- This topic has 16 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 2 years, 6 months ago by
.
- Posts
Blimey, he almost got rid of Jonjo going to the last and considering the ground he had to make up and the soft ground…he did well to win that.
Nice, what a great ride from both jockeys. No whips used on either horses and still a thrilling finish and that happened some 45 years ago.
From what i recall, Sea Pigeon never responded well to the whip and it was very rare to see it being used on him in a finish and with Andy Turnell’s precarious looking riding style you would imagine it might be more difficult for him to use the whip in any case, that being said he never struck me as being a whip jockey anyway.
I suppose it was likely a case that both jockeys could feel their mounts responding to hands and heels ridingand giving their all so no need to resort to the whip….kind of refreshing to see and evidence to show there is more than one way to ride a finish.
Hoping the 1986 Oteley pops up one day , was by the last with my Dad when See You Then ( When ) won .
Helcatmudwrestler it just so happens that race is on my upload list foe this week time permitting.
Fantastic Bluemanc . I’ve still got the racebook from that day . Haven’t dug it out for years , boxed with tons of others in garage , I think See You Then was on the cover of that one .
Burrough Hill Lad won on same card in 86 , I am sure it was a walk over though . Iam sure I saw him walk over at some point at Sandown . Off subject though but Sandown in the 80s and 90s really brings back some great if a bit hazy memories of good days for me .
Burrough Hill Lad w/o was in the 1985 Gainsborough Chase (back when it was a proper Gold Cup trial), not surprising he scared off the opposition that year as he was coming into that race off the back of winning the Hennessy, Charlie Hall & King George.
He won the Gainsborough for real again in 1986 with Peter Scu aboard after Francome’s retirement (his 3rd straight win in the race – the only other horse to win it 3 times were Mill House and Dessie but neither of them won it 3 straight years).
Its a damn shame his fragile legs stopped him from running in further Gold Cups after his 84 win as potentially he could have been a triple winner as I am pretty certain that he would have beat both Forgive N’ Forget and Dawn Run in 85 & 86 renewals had he made it.
Those were the days.
Thanks LD , got my years merged .
Was it the FUs Jeans Chase at some point ?
Going to dust off the big box of racebooks in next few weeks ,try relive the good old days .
Loved old Amrullah back in day at Sandown , jumped round Sandown a bit , pretty sure he never did get his head in front .
Remember Josh Giffords horses , always seem bigger than anyone else’s , Jim Joel had plenty runners there , Midnight Count was on I liked .Whisper it quietly, but, much though I loved Sea Pigeon, there was an argument for saying he wasn’t the most genuine of horses.
He lost the 1979 Fighting Fifth after curling up because he hit the front too soon.
Ian Watkinson rode him well, John Francome gave him the coolest ride you’ll ever see in the 1981 Champion Hurdle and I thought Mark Birch rode him well on the Flat.
But the jockey possibly most closely associated with Sea Pigeon – Jonjo O’Neill – had a slightly chequered record on him IMO and was maybe lucky in 1980 as Sea Pigeon again hit the front earlier than ideal, but fortunately there was absolutely nothing finishing in behind him.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Interesting point that you raise Ian , re Jonjo’s chequered history with Sea Pigeon.
Unless my memory misleads me (always possible as time has passed , and many drinks have been consumed over the years !) Jonjo also had a less than stellar relationship with that other Easterby superstar , Night Nurse. If I remember correctly , after Paddy Broderick retired , the old boy ran better for Alan Brown , than for Jonjo.Jonjo won the Sean Graham Chase (Aintree), Mandarin Chase (Newbury) & Pennine Chase (Doncaster) on him and I always thought he really jumped his fences much better for Jonjo.
I do vividly remember Alan Brown giving NN a rather poor ride in the King George in 1980, going out on the last circuit he was upsides Silver Buck who were both chasing Anaglogs Daughter (who went off like the hounds of hell were chasing her) but yet by the time they got down the back for seemingly no reason he had dropped some 10-15L behind the first two.
After jumping the 4th last he was still a good 10L behind but absolutely flew on the flat (the video footage shows that when the camera angle changed into a close up of the first two he just seemed to suddenly magically appear from out of nowhere) and by the home turn he was right on terms and looked sure to win.
Sadly Brown then tried to launch him from a mile off the 3rd last and he pretty much took the fence with him, how he stood up heaven only knows as he literally came to almost a standstill. Somehow he managed to get going again and was once again incredibly looming up to challenge Silver Buck at the last when Brown asked him long again, which was a step to far as NN put down on him and fell heavily.
For me it was the race that got away – I personally feel that had Jonjo not been injured he would have won on him as I am convinced he would have followed his main danger Silver Buck instead of letting him get away. A part of me is also convinced that NN with Jonjo onboard would have also beaten Little Owl in the 1981 Gold Cup….but maybe that is just wishful thinking.
My own personal view on Night Nurse ( who I actually adored , and got to lead him out on a stable walk , thanks to the Easterby family’s kindness) , was that he was a bit of a character (in a good way).
He seemed to respond to Paddy Broderick , who could hardly be regarded as a textbook stylist. Jonjo himself , unless memory fails , admitted that he thought that the horse responded okay for him , but better for others.
Not sure if this was why Easterby used others on him , alongside Brown , such as Watkinson , Tinkler. I don’t think that it could have been Jonjo’s allegiance to Sea Pigeon.
Perhaps Jonjo was unavailable / injured ?.Hi Sorry took so long been megga busy and internet problems but 1986 Oteley Hurdle now uploaded
Well worth the wait Bluemanc , brought back some good memories . Still got the racecard . Good field , Tom Sharp was a very handy horse , going to watch his Fighting Fifth win soon see if my memory is clear , Iam sure he went miles clear in that on the lead .
Nice listening to Lord Oaksey’s comments after , and a glimpse of the old cafe on inside of track , had plenty cup of teas from there .
Top acceleration up that hill in that going .
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.