Every now and then, along comes a race horse. Actually, on any given race day, there are a heap of them, and in reality, all of them are race horses. But a race horses can be more than just the lump of flesh and bones that are sent out to do the business of mankind. Some are elevated to a point well about the norm. We love champions. We see in them things we admire in man, heroics, courage and the will to never lie down under pressure. There is something in us that seeks the validation of our kind. That's one of the reasons why we so readily attribute human feelings to the animals we love. Most of the time, we're doing no more than talking out our back passages. We give animals we adore more credit than they deserve. But sometimes we get things right. Horses can indeed be gallant when it comes to challenges from their kind. They can be competitive. And some will display a brand of courage that lifts them to a place well above their peers. Ability does not need to play a part here. A maiden of limited capability can be just as valiant as a champion. Just because it has bounded potential, it doesn't necessarily follow that the animal has no heart. We know this to be true, because we see it in ourselves. And we have the nous to recognize that we're not projecting here. Champions get all the cred. There isn't too much wrong with that either. How can a champion not have the heart of a warrior? But this should not cheapen the bold deeds of those of lesser physical quality. A heart of oak, is a heart of oak. I take the liberty of using the short chorus below to illustrate the point I make. If in using it I offend any navy folk, I most humbly apologise. Heart of Oak are our ships, Jolly Tars are our men, We always are ready: Steady, boys, Steady! We'll fight and we'll conquer again and again. This short piece is a tribute to one such animal, Zipping, the winner of $4,329,195 in prize money. He was a wonderful race horse. While he never quite reached the dizzying height of champion status, he was nevertheless, one hell of an animal. In the big one, the race that stops a nation, he managed to finish fourth on three occasions. He was placed three times in the Cox Plate. He won the G1 Turnbull as well as the G1 Australian Cup. But his major claim to fame came in the Sandown Classic over the 2400m, a Group 2 race. On November 12, 2010 Zipping was offered a once in a life chance to write his name in the record books. If he could win the Classic on this day, he'd become just the fourth horse in Australian racing history to win the same group race in four consecutive years. Things were not in his favour though. He was now a nine year old, and nine year olds hardly ever get hot in black type, flat racing. And on this day, he'd be confronted with a bog track, the likes of which he'd never before encountered. A heavy 9. So bad was the track, that serious consideration was given to pulling the horse out. But Lloyd Williams, his owner, and a man who'd won everything bar the Eidsvold egg and spoon race, wanted to give the horse his shot at immortality. He loved this horse, more that any other he'd owned in 45 years. (Including Melbourne Cup winners.) This for Lloyd, was a big deal. As it was for those who turned up on that fateful day. [video=youtube;tyx7qLUyfI8]
Nice one Cyc - brave horse indeed. Love the commentary: "But Zipping pins his ears back and away he goes. 4 straight classics". What does he say after that though - "You're a _________ beauty"????
Hey Oddy mate. The commentator is referring a bet called a quadrella, four winners on a race day. Here he just adapted it to the four straight wins.
Great. Thanks Cyc. I love the Australian commentaries. They should send some commentators over to America. They are useless - no idea.
