- This topic has 7 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 18 years, 6 months ago by
.
- Posts
First Kribensis now Alderbrook – not a very good couple of weeks.
Alderbrook was a favourite of mine, one of those rare horses who was a star in both codes.
From KB’s site
It is always upsetting when you loose an old friend and the departing of Alderbrook, who might have only been a horse, but a very very special one, was certainly sad.
In all my years as a trainer Alderbrook was my most favourite, he was just different from any other horse that I have had the privilege to train. He was incredibly tough, totally honest and with his joints causing such huge problems he was just that special that he was able to push himself through the pain barrier to always do his best. Alderbrook had that aura of invincibility about him; he knew he was special and everything about him was different.
He started his career off with Julie Cecil on the flat, not very auspicious but as he aged he just kept on improving; so when his owner Ernie Pick called in to see me and asked me to train him in January of 1995 to win the champion Hurdle in 3 months time we felt it might just be possible.
So many people played a major part in the next three months. Firstly Yogi Briesner who taught him to jump (and nearly gave up on him), Sean Magee who rode him out, Chris who looked after him, Eddie Hales who over saw him and of course Norman Williamson who rode with such unbelievable confidence.
It was a very special three months and something that does not happen often in life let alone horse racing.. it came off; but we needed luck as Alderbrook, because of his joint problems, desperately needed soft ground.. not something Cheltenham with their new drainage was well known for. Cheltenham was bottomless that year, so how lucky were we?
Alderbrook retied after his racing days were over to Cobhall Stud in Herefordshire and then he moved to Anngrove stud in Ireland where he was loved and looked after by all the staff under David Pymm. He has proved to be a huge success as a sire with Ollie Magern as most probably his best horse, but he has left a host of good horses to remind us all of him. Alderbrook’s joints finally got the better of him as he died after being operated on to resolve an infection in his off fore.
Very sorry to see him go. A tough and talented horse.
Maybe the best son of Ardross who was one of my favourite flat horses.
What Bailey wouldn’t give for a few even half that good in the yard nowadays.
RIP old boy.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Yes it is a shame, I like Kim Bailey nice attitude,
I am looking forward to one of his horses running & that is Lady Samantha who is out of Lady Rebecca, hopefully she is a good as her mum was!There’s also a 3 year old gelding by Lady Rebecca (Sire Generous) named Lord Generous entered in a bumper on Wednesday.
Helen Lewis trains that one.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.