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Exactly 50 years ago today.Mill Reef skimmed through the Longchamp turf,to become the only horse ever to win the Epsom Derby,Eclipse Stakes,King Gorge and Arc and earn immortality in the sport of the Kings.The little colt accomplished this in a most majestic fashion, penetrating the most impregnable of gaps, to cruise to the front and win by 3 lengths from Pistol Packer.I doubt any horse floated to win an Arc like in the manner of Mill Reef ,taking grace to such poetic regions.Above all he conquered one of the strongest Arc fields containing the class filly Pistol Packer and high class colt Caro,wining in course record time.Arguably if Mill Ref had been at his best he may have won by a margin of 5 lengths.Mill Reef simply blazed away,like a triumphant emperor.To me,Mill Reef hitting the front in the 1971 Arc,was one of sport’s most emotional moments.No English horse had won this prestigious race since Migoli in 1948.
How did Mill Reef’s achievements in a single season in 1971 compare with other equine superstars from the British Isles like Nijinsky,Sea the Stars or Dancing Brave ?Dancing Brave revealed more acceleration or finishing speed ,Sea the Stars more consistency and Nijinsky more star quality.On basis of pure statistics Nijisnky would get my vote followed by Sea the Stars.However,personally considering all factors like opposition,ground, and margin of victory,Mill Reef would get my vote at the top.Sea the Stars,Nijinsky or Dancing Brave never proved themselves on soft ground or heavy going like Mill Reef.Nor did they equal Mill Reef’s average winning distances.Mill Reef that season conquered the top four year old colt Caro,the champion Italian horse Ortis,the Irish Derby winner Linden Tree,Politico.etc.In my view Mill Reef conquered better opponents and treated rivals with more disdain than even Brigadier Gerard.No colt after hitting the front,annihilated older opponents with such conviction in Britain,as Mill Reef.Nijinsky did win the triple crown but did not have to contend with a colt of the stature of Brigadier Gerard ,and had he participated Mill Reef would almost certainly won the St Leger.
His ratings amongst the greats is debatable but for pure aestheticism Mill Reef transcended regions no horse ever did.The manner his hooves skimmed the surface was poetry in motion.Mill Reef would treat rivals like wheat crushed in a flour mil but still retain the grace of a priest bowling before a pulpit or a mother putting her child to sleep.
I wish everyone read John Oaksey’s book when he describes how Mill Reef looked all at Sea at the top of the straight,with no opening in sight.Just at the stitch of time a slight gap opened, and Mill Reef sliced through ,mkaing on of racing’s most timely moves,reminiscent of a surgical operatiom of an army.Pertinent that his book reflected that he was not in the same form as in the King George,as asserted by Lester Piggot. Without doubt Oaksey’s book is one of racing’s most illustrative biographies.
I would have backed Mil Reef to win another Arc had his career not been curtailed by an injury in 1971,forcing him into retirement.With a complete 1872 season he may well have been rated the best European racehorse of all time.
My idea of, in order, the five greatest Arc winners….
Sea Bird
Ribot
Mill Reef
Dancing Brave
Sea The StarsI am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"@IanDavies Would you rate Mill Reef’s achievements in 1971 ahead of those of Nijinsky in 1970 or Dancing Brave in 1986.Afterall fate robbed Dancing Brave victory in the Epsom Derby and possibly also Nijinsky in the Arc.Where did Mill Reef’s performance rank amongst Arc winners?
Agree with Ian’s top four but would have Zarkava fifth. My personal opinion is that Sea The Stars was vastly overrated- he won loads of Group Ones but the opposition he faced was poor by historical standards.
I’d also have Sagace, Helissio, Peintre Celebre, Montjeu and Treve above Sea The Stars.
As always, it’s all a matter of opinion.
Plus there is a difference between the five greatest horses ever to win the Arc and the five greatest Arc-winning performances on the day.
I have the quintet in order of how great they were overall IMO.
But it’s pure conjecture.
They all won the Arc unextended and/or with devastating late acceleration from seemingly impossible positions.
Mill Reef could theoretically be the best of the lot, but the same remark applies to the other four.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I would put Dancing Brave’s Arc performance ahead of Mill Reef.
If we are just talking about Arc performances, agree with Gladiateur about Peintre Celebre. He was seriously impressive.
And Criquette Head’s training performance to win a second Arc with Treve after not much had gone right for the filly that year was superb.
It is always a matter of opinion but for me Mill Reef was a brilliant Arc winner and his Timeform rating of 141 makes him the best English trained winner of the race a pound clear of Dancing Brave.
No English horse had won this prestigious race since Migoli in 1948.
That’s a true statement, given that Mill Reef wasn’t an “English” horse, only English-trained. He was American bred and owned by Paul Mellon.
BTW, I very much enjoyed your piece…
Alleged would be in my top 5. Ribot looked a monster of a horse as did sea bird. Nijinsky would have won the arc in a canter had he not got ringworm. Also montjeu must come into calculations.
My five in no particular order
Ribot
Sea bird
Alleged
Montjeu
Dancing brave.
Definitely agree a difference between best arc winners and best horses.
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