For Galaxy and others - TIED COTTAGE

The following article is an account by Harsh Thakor, who was at Cheltenham in 1980 and was inspired by the performance of the great horse.

I have edited mainly for grammatical correctness.

There is too much for one post so I will post the second part as a "reply"

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The Story of Tied Cottage, by Harsh Thakor
I have more vivid memories of this steeplechaser than I have of any chaser. Twenty-five years ago as a schoolboy in England I witnessed this gelding’s spectacular triumph in the 1980 Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup. What was unique about this top class Irish gelding owned by Anthony Stanley Robinson and trained by Dan Moore in Ireland was that he would win races making all he running which is unusual. He had a charasterictic, bold, front running style.
In his first appearance at the Cheltenham festival Tied Cottage finished a gallant second to Brown Lad, one of Ireland’s greatest chasers in those years, who won the Irish Grand National 3 times. In typical style Tied Cottage set a scorching pace till the other Irish star passed him.
Tied Cottage made a winning debut at Cheltenham in the Sun Alliance Chase in the 1976 Cheltenham Festival at the age of 9 when unfancied. Here he conquered the favourite Davy Lad, the horse that won the Gold Cup the following season.He was partnered by his regular rider Tommy Carberry, one of the greatest jump jockeys as well as a jockey who knew the Cheltenham Course so well that he could ride round the Cheltenham course with his eyes closed. Watching Tied Cottage bowling along in front with Carberry astride showed perfect synchronization between rider and horse.
In 1977 Tied Cottage ran in his first ever Cheltenham Gold Cup. In one of the most open Gold Cups for years, he set a strong pace on the first circuit from Fort Devon, Banlieu, April 7th, Davy Lad and Lanzarote.At the 9th fence tragically the favourite Lanzarote (a great winner of the Champion Hurdle trying to become the first horse to win the Champion Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold Cup) faltered on landing, thus breaking his hind leg and succumbing, adding a saga to Fred Winter’s bad luck in steeplechasing’s Blue Riband. Tied Cottage continued to lead on the second circuit, closely followed by Fort Devon, who came down at the 17th fence. Summerville now came to challenge Tied Cottage and 5 fences from home stormed into the lead. Davy Lad also now overtook Tied Cottage. At the 2nd last Summerville faltered and both Davy Lad and Tied Cottage came back at Summerville. Both horses passed the leader going to the last. After the last Davy Lad, ridden by Dessie Hughes stormed away to win by 6 lengths with Tied Cottage finishing second. Tied Cottage had put up a gallant performance finishing runner up in his first Gold Cup. It was a first and second for Ireland and Irish fans were jubilant.
In 1978 Tied Cottage was Ireland’s principal hope for the Grand National, the World’s greatest steeplechase. The gallant horse led the field till meeting with a fall at Beechers Brook. Lucius went on to Triumph from Sebastian 2nd and Drumroan.
In he 1979 Gold Cup Tied Cottage set a breathtaking pace and the blistering gallop set by the old horse virtually took it’s toll on the majority of the field. Only Favourite Alverton and Royal Mail came anywhere near him. Alverton had covered considerable ground and between the final 2 fences challenged Tied Cottage for the lead. At the last flight Tied Cottage clubbed the top of the fence and crashed on landing. Alverton cruised home to win by 25 lengths. On the day of the race owner Anthony Robinson was mortally ill. Two weeks later Alverton was entered in the Grand National in an attempt to become the first horse after Golden Miller to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National. Tragically the champion succumbed at Bechers Brook, breaking his neck.
Later in the 1979 season Tied Cottage triumphed in the Irish Grand National. This time Anthony Robinson, his owner partnered him in the saddle. Tied Cottage led all the way till the 2nd last when he was challenged by Prince Rock. On landing Prince Rock overtook Tied Cottage and just when he was set for victory Tied Cottage came back at him and eventually overtook the leader to win by a length. It was a superlative exhibition of race riding by Anthony Robinson. (rode a winning race despite of suffering from Illness)
