Difficult one Tam. I took it you meant officially. Stick is right about the trainer but think the horse is Pat, so the answer's Pat Is it?
OK. Sorry to be tardy in replying- blame alcoholic beverages, Chinese takeaway, and watching the most gruesome tale of survival that you'll ever see (Le Revenant). Stick...yes, that's Arkle's old stable mate, Foinavon. Norah Wilmott is correct- and the horse was called Pat, ridden by Scobie Breasley. Well done! Bustino...Hittite Glory and Be Friendly are both correct. I backed Hittite Glory when he won before the Flying Childers and nearly fell in a Spanish swimming pool when reading the racing results on holiday. I just couldn't believe the price! Peter O'Sullevan's Be Friendly won the Vernon's Sprint as a two year old (ridden by Colin Williams) and repeated the feat the following year (ridden by Scobie). He was hot favourite to win the Ayr Gold Cup, but I had one of my best wins- having backed Ron Mason's Petite Path ante-post for several weeks. Petite Path won the Queen Mary as a two year old (33/1) and never won again until her race at Redcar prior to the Ayr Gold Cup. I had never seen an easier sprint winner than Petite Path at Redcar. In the Ayr Gold Cup, she decisively beat Be Friendly- with the rest of the field miles behind. Her trainer, Ron Mason, was an ex speedway rider, and was very friendly with trainer, Eric Cousins (Hill Royal, Water Skier, John's Court, etc- big handicap winners). That's another fantastic story I'd like to write, but it cannot be put into print! Precipice Wood, Damredub, and Sea Pigeon are incorrect, however, No. 1 is Pat- whose trainer was answered correctly by Stick. Yes, I'm pretty sure mud loving Damerub won the Manchester November Handicap at Salford, Manchester- and that is the racecourse/race I'm referring to (but not that horse). I think Towser Gosden trained that son of Damremont- probably ridden by Jimmy Lindley. The horse I'm wanting was John Benstead's Operatic Society. Ridden by Ken Gethin, he bolted before the start and ran round the course. His price really drifted in the market, but he still won the race- as a three year old. Subsequently, he raced for several years, usually on switchback tracks like Brighton. Almost always top weight, he loved leading from start to finish, and Scobie Breasley always rode him after his initial big handicap win. The River Irwell runs from Bacup (near my home town of Burnley) to Salford, Manchester, and the racecourse skirts the river. Our beloved family doctor, John Raymond, used to regularly pin a piece of paper on his surgery door, especially on Tuesdays. It read....."Surgery closed. Gone to Manchester races." It used to really frustrate some of his patients who were seen in his tumbledown surgery on a 'first come first served basis.' He lived most of his life apart from his wife and family (who refused to live in Burnley) and he visited all his patients on foot when called out (never learned to drive); practised as a GP until he died. A wonderful man- and forgive me the nostalgia, because he once came out at two o'clock in the morning- and saved my mother's life. I cannot think of Manchester races without evoking his memory. Happy Days! That still leaves Number 3 to answer. I'm surprised no-one has got the name of that wonderful mare!
Dahlia? Didn't think she ran until she was 8. I saw her win the KG as a 3yo in '73 a week after winning the Irish Oaks......but I don't think it's right as she only ran until '76 as far as I knew. So someone else? Sea Pigeon was a better answer ha ha.
Bustino, begging your pardon.I meant to say she raced until she was 6 years old ie. 5 consecutive years 1972-76. As for Sea Pigeon being a better answer, I appreciate your wit ha!ha! PS. She was indeed brilliant in the King George- an electric turn of foot!
I suppose she was the best mare/filly I've ever seen in the flesh. Only Sun Princess would come near. Yes she was great that day, but 2 years later she probably wasn't far off that when 3rd (distant) to Grundy and Bustino and I was there that day too.
