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Absolutely gutted about the sad end of Dorans Pride.<br>Also a bit angry, he should have been retired ages ago.<br>He was never the same over fences as he was hurdles.<br>I still say he was the easiest Cheltenham winner i have ever seen, when he won the Stayers Hurdle.<br>He was so good that day I was counting my money miles from home.<br>The poor old fella never seemed to get an easy race over fences in his later years, there was always some thug of a jockey knocking ten bales out of him at the end of a race( I think more than one even recieved a ban for excessive use of the whip)<br>I have had my most successful Cheltenham ever, punting wise, but would gladly have given the cash back if it would bring the poor horse back.<br>rest in peace old friend!<br>Ray
A sad loss Ray.  I felt sick when he fell and Simon Holt commentated that he thought he was injured.  I glanced at the Racing Post Spotlight and read the comment that Dorans Gold was nearing a well deserved retirement.  But that is not to be.
All fatalities hurt and I cannot reconcile my love of NH racing with the fatalities that inevitably occur.  Dorans Pride is the worst since One Man simply because this is a high profile horse who, like you, I remember coasting home in the Stayers Hurdle in the days when I bet just a few pounds on a race.
Heartfelt condolences to all connections of Doran’s Pride. Similarly I have fond memories of him as he provided me with my first ever Festival winner all those years ago. He was a wonderful racehorse, and will be sadly missed.
This is why I prefer flat to jumps, as I’ll never be able to accept the fact that so many horses die for something I take so much pleasure in. Comex Flyer and Old California died today as well, although not such old favourites as Doran’s Pride, there’ll still be some heartbroken stable staff tonight.<br>RIP boys.
Native New Yorker was taken away in the horse ambulance as well poor thing. Why is it that all this had to happen now when it is thrown into such contrast with the victories of Best Mate, Baracouda and La Landiere? Even though I backed 5 winners at Cheltenham today it still feels like a pyhrric victory. God only knows how the connections and stable staff feel. At least I hope they are as drunk as I am now, it may not make them feel better but at least they’ll be a bit numb.
As I’ve said on many occasions there’s more to horseracing than betting and this is the sad side of it, I echo what Jane has said and even though horses get killed on the flat it doesn’t happen as often and that’s one of the reasons I prefer the flat.
All today’s fatalities will be sadly missed by true horseracing fans but there are many that probably won’t even know they are gone! :(
R.I.P. Dorans Pride
I have every sympathy with the horse but none with the connections who must be greedy beyond belief to take the horse to Cheltenham at his age. Hadn’t he achieved enough already ?
Greed also saw Beef Or Salmon fall in the Gold Cup IMHO. Let’s be grateful that he lives to fight another day.
Far too many horses die at the Festival and I’m sure that we can all look forward to more at Aintree. :(
Roll on the proper racing !!
(Edited by Nick Hatton at 2:18 am on Mar. 14, 2003)
They did retire Doran’s Pride once but he hated it. He just stood at the gate wanting to come in. Its a huge disappointment to all of his connections and his many fans but he was a lovely game horse who just wanted to race.
Thanks for that point Adrian. We shouldn’t take it for granted that the only reason that connections run their horses past their prime is greed. Not surprisingly, no-one has criticised Paul Nicholls for running Doran’s Pride’s old rival See More Business in the Gold Cup. What exactly is the difference?
I remember skipping my final lesson at college (probably why I flunked my A-Levels that year!) to watch Dorans Pride, plus Master Oats and Fantus all win in great style. From that moment onwards old Dorans was one of my favourite horses and more than often my heart ruled my head when it came to backing him in the future. Sickening to see him go like that.
Doran’s Pride’s trainer is quoted in today’s Independent which states that the trainer "kept it in perspective with the reminder that the old horse’s former rider Shane Broderick is paralysed from the neck down after a fall."
Hourigan went on to say:"…I’m not a hard man but when it comes down to it he was an animal, not a man, and if it could have got Shane back on his feet I’d have given him away a long time ago."
I couldn’t have put it any better myself. Valueseeker, among others…if you can’t reconcile your love for NH racing with the fatalities that inevitably occur what on earth are you doing getting involved in the sport? I’m sorry when a horse dies but die they do.
I was very saddened to hear of Dorans Pride’s demise-Us NH fans have had to endure a lot over the last few years with the likes of Gloria Victis,One Man, Valiramix,Strong Promise and Bacchanal to name just a few.
I heard that the fatal injury was actually caused by the horses following on behind Doran’s when he fell rather than the fall itself which makes it more unfortunate.
This is probably the only part of the sport that I hate and that is why I treasure moments like the GC on Thurs as you just don’t know what is around the corner…….
Having looked after a lot of horses that have been retired from active competition.  There is nothing sadder than to see them lose their fitness and muscle tone.  Watch them go berserk as they see other horses go off to be ridden, loaded to travel to events and competed. <br> <br>Rightly or wrongly lots of horses enjoy their work.  For a National Hunt racehorse that work is galloping and jumping.  A lot of horses have far worse lives and have far worse ends than Dorans Pride. <br> After all, Dorans Pride died doing what he loved doing best.  Would we all not like to meet our end in that manner rather than spend our final years just waiting to die?
well said pocket rocket sad as it was dorens pride did die enjoying what he did,,i hope im as lucky.<br>as usual the jumping knockers are out in force i see describing flat racing as "proper racing" blah blah but of course fail to mention the racing of immature two year olds etc or running the derby on a course that slants sideways up the home streight.
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