It was Anthony Robinson’s dream to win the 1980 Cheltenham Gold Cup event with his horse, who was now getting on in age being 12 years old. Suffering from prolonged illness, Robinson knew was living on borrowed time, in his final months of illness He knew this horse like a father knew his own son and in 1979 had ridden him to win the Irish Grand National. The previous year his horse had a heart breaking crash at the last fence after leading throughout the race. Tied Cottage was fancied because he always reached his peak in spring and though he had suffered defeats in the King George in December, and been beaten by Diamond Edge at Sandown, one month previously he was 3 times better at Cheltenham than at any course. The soft ground that prevailed at Cheltenham, because of the rain, ideally suited Tied Cottage.
Silver Buck,the top rated chaser of the season, who won the King George 6th Chase in December was withdrawn at the last minute because of he continuous rainfall which made the going extremely heavy. Trainer Dickinson withdrew the horse feeling that the conditions would act against his ward.Diamond Edge ,a subsequent Hennessey and Whitbread Gold Cup winner was the firm favourite at 5-2 followed by Jack of Trump’s, the principal hope for the Irish, at odds of 5-1. The soft Ground suited Tied Cottage and Master Smudge, the 1979 Sun Alliance Chase winner.
Two days before the Gold cup on the first day of the 1980 Cheltenham festival Ireland’s Monksfield was to forfeit his champion Hurdle Crown to Sea Pigeon and it was an inconsolable disappointment for the Irish Contingent who were awaiting their champion completing a hat-trick of wins. However the previous day the Irish chaser Chinrullah gained an emphatic 25 length in the 2 mile champion Chase.The Irish fans placed their hope principally on J.P. Magnus’s Jack Of Trumps, partnered by Jonjo O'Neill in the Tote Gold Cup.
Tied Cottage, starting at odds of 13-2 gave one of the most breathtaking front running displays ever witnessed in the big race. After clearing the third fence the veteran horse opened up a lead of about 10 lengths to Kas, Master Smudge, and the 15 year old Mcvidi. Bill Smith, on favourite Diamond Edge was in hot pursuit moving his mount to 2nd position at the 7th fence, as Tied Cottage’s pace had already put several rivals in trouble. On the 2nd Circuit Tied Cottage had increased his lead to about 25 lengths and was moving like a railway engine, running his rivals into the ground. Border Incident, with John Francome astride attempted to threaten Tied Cottage’s ascendancy but 6 fences from home had a disastrous fall. His jockey felt the fall robbed him of a golden chance of winning. A fence later the 1979 runner up Royal Mail fell, bringing down Jack Of Trumps, who was travelling very well under the hands of Jonjo Neil..Four fences from the finish Diamond Edge was pulled up, finishing a very distressed horse. At the 3rd last only Approaching challenged the leader who began to extend his lead and by the 2nd last the race was virtually over. Irish fans were waiting in anticipation at the last flight to see if Tied Cottage would repeat his mistake of the previous year. (Tied Cottage crashed on landing after the last fence in 1979 ) He jumped the last flight and with just a peck on landing won one of the most convincing Gold Cup’s in the history of the big race. The brave chaser had avenged his defeat of the previous year. Tied Cottage won at the age of 12 years equaling the record of Silver Fame and What a Myth for the oldest horse to win the Blue Riband Race. He also became the 5th horse to win the race leading all the way. Cheltenham expert and ex-champion jockey Terry Biddlecombe, said he had never witnessed an easier winner at Cheltenham. Master Smudge finished second, followed by Mcvidi in 3rd place and Approaching in 4th.
Tommy Carberry, astride Tied Cottage who gave a supreme exhibition of riding artistry had won his 4th Gold Cup and thus equaled Pat Taffee’s record. (Who won 3 times on Arkle from 1964 to 1966 and Fort Leney on 1968) Earlier Tommy had triumphed twice on L’Escargot in 1970 and 1971 and on Ten Up in 1975.Throughout the race he showed exemplary judgment of pace showing control over his mount like a man driving a car. He proved that he was one of the greatest Gold Cup riders of all time. The joy amongst the Irish Crowds was indescribable like the people of a nation celebrating their nation’s victory in a war.Champagne was flowing in the Arkle bar.Owner Anthony Robinson who was to pass away a few months later said in his post–race comments, “For me this is the ultimate, to win the Gold Cup.This is one of my proudest days.”

