This thread is for anyone to share memories of great battles on the flat. Although special single races aren't excluded I'm really looking for ongoing battles between two (or more) horses that caused much excitement and/or controversy during a season, or even longer. Races are not restricted to the UK. I have one in mind (which inspired the thread) but will need some time at home to write up. Meanwhile please feel free to post any stories below.
Seabiscuit v War Admiral. The Biscuit had been flogged as a two year old, having been sent out 35 times. He was the working man's hero from the West coast, who came up against the triple crown winner War Admiral, the pride of the East. It was a match race that took an age to get off the ground, which gave the nation time to really get into it. It was huge.
Giants Causeway and Kalanisi The first mentioned is one of my favourite horses. I always feel that as a watcher from the stands or on our TV one of the great things we miss out on through distance is the individual characters of the horses. In the case of Giants Causeway however his personality was so pronounced that we could all see it from any distance. This horse hated any other animal having the audacity to try and pass him once he has been allowed by his rider to hit the front. Nashwan and Cacoathes The second name was a very unlucky horse to have bumped into a true champion as in many a year he would have won some very good races and still be spoken about. As it is however he is barely remembered. If I remember rightly Greville Starkey was his jockey. Apologies for likely mis-spelling of Cacoathes.
Bustino v Grundy Apologies, I've not written this myself, but the entry from Wikipedia pretty well says it all, and my brain has decided to go on holiday for Easter. Bustino was up against a very solid field in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes that was open to older horses. The participants included Eclipse Stakes winner, Star Appeal, Nelson Bunker Hunt's mare, Dahlia, one of the greatest female horses in world Thoroughbred racing history, and the three-year-old Grundy, a winner of both the Epsom and Irish Derbys. Trainer Dick Hern knew Bustino had the stamina for the 2,414 metre race (1½ miles) and started two of Bustino's stablemates to set a blistering early pace designed to wear down Grundy. With half a mile left to run, Bustino and jockey Joe Mercer moved into the lead. He was ahead by four lengths by the time they entered the top of the straight when Pat Eddery on Grundy mounted a charge. The two horses began pulling away from the rest of the field and with a furlong left to run, Grundy passed Bustino, who soon retook the lead. Fifty yards from the finish line, Grundy fought back and recaptured the lead, holding off Bustino's continued furious effort to win by half a length with Dahlia another five lengths behind in third. The winning time of 2:26.98 beat the race record by almost two and a half seconds, a record that lasted for 35 years. As sometimes happens, a race of this nature took a toll on both horses. Grundy ran only once more without success, and Bustino never raced again.
That was the race of the century Janabelle and I was fortunate enough to be there. A couple of ongoing duels I will try to add, if no-one beats me to it (feel free to do so) are: To-Agori-Mou v Kings Lake Affirmed v Alydar
Bluesky9 beat me to the Giants Causeway versus Kalanisi match up. This was a contest between two quality horses that was not just a single encounter (like Bustino versus Grundy – the Race of the Century that ultimately finished both horses careers). I was at York the day that the pair of them faced off in the Juddmonte International and I have the photographs somewhere of their ding-dong battle to the line, where Giants Causeway just ended victor. That was almost a repeat of their dramatic tussle in the Coral Eclipse Stakes with the subsequent European Horse of the Year again getting the verdict by a head. And for the record, Guy Harwood’s Alydar colt was called Cacoethes, so you were only one letter out!
I remember his eyeballing. The only way to beat him was to come very late and very wide so that by the time he saw the other horse it was too late. Can't remember who finally managed that trick but I seem to recall someone did.
