Harry Redknapp has made one thing abundantly clear as the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup approaches — The Jukebox Man is not leaving his yard at any price. With the Cheltenham Festival showpiece looming on Friday 13th March, the former football manager is daring to dream of the biggest prize in jumps racing.
The 78-year-old could scarcely contain his emotion when The Jukebox Man stormed to victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day. Flanked by wife Sandra and family members, Redknapp watched his eight-year-old gelding deliver a performance that elevated him firmly into the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup picture.
Now, after visiting trainer Ben Pauling during a media morning organised by The Jockey Club, Redknapp admits the anticipation feels unlike anything he experienced across 52 years in professional football.
“It’s a dream to have a horse to run in the Gold Cup and go there with a chance,” he said. “I’ve had plenty of horses over the years, but this one has taken us places you only dream about. He’s my dream — he’s not for sale and wouldn’t be for sale at any price.”
Gold Cup Dreams Growing for The Jukebox Man
The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup represents the pinnacle of National Hunt racing, and Redknapp acknowledges the task ahead will be formidable. Yet belief courses through the camp.
“I’m not saying we’re going to win it,” he added. “It’s an open race and we’ve got a serious horse. I think we’ve got as good a chance as anything.”
Despite his long association with football — including spells managing clubs such as West Ham and Tottenham — Redknapp now finds racing dominates conversations wherever he goes.
“People ask me about The Jukebox Man more than football,” he laughed. “When I’m at Cheltenham, I don’t want to talk about football. Even the lads I used to manage — they all ask about the horse.”
There could even be a familiar face across the parade ring next month, with Sir Alex Ferguson also likely to be in attendance at the Festival. The pair have shared many competitive afternoons on the touchline and at the racecourse.
“Alex is great. He loves his racing,” Redknapp said warmly. “He’s a top man.”
Nerves Like a Cup Final
Redknapp admits Gold Cup day will stir emotions comparable to a major football final — perhaps even more intense.
“I’ll be very nervous. Probably more nervous watching a race than standing on the touchline,” he confessed. “You get nervous every jump. You’re just praying they come back safe and sound. Ben has done all the work. You’re relying on the jockey and the horse.”
His relationship with Pauling stretches back more than seven years and already includes Festival success when Shakem Up’arry scored in 2024. Yet the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup is another level entirely.
Pauling, who describes Redknapp as “a national treasure”, believes the horse deserves his place among the elite.
“To have a horse of this calibre going into the Gold Cup in the form he’s in is exceptionally exciting,” Pauling said. “Harry loves the sport. He’s competitive, passionate and has been involved for a long time. The attention comes for the right reasons.”
From a £6,000 syndicate purchase during his Bournemouth days to standing on the brink of the sport’s most coveted crown, Redknapp’s ownership journey has come full circle. As the countdown to the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup continues, The Jukebox Man carries not just hopes of victory, but the dreams of a lifelong racing enthusiast determined to savour every stride.
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