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Quote: from Maxilon 5 on 1:34 pm on April 11, 2006[br]
And talking of dropping out, what about grand old Mr Christie!  I backed this horse religiously for some strange reason and collected in spades once at Haydock under Mark Bradburne…I swear that he made up two hurdles to win the race, which was not untypical. Bless him! Not for the squeamish.;)
<br>The existence of the likes of Mr Christie provides the strongest argument for the introduction of 4m hurdles. He couldn’t jump fences for toffee, but frequently found even the near-3m 4f at Sedgy a bit on the sharp side.
Since the cessation of jumping at Nottingham, and with it the demise of their 3m 4f hurdles, all the remaining 3m 3f – 3m 3.5f hurdles on the calendar take place at comparatively nippy tracks – Sedgy, Fontwell, Newton Abbot. I’d love to see something over longer round Hexham!
gc<br>
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 Rory, I do remember Vorvados. There’s a beautiful photo of him in Timeform’s Racehorses of 1984 aged 7.<br>He was a sprinter who got better and better with age.<br>He was still running as an entire horse aged 9. You don’t see that very often these days. Another horse that came from out of the clouds.<br>The Derring Rose race you’re probably referring to was the Colt Car Corinium Hurdle in 1981 at Cheltenham ( maybe the Bula now ), when he did exactly as you described. One of the most astonishing performances I’ve ever seen. I’ve got it on video and even when I watch it now I still can’t believe it’s going to win.<br>By the way, the sire of Vorvados was The Go – Between, another favourite of mine.
From the same era as Derring Rose I have good memories of Eckbalco. I remember him winning the Bula Hurdle and on the same day Observe won the Massey Ferguson Gold Cup. I backed them both with two of Neville Crump’s good old chasers at Doncaster, I think one was Sparkie’s Choice. I won almost £100 which was a huge amount for a 15 year old.
Eckbalco never managed to win the Champion Hurdle and I think he was killed in a fall when still at the top of the hurdling tree.
I used to love old Palacegate Touch, 33 wins takes some doing. I know most were in plating company but he was decent in his younger days, 4th in an Ayr Gold Cup. Quirky character who won between 5 & 7 furlongs on all sorts of going on lots of different courses.
I also used to have a soft spot for Uncle Ernie. Just below top class over 2m, 4th in a champion chase, had a good turn of foot at the end of his races, beat Biking Flagship at Aintree and won the Grand Annual in his last race.
I could probably write about 100 others too!
This invokes so many memories! It just shows that it’s not always the winning that matters. I remember fondly horses like Ekbalko too, and my first every favourite horse, Comedy of Errors. There was one horse running at the same time as Sea Pigeon, who actually came fourth to him once, called Past Master. If he ran, he was good, but four times out of five, he’d refuse to race. He was such a character. I remember Flahives First too, and poor Ei Ei who was killed a couple of years ago. <br>There’s a couple I always watch out for now. Coolfore Jade is one. Always runs a reasonable race, yet hardly ever wins. Another is Ateen. And of course the horse of the moment is Walcot Lad, suddenly coming into his own at the age of ten. <br>My favourite of all time has to be Burrough Hill Lad, as I followed him from the cradle so to speak, into the champion he finally became.
Palacegate Touch, another grey. What is it about grey horses? I remember White Wonder who won races between 1975 – 79. The only racehorse I know that was listed as white not grey.<br>Burroughhill, I remember seeing Ekbalco killed. such a beautiful horse, full of guts.<br>Going back to my original thread, Burroughhill has mentioned two of her present favourites, Coolfore Jade and Ateen. I follow racing avidly, yet I struggle to place these horses in my mind, probably like The Castilian for many people. Racing is so much more than just the superstars. I have enjoyed reading every contribution to this thread and many of the horses that have been mentioned have evoked my own personal memories.<br>I could be dreaming well tonight!<br>
As u can tell from my username my fave was a grey as well (runner up in the 1986 July Cup).<br>The best of his progeny being Pride of Pendle,Gold Desire and Grey Kingdom.
