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It is wonderful reading all these stories of horses long retired but never forgotten. Just goes to show that the jumps boys have it wrong when they say you can’t form associations with flat horses.
I am on holiday this week which is perfect timing really – spending time in the Spanish sun with my lovely family is just what was required – but it means I missed the Morning Line tribute Rob. Do you know if it is possible to see it anywhere online?
As I was reading about all the fabulous horses of times gone by I was reminded how there was always something a little bit special about an unraced 2 year old with the name
HRA Cecil
next to it. There was always this feeling that it could be the next big thing. There was always an excitement , a mystique about it. Then, if they did go and win easily, we would follow them almost blindly and then be staggered when they inevitably and ultimately got beat. How remarkable that a simple maiden win would almost automatically mean they go to the head of the market for next years classics.
But then I suppose there was nobody better at preparing a horse for a single race than Cecil. His records in classics and at Royal Ascot is surely proof of that. Reading through the Racing Post article the other day where they spoke about all his good horses and their stats, it was remarkable how many Epsom classic winners he trained who then never won again. Slip Anchor, Oath, Lady Carla, Love Divine, Reams of Verse and Light Shift all peaked on the day that counted. Even though, in several of those cases, they ended up not being the best horses of that year, they won the most important races.
So many great horses, so many that showed promised but didn’t quite make the mark, or showed promise, won classics but were finally beaten. I suppose that was the beauty of Frankel. We finally got the one that we had all hoped for all those years. We finally HAD that unbeatable Cecil horse to savour.
One last thought to share with you – although I am still feeling terribly sad, I can’t stop thinking that Sir Henry achieved absolutely everything he could have achieved. He won countless trainers titles, countless classics, countless Royal Ascot races. He lost it all, hit rock bottom, fought his way back and won it all again. He was knighted by the Queen, adored by his staff and by his public and, if all that wasn’t enough, he trained arguably the greatest horse of all time. And that during a time when he was fighting the illness that was to finally claim him.
Best of all he did it all with humour and humility. What more could anyone ask for? His place in history is safe. His peers, his staff, his public has spoken. He was one of the greatest. Death has taken HIM away but it can’t ever take that fact away.
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
Joni you could try this link to Channel 4 on demand, for Sir Henrys tribute by Clare Balding. Not sure if it will work from here but worth a try…
So many wonderful tributes and memories still pouring in, this thread is a book in itself and written by real people and from the heart.
Jac
Here is the link Joni..hope it works for you
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/chan … od#3531533Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...Anyone remember El Cuite? A very talented horse who possessed massive potential but never quite hit the heights because of bad luck.
El Cuite was probably the one that got away.
I was at Sandown the day Shahrastani beat Henry’s colt Bonhomie in the Guardian Classic Trial. While there were some long faces in the Cecil camp after their charge had surrendered his unbeaten record to the subsequent dual Derby winner, I got chatting to a couple of the stable lads and they told me that there was a much better prospect in the yard.
Sir Henry liked his horses to finish upsides in their work but there were rare occasions when the riders were allowed to release the handbrake, just to see upon what kind of rare talent they were sitting. On one such occasion, a week or so before this trip to Esher in April 1986, a trio of Bonhomie, Faraway Dancer and El Cuite made their way up the Limekilns and, after half a mile or so, were asked to stretch a little more earnestly. El Cuite quickened in a heartbeat and soon put twelve or fifteen lengths between himself and his toiling companions. Here, surely, was the yard’s number one Derby hope. Sadly, he damaged a tendon shortly afterwards and didn’t reappear until later in the season, hacking up in a Newbury handicap and then winning Group One events in France and Italy.
Kept in training at four, with the Gold Cup his target, El Cuite lost his unbeaten record (he’d easily landed a maiden on his only start at two) when breaking down in the Jockey Club Stakes. He never raced again.
Thanks Jac! It is not working out here but I am sure it will still be there when I get back so I’ll catch up then.
Thanks for that fascinating insight Gladiateur. I remember the horse but didn’t know he was so highly regarded.
I think the stable will run 7 this week and wouldn’t it be marvellous if they managed a winner. I have a feeling they might……
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
Anyone remember El Cuite? A very talented horse who possessed massive potential but never quite hit the heights because of bad luck.
El Cuite was probably the one that got away.
El Cuite
was a badly kept secret,all through the 85 flat season Henry was unleashing his talented 2yo’s
Bonhomie
being the flag bearer,that was until his stable companion nearly did him in the Royal Lodge,one of Peter Burrells methinks,Green colours I’m sure! Paul Eddery was riding a lot of Henrys back then and he worked all of them at home,Paul was an excellent judge of a horse but never got anywhere near the rides his big brother got and certainly never got the glory rides of Pat,Paul was always frowned upon for some strange reason.You mention
Faraway Dancer
Gladiateur,another who ran in those Dark Green colours,I remember Paul saying after he won on him as a 2yo he wouldn’t get the Derby Trip and so it proved,funnily enough he rode the Stables main Derby horse,
Mashkour
to victory on the same card and yet never got a ride in the 86 Derby!
With it being the year I had nailed,glued,screwed my colours toDancing Brave
for Epsom glory I had to be well aware of just what King Henry had up his sleeve and colts like
All Haste
and
Paean
had scratched their names as players but in all reality Henry had nothing in the
Slip Anchor
mould to worry me,
Shahrasthani
had long been a single priced fav Ante-Post and in the spring of 86
El Cuite
was freely available at 40/1 and just looked a big weak sort who needed time,which he obviously did,sadly like you say we never did get to see this Rose blossom.
Does anyone remember a colt called Thorn Dance, trained by Sir Henry in 1988?
