Steve Cauthen: 'We had 600 guests and Elton John singing Crocodile Rock'
The American legend talks to Peter Thomas about golfing, singing and pudding
What was your finest hour in the saddle?
Slip Anchor at Epsom in 1985 was one of my most exciting moments because I felt confident he could win and probably would win and I had my dad come over to see it. Everything went almost as I thought it would, except I didn't think I'd be 15 lengths clear turning for home! Doing it from the front was something not many people even thought about trying, but I rode him with confidence and it was a freakish performance that put him right up there with the best I rode in the States. Affirmed was the very best because he was good at two, three and four and from five furlongs to a mile and a half, whereas Slip Anchor got hurt in his box and was never the same horse again, but on that day he was fricking brilliant.
You also won the Eclipse that year. What do you remember of your win on Pebbles?
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- 'You can see why people end up struggling - when you're trying to pay the electric bill, losing one ride can be massive'
- 'I've never paid six figures for a horse and never will - I learned pretty quickly you're only one phone call away from f*** all'
- 'I’ve trained some fabulous horses, worked with some excellent riders - maybe I have brought a little bit of talent to the table as well'
- ‘When you’re in the moment and you’re starved, you’re ready to explode - everything built up and I just lost my s**t’
- 'He must have his breakfast earlier than Willie does' - Patrick Mullins goes behind enemy lines at Gordon Elliott's yard