Caesar’s Palace

[graysonscolumn]

Those of you familiar with some of the characters of the Northern jumps scene will be saddened to learn of the death of Caesar’s Palace, who failed to get up from a final flight fall in the 3m handicap hurdle at Hexham this afternoon.

It was the 81st run of a career which had started on the Flat in France in March 2000 and saw him claimed by Martin Pipe after landing a 1m5f claimer two months later. Under Pipe’s tutelage he won his first four straight juvenile hurdles at up to Class B level and three 2m6f-3m1f contests in 2002. In the last of these, he was claimed by Lucinda Russell and spent the remaining five years of his career with her.

Although he won only two of his 57 starts for the Milnahort handler, he finished second, third or fourth in another 28 of them, often running on from a hopeless position late in the day as he became increasingly quirky with age.

Never was this trait more in evidence than on the occasion of his last ever win, recorded in an extended 3m handicap hurdle at Ayr on January 2nd 2006, where he ran out a 1l winner having been all of a furlong adrift of everything else earlier on the final circuit.

The Racing Post analyst’s write-up for the race exclaims, "This had to be seen to believed", and it did. Do take a look at the recording of the race in the Post’s form archive.

I extend my commiserations to all concerned with the care of Caesar’s Palace, in particular TRF poster and employee of Lucinda Russell Sulekha (Lehka85), who has now suffered the terrible misfortune of losing two of the yard’s stalwarts in recent weeks following the demise previously of Gee Aker Malayo (q.v.).

Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)

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.

[Grey Desire]

That is really sad to hear,haven’t seen the race so wasn’t aware.

[lekha85]

Thanks for the message Jeremy.

The boy had a heart attack midway through the race so his end was fairly swift.

I am sure he will always be remembered for his Ayr victory but at home he was the most incredible little horse and loved by everyone. He was a real ‘Arlary Legend’ and taught so many youngsters to ride. He was always the pony that people would ride on their first day because he could be trusted to look after everyone. He had a cheeky side as well and once jockeys had learned how to ride he knew all the tricks to test them and teach them everything they needed to know.

He was in his element on the hunting field as well and it will be a strange season without him there.

He will be sorely missed as he was a real character and a dear little horse.

[moehat]

sounds as though he had a really good life up at Kinross; my heart always goes out to the lad or lass who looks after the horse, please tell them how sorry I am.

[lekha85]

sounds as though he had a really good life up at Kinross; my heart always goes out to the lad or lass who looks after the horse, please tell them how sorry I am.

Thanks for the message Moehat. I will pass your condolences on to his lass.

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