..... and interestingly, Harchibald beating Inglis Drever in the 2004 Fighting Fifth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWf3utjgsxk&feature=BFa&list=ULeQxf8YU85aE&lf=mfu_in_order An amazing race to watch, Harchibald took the last on the bridle and sauntered away. He was always a horse who toyed with my emotions. If you watched that and didn't know the horse you'd be having the house on him for the Champion Hurdle Here another great race - the Christmas Hurdle just a month later where Rooster Booster set off to make all and was 30 lengths clear down the back straight. Tanja calling the in-race odds on the exchanges and then Harchi comes and nabs him after the last - brilliant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h66sHt_Q7WM&feature=related
Harchibald was never the problem, it was the twat on top of him, who waisted the career of such a talented horse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XytdSuSuNEo&list=UUawvY1K8PV-duoLU7-JSYEQ&index=36&feature=plcp What a horse Master Minded was, His 2008 Tingle Creek win. His jumping at speed is probably the best I've seen from any chaser. Such a shame its unlikely he'll race again...
Ye he was a fantastic horse back then, it's ashame there's no replay of the 2008 Champion Chase anywhere
Yes one minute we were all ecstatic that he'd won ....the next minute completely distraught that he may be on his way to horsey heaven....then the next minute we were doubley ecstatic that he'd got up! I think dear old Spot knocked a few years of every racing fan's life that day. Similarly, was the relief when Our Vic got up after his fall at Cheltenham (his only fall, I think). He'd put in a wonderful display of jumping and was looking the likely winner, then he came down at the last. It was a ghastly fall. He was down for ages, the place fell silent. Then Our Vic got a bigger cheer than the winner when he got to his feet. It was lovely when his owner said that the horse getting up afterwards was better than if he'd won! There's no other sport that puts you through this, is there? Anyway, fortunately we have more happy times, than sad, with horse racing. Two of the best ones for me being Inglis Drever's third World Hurdle win and AP and Don't Push It winning the Grand National. Great thread btw.
Dubai Millennium winning the World Cup Royal Academy winning the BC Mile Haafhd winning the Guineas Sea the Stars winning the Arc Frankel winning the Guineas & Sussex Stakes Kauto Star winning the 2011 King George To name but a few - I'm an emotional kinda girl!
Being a sentimental fool there are several for this correspondent. They include: Arazi’s BC Juvenile win. As I’ve said many times this is the heat that got me really interested in horse racing when just a young ‘un. Hardy Eustace’s 2005 Champion Hurdle win. I have a picture at Chuckle Towers of the 3 protagonists jumping the last and everytime I look at and watch the race still can’t believe how Hardy won that day. The guts, determination and will to win are like nothing I have ever seen before or since. A lot of people talk about Harchibald losing that race but believe me not even Pegasus in receipt of 2 stone and a beating would have got past Hardy that day. Master Minded’s first Champion Chase. Still the best NH performance that I have ever witnessed. The way he jumped, galloped and then quickened that day was amazing. Left you feeling that you had witnessed something very, and I do mean very, special. Binocular’s 2010 Champion Hurdle. Given the critisicm that this horse had received and the way he confounded his doubters this was an awesome display. Totally destroyed the opposition and I can still picture the way he cruised into contention off the home straight and then galloped away to victory after the McCoy boy went 1-2-3-ping and he soared over the last. Was also the training performance of our age by Mr Henderson as his ‘magic hands’ rekindled the horses enthuasm and brought him back to win on the day that mattered. Frankel’s 2,000 Guineas. Given the pressure he and connections were under and the way he steamrollered the opposition this was a Sensational performance with a capital ‘S’. A once in a generation display. Advanced’s win at Ripon at the backend of last year. My regular readers will know that I totally adore this horse and his return to the old winners enclosure after a gap of 24 months certainly brought a tear to my eye!
Tears were flowing the day Castle Mane won the Horse and Hound Cup at Stratford. I was there that day to see him, the atmosphere was electric. I was very much into my hunter chasing, at the time. Castle Mane was something very special....he had previously won the Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham and the Champion Hunters' Chase at Punchestown. A week after his Stratford win he was found injured in his field (a broken neck, I think it was) and had to be put down. It was completely gutting for everyone, particularly Caroline Bailey his trainer. RIP Castle Mane
Yes Zen...he was possibly going to go to Nicky Henderson's to be trained for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
I have a terrible record in the Cheltenham Foxhunters so it's extremely unlikely I backed him in the race, but didn't he win the race by about 20 lengths ?
By 13 lengths: "Led to 7th, pressed leader after, mistake 10th, led again 16th, drew clear before 2 out, stayed on strongly, impressive" He was only 7 then too. On the subject of the Foxhunters I have heard good things about My Flora from people 'in the know' if you know what I mean. I've no idea about the form myself but take of that what you will.
You've got a good memory Grizzly....yes like Zen says he won by an impressive 13 lengths. I'm trying to upload a picture of Castle Mane....can't do it like before...why's that? I saved it to 'my pictures' tried to upload it on here and my computer crashed....what a palaver! I'll have another go.. please log in to view this image ...oh that's an easier way to do it. It's of Castle Mane leading over the first at Chelts....sorry it's blurred it's the only one I could find.
The Foxhunters has thrown up some serious horses, Kingscliffe, Fantus, Rushing Wild and even Cappa Bleu were all impressive winners at young ages and were hyped to be future Gold Cup winners, none of them ever quite made it though. I'm the worst judge on the planet for Hunter winners, but I was given a piece of advice over 20 years ago which was back the horse with the best jockey, this stands true for all festival races for amateur riders - you can safely assume that Derek O'Connor and Jamie Codd would have choices in the race....
When you've been every year since 1989 and only found one winner of a race you tend to do alot of soul searching ! What was your involvement with the horse ?