He won a maiden race at Newmarket by 5 lengths and I remember Thommo stating that he wouldn’t have blown a candle out in the winner’s enclosure afterwards. I stuck a few quid on him for the 2000 Guineas at 25/1 and watched with interest on his next start in the Acomb Stakes at York where he conceded 7lbs to Batshoof and beat him comfortably. I think he was as short as 5/1 favourite for the Guineas at one stage but he never trained on as a three year old. Funnily enough Batshoof turned out to be a very consistent horse who won at group 2 level.
Thorn Dance sired a horse called General Monash who was trained initially by Peter Chapple-Hyam and who won a 5f Newbury maiden on his debut at two by an amazing 15 lengths but that seemed to be about it for both him and Thorn Dance.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
all through the 85 flat season Henry was unleashing his talented 2yo’s
Bonhomie
being the flag bearer,that was until his stable companion nearly did him in the Royal Lodge,one of Peter Burrells methinks,Green colours I’m sure!
That’ll be Water Cay who also finished 3rd to Bakharoff and Nomrood in the Futurity and 2nd to Then Again in the 1987 Queen Anne – a race I got my fingers truly burnt on the 3rd placed Sonic Lady.
Thanks Jac! It is not working out here but I am sure it will still be there when I get back so I’ll catch up then.
Thanks for that fascinating insight Gladiateur. I remember the horse but didn’t know he was so highly regarded.
I think the stable will run 7 this week and wouldn’t it be marvellous if they managed a winner. I have a feeling they might……
My friend’s horse ‘Riposte’ is running in the Ribblesdale. She’s got her fingers crossed but thinks there is some stiff opposition to face.
It was sobering to hear how Sir Henry’s death had affected the staff at the yard. Like the rest I’d imagine she was very upset when I spoke to her at the weekend. They are all praying for a Royal Ascot winner in his memory next week. She says the funeral (A week today I believe.) is strictly a family affair but thinks there might be a memorial service for the racing public at some point later.
Le Moss, Ardross, Oh So Sharp: Mercer, Piggott, Cauthen:…and Cecil:: fine horses, dignified jockeys, understated trainer
enjoyed it
all through the 85 flat season Henry was unleashing his talented 2yo’s
Bonhomie
being the flag bearer,that was until his stable companion nearly did him in the Royal Lodge,one of Peter Burrells methinks,Green colours I’m sure!
That’ll be Water Cay who also finished 3rd to Bakharoff and Nomrood in the Futurity and 2nd to Then Again in the 1987 Queen Anne – a race I got my fingers truly burnt on the 3rd placed Sonic Lady.
Thanks for that Ivanjica,I wouldn’t have got
Water Cay
with 10 guesses!!
Like most things I have an interest in I’ve dipped in and out of racing over the years, but I must have been keen around the time these horses were all competing, virtually every name rings a bell and evokes a hitherto forgotten memory. I also remember other trainers big hopes from the period in horses like ‘Sure Blade’, Bakharoff and Barry Hills’s 1000 Guineas hope Asteroid Field.
In 1987 us builders had a mighty touch in the Oaks when Sheik Mohammed’s stud manager came back from watching Sir Michael’s horses working one day. He told us all to get down to the bookies and back Unite at 33’s for the Oaks. She’d apparently set the gallops alight that morning. Nobody had mobile phones or even phone accounts at the bookies in those days so of course that old forgotten character of racing, a ‘runner’ was required. Unfortunately we were not allowed to leave site before lunch time so the runner had to wait until then.
There was an older labourer who never seemed without cash and most weeks subbed each of us younger gang members a few quid to see us through until Friday. We were of course always skint by mid-week. I was given the runners job and raised a few eye brows by asking our resident banker, ‘Hooky’ for a £50 sub. (Well over a half weeks wages.) Most of the lads were having a fiver or a tenner on but I had the benefit of complete naive belief in such a lofty figure as the stud manager and was pretty much fearless. When Hooky came to divvying up my sub though he found he had only twenty pound notes left. Given the choice of forty or sixty I opted for sixty quid and headed down to the bookies at 1 O’clock.
Anyway, by the time I got to Ladbrokes there had been a sea of money for her and she had been backed down to 14/1. I took that price for everyone. I had my fifty at 14s but the extra tenner was burning a hole in my pocket. I was a big Sir Henry fan of course at that time, spending most of my free time up at my pal’s still at that time and being caught up in the Cecil zeitgeist I was already behind two of his charges, and was tempted to back them in a double, but neither had a price that suited my meager betting cash. However if Unite were to win I decided that would make for a decent stake on Sir Henry’s pair. So, with the tenner I should not have had but for a quirk of fate I trebled up Unite, Reference point (Who I felt certain would win the derby.) and Indian Skimmer who had been aimed at the Prix Diane Hermes. (French Oaks.)
So, so pognant. What a magnificent moment in racing history. Lady Jane should get a VC for her post race interview after Riposte’s win.
And what a performance from my friend’s girl’s horse. She must be the proudest girl in the world right now.
…and I’ve had quite a touch.
We needed that victory for
Riposte
,it wouldn’t have been Royal Ascot without a winner for King Henry…….Emotional!
So, so pognant. What a magnificent moment in racing history. Lady Jane should get a VC for her post race interview after Riposte’s win.
And what a performance from my friend’s girl’s horse. She must be the proudest girl in the world right now.
…and I’ve had quite a touch.
Wonderful Hammy!!! Well done you for pointing her out ages ago!!! I was blubbing like a baby!
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
Well I’ve just screamed the house down! This is fairytale stuff! What a day to be at Ascot. Those lucky people!
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