Good birthday for Hartlepool man as he backs aptly-named winning horse

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Birthday boy Ian Cushlow celebrated a day to remember at the races after wisely backing a horse which lived up to its name on his behalf.

The building surveyor, who is from Hartlepool did not even know he was going to a race meeting until he woke up and his family told him they were treating him for his 50th birthday.

The surprise day out got even better when he backed the winner of the day’s big race – the aptly-named Good Birthday.

Good Birthday, trained in Berkshire by Andrew Balding and ridden by Sylvestre de Sousa, won the Racing TV Zetland Gold Cup at the rewarding odds of 13-2 at Redcar Races at the end of last month.

Ian Cushlow is pictured with Good Birthday and stable girl Lois Day

“I couldn’t not back it, could I?” said Ian afterwards. “It has really made my day.”

Ian also got to pose for a photograph with the winning horse and stable girl Lois Day.

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