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Beef or Salmon was mentioned already and id actually tend to agree with the poster.
Much berated because of its UK form, i still believe its ability shown in Ireland makes it a prime candidate for this question.
I’d consider the Arkle to be a major and Well Chief won that in 2004, so I’m not going to put his name forward!
Kauto Star won a Gold Cup, so that rules him out, too.
Their respective ability deserved a Queen Mother win – that I’d agree with. One Man is the second best chaser I’ve seen behind Kauto, but it’s such a shame he didn’t have that extra bit of juice in the tank to win a Gold Cup.
Gloria Victis
is an obvious candidate, but one that continues to slip under the radar is
Land Afar
. He was cantering in the ’94 and ’95 Champion Hurdle before tipping up late on in both contests.
He would have gone very close in both.
Theatreworld
also deserves a special mention – second on three occasions behind the mighty Istabraq (twice) and Make A Stand.
but one that continues to slip under the radar is
Land Afar
. He was cantering in the ’94 and ’95 Champion Hurdle before tipping up late on in both contests.
He would have gone very close in both.
Theatreworld
also deserves a special mention – second on three occasions behind the mighty Istabraq (twice) and Make A Stand.
I think your memory has deserted you in respect of Land Afar. I backed him at a huge price the only year he fell. Although he was travelling well it was far too early to be definite about what would have happened. There is a strong possibility he would have folded up the hill. His overall record is really not good enough for consideration under this thread. The same remark could be applied to Theatreworld who only won six races over hurdles for win prize money of about £40,000. He is a pretty good indicator of the paucity of opposition to Istabraq.
It would make sense to pick a loser from what is considered by many to be the golden era of hurdling – Birds Nest springs to mind.
I’d consider the Arkle to be a major and Well Chief won that in 2004, so I’m not going to put his name forward!
Couldnt agree more!
Can’t believe Exotic Dancer hasn’t had a mention yet! Surely would have won at least one Gold Cup if it wasn’t for Kauto.
Can’t believe Exotic Dancer hasn’t had a mention yet! Surely would have won at least one Gold Cup if it wasn’t for Kauto.
Agreed.
Just think – if Kauto and Denman had never happened, dear old ED would have been the first horse to have regained the Gold Cup…and people would’ve been talking about his great battles with Neptune Collenges.
BlueSky @pghenn.bsky.social
So don't run, just like the others always do
but one that continues to slip under the radar is
Land Afar
. He was cantering in the ’94 and ’95 Champion Hurdle before tipping up late on in both contests.
He would have gone very close in both.
Theatreworld
also deserves a special mention – second on three occasions behind the mighty Istabraq (twice) and Make A Stand.
I think your memory has deserted you in respect of Land Afar. I backed him at a huge price the only year he fell. Although he was travelling well it was far too early to be definite about what would have happened. There is a strong possibility he would have folded up the hill. His overall record is really not good enough for consideration under this thread. The same remark could be applied to Theatreworld who only won six races over hurdles for win prize money of about £40,000. He is a pretty good indicator of the paucity of opposition to Istabraq.
It would make sense to pick a loser from what is considered by many to be the golden era of hurdling – Birds Nest springs to mind.
Whatever your view on whether Land Afar would have won a Chapion Hurdle, on a note of pedantry, Stilvi, he fell while travelling well in
two
Champion Hurdles. His counterpart in the Champion Chase I guess would be Latalomne.
On a personal note, I think Fidway was robbed of a Champion in 1992. IMHO would have won had his path not been crossed by Royal Gait. His stride was just a bit too big to get back on an even keel after that. Not a great horse, but certainly unlucky.Well Chief by miles. Then Harchibald, Itikaf, and if you want to be chase specific, Nicanor.
but one that continues to slip under the radar is
Land Afar
. He was cantering in the ’94 and ’95 Champion Hurdle before tipping up late on in both contests.
He would have gone very close in both.
Theatreworld
also deserves a special mention – second on three occasions behind the mighty Istabraq (twice) and Make A Stand.
I think your memory has deserted you in respect of Land Afar. I backed him at a huge price the only year he fell. Although he was travelling well it was far too early to be definite about what would have happened. There is a strong possibility he would have folded up the hill. His overall record is really not good enough for consideration under this thread. The same remark could be applied to Theatreworld who only won six races over hurdles for win prize money of about £40,000. He is a pretty good indicator of the paucity of opposition to Istabraq.
It would make sense to pick a loser from what is considered by many to be the golden era of hurdling – Birds Nest springs to mind.
Whatever your view on whether Land Afar would have won a Chapion Hurdle, on a note of pedantry, Stilvi, he fell while travelling well in
two
Champion Hurdles. His counterpart in the Champion Chase I guess would be Latalomne.
On a personal note, I think Fidway was robbed of a Champion in 1992. IMHO would have won had his path not been crossed by Royal Gait. His stride was just a bit too big to get back on an even keel after that. Not a great horse, but certainly unlucky.My apologies it was clearly my memory playing tricks – you are correct he did fall in two Champion Hurdles.
Definitely Exotic Dancer, but also Beef or Salmon, I’m sure he would have won had he not run in the Gold Cup when he was a novice, that fall must have put him off Cheltenham big time
I’d pick L’Escargot in the Champion Hurdle, Pendil in the Gold Cup and One Man in the 2-miler. Plus of course Stephen’s Society in the NH 4-miler, he did win a Pardubicka, and would have been a dead cert for the Glenfarclas
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