Harry Redknapp blocked Tottenham players from going to Cheltenham before ending up with them in a box
Former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp once stopped his players from going to Cheltenham - only to end up in a box with them.
The stars will be out in force at Cheltenham Festival this week, which begins on Tuesday, and the odd footballer might be seen out and about.
3
Cheltenham Festival offer: Get a free bet on EVERY race at the Festival with talkSPORT BET!
But whether a whole squad will be in attendance might be a bit of a stretch, though that is exactly what happened when talkSPORT host Jamie O'Hara was still a Tottenham player.
The four-day festival was a big occasion on the calendar for Spurs, with players arranging helicopters to attend the event and hiring out a box for the day.
However, while Redknapp was in charge, he was keen to stamp his authority on the squad and inform them they were not going - but everyone has a price.
Speaking to talkSPORT in 2019, O'Hara recalled he and Jonathan Woodgate arranging a lads' day out at Cheltenham and convinced Redknapp to let them go.
READ MORE ON CHELTENHAM
talkSPORT BET Offer
Bet £10 and get a free bet on EVERY Cheltenham Festival race!
18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10+ on Horse Racing at odds of 2.00+, before 13:00 on 12/03/2024. No Cash Out. Get £1 on every Cheltenham Festival 2024 race (28x £1) on selected markets. Free bets expire on Friday at 17:30. Card/Apple Pay Payments only. Offer valid until 13:00 on 12/03/2024. T&Cs Apply. BeGambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
"I remember when we went to Cheltenham - it was always a big event [for the players].
"Woody was big on the races and he'd organised, for the Thursday, to have a helicopter take us there.
"But we went on the Wednesday with Harry. We went as a team, with Harry. He pulled us all in, we had Manchester United on the Saturday.
"So he pulled us all in and said, 'You are not allowed. If I see anyone at Cheltenham, that's it. You're done'.
Most read in Horse Racing
3
3
"But what he didn't realise is Woody had put on two helicopters to go on the Thursday for the team and we had a box.
"So all the boys have come in and gone, 'Woody what are we going to do? We are going to have to cancel.'
Jamie O'Hara tells hilarious story about his time at Spurs when Jonathan Woodgate persuaded Harry Redknapp to let them go to Cheltenham just days before a game
"He said, 'give us five minutes', so he has gone into Harry's office, sat down and gone 'look, Harry, we've organised to go, it is a big racing day, it's a big event, all the boys want to go, it is a team bonding exercise. We are not going to drink, we are just having a day out.'
"And he went, 'I'll tell you what, if I put a helicopter on for you and the staff, why don't you come on board and come with us?'
"And Harry goes, 'Yeah, I'll have a bit of that'. And Harry was in there with us! Played United on the Saturday, got a result, lovely jubbly!"
Cheltenham this year will start on Tuesday before ending on Friday and all the information you could need is right here including race schedules, betting tips and exclusive offers.
The Gold Cup, the festival's main event, will get underway on Friday afternoon and is expected to be a bonanza as the 100th edition of the race, with talkSPORT providing all the necessary info here.
Redknapp is expected to be in attendance and has his own horse, remarkably named after a West Ham fan who used to heckle him during his Hammers days.
talkSPORT is on hand to give you all the latest information on Cheltenham this week including the full schedule of races, full list of winners and more.
talkSPORT BET Offer
Bet £10 and get a free bet on EVERY Cheltenham Festival race!
18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10+ on Horse Racing at odds of 2.00+, before 13:00 on 12/03/2024. No Cash Out. Get £1 on every Cheltenham Festival 2024 race (28x £1) on selected markets. Free bets expire on Friday at 17:30. Card/Apple Pay Payments only. Offer valid until 13:00 on 12/03/2024. T&Cs Apply. BeGambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Topics