 

Watching Anthony hold aloft the Gold Cup Trophy with tears in his eyes was one of the most touching moments ever witnessed in National Hunt Racing. Trainer Dan Moore had won his third Gold Cup. However as a result of illness,his wife Joan Moore received the trophy on his behalf.
Alas! Two week later a routine dope test on Tied Cottage proved positive, the banned substance theobromine being detected in the urine samples. On April 28th,1980 Tied Cottage was disqualified from the £36,000 first prize and Cup. However the trainers were exonerated from any fine as the ‘doping’ was proved to be accidental. No connections were held responsible. The cause was cocoa beans, which accidentally contaminated the horse’s corn feed. It was traced back to cocoa shells that had been shipped next to the soya beans that were later part of the racehorse cubes.
Virtually all prominent racing experts like commentator Julian Wilson, ex-jockey Richard Pitman, ex-jockey and Daily Telegraph Racing writer John Oaksey, Sean Graham Racing annual editor GP McGrath as well as Timeform endorsed the view that Tied Cottage had won the race on merit because the quantity of substance detected was so minute that Tied Cottage would certainly have won without the prohibited substances and his disqualification was technical. However the authorities had to adhere to the rules. (Irrespective of the quantity of a prohibited substance, a horse whose dope test is found to be positive will be disqualified) Runner up Master Smudge, owned and trained by Arthur Barrow and ridden by Richard Hoare was awarded the race. In later years that quantity of prohibited substance detected in Tied Cottage’s urine sample was allowed. Most fittingly the Sean Graham Racing Annual of 1980 put Tied Cottage’s photograph jumping the last flight to victory in the 1980 Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup on the front page. The following year in the analysis of the big race Commentator Julian Wilson referred to Tied Cottage as the “Gold Cup winner” of the previous year. There was a superb film titled ‘The Irish at Cheltenham – A Glorious Uncertainty.’Here Monksfield,Chinrullah and Tied Cottage were highlighted. Monksfield had lost his crown to Sea Pigeon but the film displayed the magnificient triumps of Chinrullah and Tied Cottage. There is no doubt in the eyes of the racing public that Tied Cottage was on merit the 1980 Gold Cup winner. However both Tied Cottage’s trainer and owner showed great sportsmanship after the disqualification stating, “Surely he will win the race again.” It was ironical that a few months after the race Tied Cottage’s owner and trainer both died. The moment was like a tragic ending of a classic Hollywood film!
The following year in the 1981 Gold Cup Tied Cottage was the principal hope for Ireland sadly he fell at the third fence and Little Owl went on to win the race.
In 1982 the steeplechasing world saw Tied Cottage run his last Cheltenham Gold Cup. In typical style he set the pace from Diamond Edge, Grittar and Earth Stopper. He set such a hot pace that Royal Bond, a strongly fancied Irish runner, Master Smudge, Venture to Cognac and the great Night Nurse were soon in trouble. The old man gave an incredible display of jumping leading a band of five up to the home turn and till the third last his familiar noseband touched down just ahead of the other contenders. At that point the old horse began to tread water and eventually finished ninth,with Silver Buck going on to win the event. For a fourteen year old it was a noble way to say farewell to Cheltenham. Tied Cottage displayed his superlative courage and endurance at the age of 14.That age was the 2nd oldest age for any horse to have completed the course in the history of the race. (Mcvidi at 15 years in 1980 and Right Run in 1945 were older) Tied Cottage had participated in the race 5 times which was only behind the Dikler (7) and Golden Miller (6).
He retired like a gallant Soldier retiring from his career. It was a sad farewell.
In my view Tied Cottage is the unluckiest horse not to win a place in the roll of honour of Cheltenham Gold Cup winners although Fred Winter’s chaser Pendil had more class. (Twice winner of the King George who lost 2 Golds Cups lucklessly). There have been horses who have lost the race, falling at the last, but none who have come back the following year to win the race but lose it lucklessly because of the minute presence of prohibited substances in the dope test. But for a trick of fate he may well have won the Gold Cup twice in succession in 1979 and 1980. In five Gold Cups he led the field till 5 fences from home. (Up to the home turn three times) Unofficially, Tied Cottage is the only chaser with Desert Orchid and Arkle to win the Irish Grand National in addition to the Gold Cup as well as the oldest horse (12 years) jointly with What a Myth and Silver Fame to win the Gold Cup. The story of the 1980 Cheltenham Gold Cup will be remembered in the minds of racegoers while steeplechasing exists.
By Harsh Thakor