'Absolutely Phenomenal': Army Lieutenant On Maiden Grand Military Gold Cup Win

A British Army lieutenant says winning the Grand Military Gold Cup for the first time was "absolutely phenomenal".

Billy Aprahamian, of the Irish Guards, who'll be off for operational service in Kenya in November, won the race on Baden.

The annual race allows veterans and service personnel to compete over a three-mile chase.

The winning horse was running alongside Midnight Monty, who is owned by members of the King's Royal Hussars.  

Midnight Monty's owners, named as 'The Cherry Pickers', were hoping to have a 15-year-old dream come true when their horse lined up at Sandown. 

Not only is the horse owned by the King's Royal Hussars, he is also trained by the regiment's former captain, Jamie Snowden.

Monty was also ridden by another former member, in Major Harry Wallace. 

"We made the joke that if we could ever afford a horse we would come and get one with Jamie. 15 years later, here we are."

Member of The Cherry Pickers, Jordan Wylie, explains how the owners came together:

"One day we were sat in a trench in Northern Ireland and I said to Jamie (Captain Snowden): 'What are you going to do when you leave the Army?'"

"It was a cold, wet night and I said: 'You don't want to be doing this forever, surely, boss?'. He said one day he would be training racehorses and he would win at the Cheltenham festival." 

"Obviously, for us, it was quite entertaining to hear as young soldiers - we thought the guy was crazy! And we made the joke that if we could ever afford a horse we would come and get one with Jamie. 15 years later, here we are."

"We're coming for Guy Disney!"

The Cherry Pickers have plenty of people involved, from the bottom to the top and including royalty.

"We have everybody from myself at the lower ranks all the way up to the Colonel-in-Chief, which is the Princess Royal, Princess Anne and in between, we have captains, colonels and a mixture of ranks right through," Mr Wylie said.

"Princess Anne loves it, she comes along to the races and I'm sure she'll be there. It will be interesting if we win because she usually presents the award!"

In February, Midnight Monty finished four and a half lengths behind last year's double winner, Rathlin Rose, who is ridden by Guy Disney and trained by David Pipe.

Both Midnight Monty and Rathlin Rose featured among 11 runners, with Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson fielding More Buck's and Baden respectively.

Successful former racehorses Barbers Shop and Monkerhostin paraded ahead of the race, meanwhile, to signify the special bond that exists between soldier and horse.

Royal Marine Sergeant Major George Beilby's return from his last tour of Afghanistan in 2009 coincided with Monkerhostin's retirement from the track.

Just click below to find out more about their relationship...

It was during this time that Sergeant Major Beilby took on Monkerhostin, in whom he found his equine soul mate.

The gelding is now firmly part of the Beilby family and enjoys 'hacking out', as well as some days hunting.

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