- This topic has 36 replies, 25 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 8 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Uncle Merlin fell at Bechers when going ridiculously well, main reason I remember is I always followed Tim Forster’s horses over the big ones. If I remember rightly he was a Maryland Cup winner that came over to be trained by him for the National? Miss Woodford could maybe answer that for me?
L’Escargot was one of my favourites, brilliant horse, even managed a 6th in the champion hurdle. I wish i’d been around to see Golden Miller. As a lad we used to go to Pontins sometimes, and one horse, if anyone remebers him, that I remember fondly was Go-Pontinental, ran three of four times, never got anywhere. Does anyone know what happened to him?
Crisp…surely no horse deserved to win more than him. First four that year must be best group of placers ever, with L’Escargot and Spanish Steps also in the frame.
OK, maybe not Rubstic, maybe he deserves better.
My favourite horses - Red Rum, Spanish Steps, Proud Tarquin, Esban, Go-Pontinental, Barona, Charles Dickens, The Dikler, Astbury, Black Secret, Vulgan Town, Huperade, Well To Do, Crisp, Quintus, Argent, Colebridge, Pearl Of Montreal, Nereo, Sonny Somers, Tubs VI, Tartan Ace, Red Candle, L'Escargot, Bula, Beau Bob, Rouge Autumn, Rough Silk, Frodo, Deblin's Green, Prince Tino, Eyecatcher, The Pilgarlic, Captain Christy, Mr Midland, Interview II, Credit Call, My Virginian, Flush Of Diamonds, Scout, Money Ma
Uncle Merlin fell at Bechers when going ridiculously well, main reason I remember is I always followed Tim Forster’s horses over the big ones. If I remember rightly he was a Maryland Cup winner that came over to be trained by him for the National? Miss Woodford could maybe answer that for me?
Uncle Merlin won the Maryland Hunt Cup in 1989 and was sent to England that same year. He returned in 1992 to finish 2nd in the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup. He was actually better over the brush in England than the timber here.It’s worth noting that despite being open only to amatuer riders, the Maryland Hunt Cup has produced 2 of the 3 American owned/trained Grand National winners. Besides Jay Trump, Ben Nevis II was undefeated in the US, with two victories in the MHC, one of which set a new course record.
Regarding L’Escargot, while he only won a single race in the states, the Meadow Brook, he was named American Champion Steeplechaser of 1969 and inducted into the US Hall of Fame in 1977.
An honourable mention for Hedghunter. Maybe not the best, but the way Ruby took a pull after the second last still sticks in my mind.
Then went on to finish second in a gold cup.
It always annoyed me that Gay Navaree was bought and renamed Pontin Go, which I thought was an awful name. As for Uncle Merlin, I backed him that year; the jockey said they had a disagreement about which way they should go at that fence. Can Miss Woodford tell me more about Von Csadeck [sp] who came over to be trained by Henrietta Knight for the race but never actually ran in it?
It is difficult to evaluate the runners and winners in the National. How about Royal Tan?
I know it’s not a very original suggestion, but what’s wrong with Golden Miller as the best ever?
The first National winner I remember was Loch Con(forgive the spelling) Golden Miller is for the ages. Could be anything; certainly could jump!Without Red Rum is probably the best.
think battleship [1938] should be somewhere in the list, one of the very few entires to win, smallest horse to win 15.2 hh, and the youngest jockey to win, stat wise must count for something.
For me the second best was Amberleigh House when he came storming through to win on the line.Most rewarding was Earth Summit (first ante post winner at 25/1).
Best fairy tale was Aldaniti (even though I didn’t back it.)
All of which would not be possible if not for Lottery in 1839.
Hywell Davies was softly unseated on spartan missile 83 friendly henry 89 uncle merlin 90 and blue dart in 91 not one to rely on .
One of the best national winners in my opinion was Last Suspect a real dog but who was close to top class .
Hywell Davies managed to stay on for once and gave him a great ride to get up.
Granted Mr Snugfit wasn`t much to write home about but LS always kept more back than he gave.In my memory Uncle Merlin was going like a winner that day, and, for some reason I can still picture it happening [falling off, that is, not winning….]. Didn’t Last Suspect only run because the Duchess said that Hywell Davies looked as if he was going to cry when told him they didn’t want to run him?
Yes i remeber her saying that too.
I reckon if the likes of Neale Doughty had been on that day he
d have stayed put and wed have been looking at a different result.
The horse was cantering.
Sorry to report that Dick Francis has died aged 89.Got this news from racing post.
Dick rode Devon Loch who had his national in the bag until he tried to jumped the 31st fence on the run-in. Giving the race to ESB.
Uncle Merlin…what about other horses well clear, like Andy Pandy, Clan Royal, or even Boom Docker. I remember thinking Boom Docker looked as if he was enjoying himself, and then suddenly refused for no apparent reason.
My favourite horses - Red Rum, Spanish Steps, Proud Tarquin, Esban, Go-Pontinental, Barona, Charles Dickens, The Dikler, Astbury, Black Secret, Vulgan Town, Huperade, Well To Do, Crisp, Quintus, Argent, Colebridge, Pearl Of Montreal, Nereo, Sonny Somers, Tubs VI, Tartan Ace, Red Candle, L'Escargot, Bula, Beau Bob, Rouge Autumn, Rough Silk, Frodo, Deblin's Green, Prince Tino, Eyecatcher, The Pilgarlic, Captain Christy, Mr Midland, Interview II, Credit Call, My Virginian, Flush Of Diamonds, Scout, Money Ma
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.