Galileo vs Fantastic Light The dual Derby winner Galileo took his unbeaten tally to 6 when repelling the challenge of the globe trotting Godolphin warrior in the King George at Ascot. There was no doubting the emphatic victory of the A.O'B trained Sadlers wells colt, but there was some doubt about his defeated opponents ability to quite stay the 1m4f trip. The suspicion was that were the pair to meet over 1m2f there would be the possibility of a reverse. A possibility that was realised at Leopardstown in September. It's not often that formbook race readers are moved to poetry, but their meeting at Leopardstown for the Irish Champion Stakes drew the comment; "It is almost a pity to analyse this race in dispassionate terms. A truly heroic battle deserves to linger in the memory as a magnificent spectacle between two outstanding racehorses." The event had everything; two great colts from different generations, representing two of the sports most powerful and influential set ups. Frankie Dettori wore the Royal Blue silks of Godolphin, while grizzled veteran Mick Kinane carried the Midnight Blue Magnier colours so often favoured by the Ballydoyle juggernaut. The stage was set for colour, drama, brilliance, and controversy. The fates did not disappoint, even if the outcome didn't really settle any arguments. The formbook again; "tactics played an important part". Godolphin ran two other horses that day, and when Give The Slip under Richard Hills pulled off the rail to allow Fantastic Light through, Galileo was carried wide at a crucial moment. Be that as it may, the dual classic winning 3 yold had no answer to the older colts acceleration up the straight over the shorter trip. The day finished with the pair tied at 1-1, honours even.
The Kings Lake v To-Agori-Mou was one of my first memories in racing Ron..the bad blood,mainly created by Greville Starkey,only added to the occasion where the best horse ultimately came out on top. Last years head to head involving Toronado and Dawn Approach was pretty good also! Two cracking races at G1 level where for once the Hannons let Bolger et al spout the hype and their silent confidence was vindicated. Toronado was rightly adjudged the top 3-y-o last season and Dawn Approach left for the sheds with a top rating almost identical to Camelot!..
As I mentioned the Kings Lake v To-Agori-Mou I did think of Toronado and Dawn Approach Dex. Pretty similar but without the bad feeling.
Ardross and Le Moss had a few titanic battles with both prevailing at some stage by small margins over staying trips...Again,just about when I was getting into the sport so I remember these events with a lot of clarity and fondness. I think one held a 2-1 advantage but can't remember which one at this stage!..less clarity than I thought obviously!
Crikey I can't remember either Dex. Titanic battles they were. I think it was Le Moss but wouldn't bet on it. Now I will have to have a look as it's bugging me.
Le Moss won all three meetings Dex, 2 of them by a neck. But look at Ardross's wins and awards compared to Le Moss's Ardross Major wins Gallinule Stakes (1979) Jockey Club Cup (1980) Yorkshire Cup (1981, 1982) Ascot Gold Cup (1981, 1982) Goodwood Cup (1981) Geoffrey Freer Stakes (1981, 1982) Prix Royal-Oak (1981) Jockey Club Stakes (1982) Henry II Stakes (1982) Doncaster Cup (1982) Awards Timeform rating 131 (1980, 1981), 134 (1982) British Horse of the Year (1982) Timeform Horse of the Year (1982) Gilbey Racing Champion Racehorse of the Year (1982) Gilbey Racing Champion Racehorse of Europe (1982) Timeform Best Stayer (1981, 1982) Gilbey Racing Champion Stayer (1981,1982) Le Moss Queen's Vase (1978) March Stakes (1978) Ascot Gold Cup (1979, 1980) Goodwood Cup (1979, 1980) Doncaster Cup (1979, 1980) Awards Timeform top-rated older horse (1980) Timeform rating 135
Yet Le Moss got the higher Timeform rating. Those duels were magnificent and in the Goodwood and Doncaster Cups Le Moss had to give weight away to Ardross as only he had been a Group 1 winner. Mercer swinging his left hand rhthymically up the Ascot straight was a sight to see. A great credit to Cecil as it was his first run of the season. You can see all of these duels on You Tube. Ardross improved (3lbs say Timeform) when he went to Cecil the following season.
Giants Causeway won the St James’s Palace Stakes, Eclipse Stakes, Sussex Stakes, Juddmonte International Stakes and Irish Champion Stakes as a three year old in 2000. Nicknamed “The Iron Horse”, his five Group 1 race winning streak was ended at Ascot when he dropped back to a mile for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. John Gosden’s Observatory came wide and late giving the champion-elect no chance to react as he was beaten half a length. In his last race at Churchill Downs he was narrowly beaten in the Breeders’ Cup Classic by Tiznow, trying to overcome a dreadful wide draw on the tight dirt track. We got to see Observatory at Juddmonte on the stud visit that Princess arranged last year. There was some other famous horse there that day and I will remember his name soon...
