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When he was on-song, Morceli‘s jumping could be simply electric. It was just so frustrating that he often put in one catastrophic blunder which perhaps stopped him winning more races than his talent suggested he should have done.
A sad postscript to his career was to see him dragged out at the age of thirteen for a Point-to-Point at Parham, well over a year after his “retirement” from racing under Rules, where he was ridden by a total clown and thankfully pulled up on the final circuit before he could do himself any lasting damage – his comment in Hunter Chasers & Point-to-Pointers that year read: “A bold spectacular jumper and a free-runner in his prime. A popular star….and it was dreadful to see him cobbled together for a Point at 13, in which he jumped appallingly and was eventually pulled up.“
I’d second Wayward Lad, who in common with many Dickinson stars was decidedly error prone as a novice but turned into the most wonderfully economical jumper of a fence ~ a joy to watch.
A couple of slightly more obscure ones would be Vulrory’s Clown and Duke Of Milan ~ the former was poetry in motion throughout a long career and the latter was a fast ground specialist who was electric as a novice going right handed when beating horses of the calibre of Forgive N’ Forget and his Cheltenham conqueror A Kinsman.
Finally, doesn’t anyone remember a grey horse called Desert Orchid??
re Morceli – was he that grey horse @ the One Man era who had a really nasty accident in his box either on the way to or from the races, banged his head really badly. Often think of connections who own horses who, in their novice year are so awesome that they must dream of what will be in the following season, only for something to go wrong.
2 from recent years for me
Although better known for the flaws in his jumping, Moscow Flyer’s Tingle Creek win in 2004 was a fantastic jumping performance.
The only horse I’ve seen who NEVER looked like falling was Best Mate.
Let me close this debate.
Roman Holiday trained by Verly Bewicke and usually ridden by Jeff King or Vic Soane was the best jumper of a fence in the history of National Hunt Racing. Never fell, never unseated, never made a mistake.
Thankyou and good night.
I’d agree with David Brady that Best Mate is the obvious one. I remain convinced he didn’t possess all that much of an engine, but one cannot deny that he was a very fluent jumper of fences.
We didn’t see much of Teeton Mill, but I always thought he looked an exceptional jumper of a fence.
I’d agree with David Brady that Best Mate is the obvious one. I remain convinced he didn’t possess all that much of an engine, but one cannot deny that he was a very fluent jumper of fences.
No surprise to see a couple of the Hens score well in this regard. I’ve been of the opinion for a long time that her novice chasers are immaculately schooled.
Was’nt Baracouda quite a elegant jumper of a fence? [considering he did it at the very highest level of course]
And does anyone remember a horse called Spendid trained by Alan King? I remember punting that a few times, was a real brave jumper of a fence
On a wind up with both of those, surely?
Remittance Man is without doubt the best jumper of a fence that I have seen.
I agree with others that have been mentioned like Dublin Flyer, Desert Orchid, One Man & Edredon Bleu.
I’ll give a quick mention to Waterloo Boy as well, he was always very good over the fences.
Hi Marb,
I think you got accused of a wind up for the fact that you put ‘fence’ – just my guess anyway.
The reason being, is that Baracouda never ran over fences and was always kept to hurdling – but I guess thats what you meant. Regarding Spending, I couldn’t really pass comment.
Mike
Wayward Lad was a fine jumper of a fence but I’ve always maintained it was his speed away from – in the stride or two after – the fence that set him apart.
Spendid last raced all of 4 years ago, so my guess is that Rory does remember him.
Colin
I seem to recall that Corbiere was foot-perfect when winning the Grand National, but it could just be rose-tinted spectacles.
Desert Orchid (NAP).
Spendid was a horse I had a lot of time for, especially as I’ve always had a soft spot for Catherwood owned horses, but I cannot recall a single run of his over fences where he didn’t hit one hard. Simple as that.
It was your statement that Spendid raced a long time ago that I found surprising, Marb.
I was at Kingy’s when Spendid was racing and I don’t remember him particularly for his jumping. He was OK but nothing out of the ordinary.
Colin
Marb, don’t take it to heart, if the horse has a special place in your mind that’s all that matters.
Just looked back at his racing career and it seems he showed his best form when winning the Mildmay Novices Chase at Aintree in 1999, even then he blundered at the last.
He was still with Nicholson then, Kingy didn’t take over until later in the year.
Nicholson described him as very game and that he deserved to win a big race like the Mildmay.
Colin
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