'
Despite the defeat, Redknapp's presence at Cheltenham brought mainstream attention to jump racing. He appeared on Radio 4's Today programme and was greeted by a roar of affection from the crowd. The race was watched by a sell-out crowd of 75,000.
Redknapp's love of racing runs deep; his grandmother Maggie Brown took illegal bets in the 1950s. Reflecting on his Gold Cup near-miss, he said: 'It's a big challenge, but why not? I'd give it a go.'
