Challenger Du Luc

[Suedehead]

The horse died at the weekend and I felt he deserved a mention.<br>When at his best, he won a Cathcart and a Murphy’s Gold Cup, the latter was much to my chagrin at the time as he short-headed the wonderful Strong Promise.<br>He was a talented racehorse but he kept more than a little bit for himself, who could ever forget the 1997 King George, where he was cantering all over a future Gold Cup winner after jumping the last, but opted not to go any quicker when AP McCoy asked him to.<br>As mentioned in the Racing Post article, he was not everyones’ favourite horse, but he still deserved a much longer retirement than he enjoyed.

Rest In Peace old fellow.

[phunter]

Always sad when this happens..just glad the horse gave his connections a lot of pleasure.

[Zoz]

Very sad, I only saw the ‘rogue’ end of his career but he was a real character.

Tabasco Cat, a sire and Classic winner in the States, also died recently, and of course the breeder of Bollin Eric sadly passed away this weekend. I read of those three and thought it couldn’t get any worse this morning – then the news from France arrived. All in all this has been the worst week in racing I can remember for a long time, long before you get to the Fallon/jump off debacles.

[dilysb]

Hardly a moment after Shooting Light and today it was Jair du Cochet.  Surely there must be some cheerful news somewhere?  If only Venn Ottery could win the Queen Mother!

[robgomm]

I read Alan Potts’ book The Inside Track and he said the horse was not one to bet on after one of his bets beat Challenger De Luc into second in a tight finish. For the punter, this was good advice.

These are the horses I really like though because they have these different instincts. Must have been exciting and infuriating for the people involved closely with him. I bet he brought them some enjoyment! <br>

[Humphrey]

I remember him as a novice hurdler, absolutely bolting up at Chepstow, one day. He was still pulling like a train half way up the run in.

The way he carried his head, I could swear that sometimes, you could almost see him thinking about it.

[Burroughhill]

That’s something I didn’t know. How sad.

[Kifill]

I had a particular fondness for the old rogue, and it’s sad he didn’t have a longer retirement.  

I’ll remember him for the picture the Racing Post took of him winning the Mackeson, blinkered and looking for all the world like one of the Horses of the Apocalypse.

[Author]

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