Some of my other faves over the years would include:-
The aforementioned Ei Ei and The Last Fling,Toms Little Al,Beat the Retreat (the one in the 80’s John Jenkins had) and New Halen (whose colours have been to the fore with Hakim recently).<br>There are so many but it would take all day to list them.
(Edited by Grey Desire at 10:47 pm on April 11, 2006)
I am a bit of a sucker for favourite horses. I have had loads of them throughout the years. Just like many have said here for some strange reason something quirky catches your eye and you always seem to take notice of that horse afterwards. Great feeling when it comes right and you have a few quid on them. Strange thing is I am struggling to remember most of them but get a warm feeling when I see their names again. Maybe that is just too much beer again.
I love Hamilton for all its evening meetings. Loads of quirky horses do well there. Particularly remember Mr Westsound for his style of running.
Have found similar fun following small trainers up here where you get to spot trends and opportunities. Linda Perret consitently lands some big prices in small races. Same can be said for Lucinda Russell and her good stable jockey Peter Buchanan.
From my early years gambling, helping my local bookie marker pen up the prices all day for a free £1 yankee. My Saturday Lucky 15 always included Cab On Target who seemed to win for me everytime I backed him, albeit at short odds!
Lady rebecca and Istabraq where my favorite class animals NH with Bradbury Star one I always had a soft spot for. The horse that has fustrated the hell out of me is Robbo but still fond of the fellow and some of the horses he’s raced against made conflict of interest as I also was fond of Young Sparticus & Tresor De Mai.
On the flat I love watching Tommy Smith race as you know it’s all or nothing and you could usually bank on King Priam getting you a return on an each way bet in a tought sprint race.
Good old days…
Quote: from Daylight on 12:14 am on April 12, 2006[br]
you could usually bank on King Priam getting you a return on an each way bet in a tought sprint race.
<br>Methinks Taboor is assuming much the same mantle at the moment. Another place finish looms large for that one today!
gc<br>
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.
Quote: from Grey Desire on 10:40 pm on April 11, 2006[br]
and New Halen (whose colours have been to the fore with Hakim recently).
<br>Haven’t the Siviters been associated with some smashing horses over the years – certainly the two above and also Mr Bossman, who would have won them a Topham two years ago but for going wrong two out.
I’m sure there must have been some more from the days when they had horses in with Martin Tate – any offers?
gc<br>
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.
Quote: from Robert Gibbs on 9:14 pm on April 11, 2006[br]
I used to  love old Palacegate Touch, 33 wins takes some doing. I know most were in plating company but he was decent in his younger days, 4th in an Ayr Gold Cup. Quirky character who won between 5 & 7 furlongs on all sorts of going on lots of different courses.
<br>That high total has got me thinking – has any jumper in recent times got close to Clever Folly’s tally of 29 wins?
I don’t suppose that’s the highest total ever, but it’s certainly the highest I’ve come across in the last fifteen years or so.
gc<br>
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.
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Quote: from graysonscolumn on 11:24 am on April 12, 2006[br]That high total has got me thinking – has any jumper in recent times got close to Clever Folly’s tally of 29 wins?<br>
<br>Limestone Lad won 35 from 61 over jumps, as opposed to Clever Folly’s 29 wins from 89 starts.
Blimey, I suspected Limestone was prolific but even that figure surprises me!
It’s probably worth mentioning further that Clever Folly attained 20 of those wins in handicap chases – I’d suggest the way horses are raced up the weights nowadays this is a figure few are likely to get close to again. Apart from when winning a thinly-contested renewal of the A F Budge Gold Cup at Cheltenham (6 runners, firm, Barnbrook Again and Rusch De Farges in opposition), he was never raised more than 6lb for any of those wins.
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.
- Total Posts 438
Many of you will remember the prolific pointer/hunter chaser Flying Ace from the Eighties. He won 59 times, although only 23 came under rules.
Running nowadays I’m very fond of that consistent mare Just Beth.:) Early racing memories on the telly I loved the greys like Esban, The Beeches and perhaps my favourite of all the Dessie of his day, Grey Sombrero :( who was sadly killed in the Grand National, despite which is still my favourite race.
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