'It was some day when we beat Baracouda – not bad for a coalman from Cheshire'

Cheltenham's greatest giant-killings

Iris's Gift beats Baracouda
Stayers' Hurdle, 2004

Baracouda was a phenomenon. The horse with an ungainly stride and a high head carriage would often look beaten in his races – only to grab hold of the bit before winning on it.

He was trained in France by Francois Doumen, whose raids on Britain's biggest jumps races were then a regular feature. Baracouda was one of Doumen's last top-class jumpers before the trainer focused his energies on Flat racing.