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This might prove a little more tricky than Brown Lad. Anyone remember this horse? From reading about it he was going to the next superstar for the Duchess after Arkle. Came down when apparantly travelling well when favourite for the 1970 Gold Cup (never seen a recording to know how true that was) but was never the same horse again although he was placed in a handicap at the Cheltenham Festival. That’s about as much as I know.
I presume this was prompted by the Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles tomorrow, a fascinating contest pitting Knight Legend against One Cool Cookie and the reappearance of Rule Supreme? I wonder how the race came to be under this name?
Yes he was supposed to be the next Arkle. He was trained by Willie O’Grady and ridden by Timmy Hyde. I managed to persuade our science teacher to turn on the television to watch this certainty run. Think it was about 5/4. He was going well when falling but it was too far out to say he would have won. Timmy Hyde came in for some criticism at the time, not sure if it was justified but he was never a top class jockey.. L’escargot won the race for Ireland at 33/1, Dan Moore/Tommy Carberry and another Irish horse was second French Tan, Archie Watson/Pat Taaffe with Spanish Steps third.
Our teacher thought it was a great lesson in the perils of gamblingyou are setting us a task stilvi
1969 Cathcart Challenge Cup 2 miles Cheltenham
he won this by 20 lengths ridden by T. Hyde trained by W.T. O’Grady
as a 6 year old carrying 12.4.that’s all I’ve got I’m afraid
He was a top class chaser who would probably have won the 1970
Gold Cup had he not fallen when clear of the field 3 out. The previous year he won the Cathcart at the Festival.He was a son of many times champion sire Vulgan, from the family of dual Grand National winner Reynoldstown.
Like so many of the Duchess of Westminster’s horses (Arkle, Ben Stack, Foinavon etc), he was named after mountains (monroes?) on her vast Scottish estate.
He was taken on at the third last by French Tan which caused him to fall – 12 months later he had been moved to Toby Balding but had developed leg trouble and I can’t see him mentioned again – what a golden age of steeplechasing it was, and how underrated L’Escargot was – maybe because he wore blinkers….
Blue Chariot obviously remembers him well and I can also remember him being hailed as the next Arkle………..along with monkeys like King Cutler..who won a hurdle race by 25 lengths and the next day in the Sporting Chronical some idiot was saying "This could be the next Arkle" he had more chance of becoming a tin of corned beef……….Kinloch Brae was a nice horse who never reached the heights he was hyped up to do…..but the only similarity between him and Arkle was 4 legs a head and a tail………..and the fact he carried the same colors.
I would disagree he would have won the Gold Cup L’escargot was always going to win in my book but who knows….long long way from home. He was totally gone when Toby got him in the same way as Flying Bolt was way past his best when he went to Ken Oliver…..think they only sent these horses over here to save air fare.
I just about remember Kinloch Brae. With regard to Timmy Hyde – are we talking about the one and same – father won the Grand National on ?Workman?. If so he certainly made up for it later – pin-hooker supreme! As for L’Escargot – not often given the credit he deserves, perhaps due to his being a washy chestnut with blinkers. Two Gold Cups and a National, what would we be saying if Kauto Star replicated that!
Obviously he will never run in the national…that’s Denman’s job for the future……….He does however have a great chance of making history come March…if successful he will be the first horse in history to have won 2 King George’s and 2 Gold Cups back to back.
I know already how good he is and I would have him before L’escargot any day of the week……….however L’escargot, I agree was an exceptional horse and only the second horse in History to have won the National and the Gold Cup
Like so many of the Duchess of Westminster’s horses (Arkle, Ben Stack, Foinavon etc), he was named after mountains (monroes?) on her vast Scottish estate.
In pedant mode:
Those mountains are actually classified as ‘Corbetts’, being between 2500 and 3000ft. ‘Munros’ are those higher than 3000ft.
Foinavon should be spelt Foinaven. Presumably a mistake by Weatherby’s or perhaps the choice of Her Grace, wanting it to sound more ‘riverine’.
If Kinloch Brae was around today his ideal race at the Festival (IMO) would probably be the Ryanair. He was a terrific "stag like" jumper and was a bit of a sensation in his novice season. Going purely from memory here I recall (or at least I think I do!) being at Punchestown in 1969 when L’Escargot had his first race over fences and KB was odds-on fav for the race…won in a canter, but I left there feeling that L’Escargot would be the better chaser in time – though I will admit to being biased towards L’Escargot since I first saw him as a novice hurdler..
I was at Cheltenham on Gold Cup day in 1970 when KB fell….I don’t think he would have won even had he not fallen, but that’s a matter of opinion.
KB was probably the first post-Arkle "star" to emerge in Ireland as "The New Arkle"…. followed by Captain Christy, Ten Up, and the like. His jumping was really quite spectacular, but I never felt he was a horse to see out a tough slog of a race.
J
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