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One for the oldies. Anyone have the details of his career and how he compared ratings wise to Birds Nest and Beacon Light.
He was very much a bridle horse who broke blood vessels and couldn’t do it round Cheltenham. Did finish third in the Champion Hurdle in 1975 but the fact that he was beaten by the significantly inferior Flash Imp seems to indicate he would have gone close to winning on a different track. I think he had one successful season over fences but it was downhill thereafter.
If I recall correctly he may have initially been trained by Bernard Van Cutsem.
His five biggest wins were
’74 Marlowe Ropes John Skeaping Hurdle at Sandown (race no longer exists)
’74 SGB Hurdle at Ascot (called something like the Knights Royal Hurdle these days)
’74 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, when he was the 30/100 favourite
76 Buchanan Whisky Gold Cup Chase at Ascot (over 2m, these days called the Amlin 1965 Chase and run over 2 1/2 miles)
’77 Mecca Bookmakers H’cap Chase at Sandown (2m at the December meeting)
In 1975/76 he was rated 167 over hurdles, in comparison to stable companion Bird’s Nest’s 176. He was indeed trained by Bernard Van Cutsem on the level,. for whom he won two of four flat starts.
Bob Turnell trained him over jumps. Given that you mention two other Turnell horses, Bird’s Nest and Beacon Light, you may already have been aware of that, Stilvi.
He beat Border Incident in the Buchanan Whisky race at Ascot when they were novice chasers. Border Incident had won impressively first time out (in an Embassy Premier Chase qualifier, if memory serves) and was a hot favourite but he was coming back in trip and Tree Tangle had too much speed for him.
Unfortunately, although I’ve Flat form books going back to 1967 I don’t have NH form books that far back so I’ve nothing else on Tree Tangle except a vague memory that I saw him run in a Mansion House Chase at Donny in the late-seventies.
Thanks, for some reason he was my first favourite horse. Strange because I would now avoid bridle horses like the plague. It was probably something to do with Andy Turnell’s unique style. Similarly to Lester Piggott he could make a horse look tremendously impressive and I suppose at that age I didn’t look beyond that. I don’t have Chaseform annuals to cover the period but the Ascot race may have been the HSS Hire Shop or something quite similar. I think he may also have won at Aintree and Newbury early in his career as well.
I don’t think I have ever seen his name crop up in any pedigrees so I suspect the family is no longer active.
Like Gus I remember the horse but have no reference books for the jumps at that time.
The only thing that I can add to the information already given is that I think that he ran in Green with a White sash. The owner may have been Mr John Rogerson (a Jockey Club bigwig) but would not swear to it.
Like Gus I remember the horse but have no reference books for the jumps at that time.
The only thing that I can add to the information already given is that I think that he ran in Green with a White sash. The owner may have been Mr John Rogerson (a Jockey Club bigwig) but would not swear to it.
The colours are definitely correct but I think the owner was a Mrs Williams. She also owned Country Member who was a reasonable handicapper.
Like Gus I remember the horse but have no reference books for the jumps at that time.
The only thing that I can add to the information already given is that I think that he ran in Green with a White sash. The owner may have been Mr John Rogerson (a Jockey Club bigwig) but would not swear to it.
The colours are definitely correct but I think the owner was a Mrs Williams. She also owned Country Member who was a reasonable handicapper.
On reflection, I’m sure you’re right.
At least the old mind got it half right
Bird’s Nest Beacon Light and Tree Tangle all had one thing in common. Andy Turnell very often had you thinking they were all going better in their races than they actually were. I think Andy invented the P Hide P Carberry style of riding where you think the horse is cruising but finds nothing.
Not knocking Andy in any way at all as he was my hero back then and could put a horse to sleep better than anyone riding. I don’t know how many times I backed Tree Tangle but like Birds Nest and Beacon light you could back him without thinking when the opposition was remotely weak.
The horses that came out of the Turnell yard back then makes the mind boggle. Horses like Summerville, Cuckolder, April the Seventh etc were all favs of mines.
Bird’s Nest Beacon Light and Tree Tangle all had one thing in common. Andy Turnell very often had you thinking they were all going better in their races than they actually were. I think Andy invented the P Hide P Carberry style of riding where you think the horse is cruising but finds nothing.
Not knocking Andy in any way at all as he was my hero back then and could put a horse to sleep better than anyone riding. I don’t know how many times I backed Tree Tangle but like Birds Nest and Beacon light you could back him without thinking when the opposition was remotely weak.
The horses that came out of the Turnell yard back then makes the mind boggle. Horses like Summerville, Cuckolder, April the Seventh etc were all favs of mines.
I would agree about the number of quality horses Bob Turnell had from a relatively small string – 40ish? – but I think you are being a little harsh on my old favourite. I am pretty sure even allowing for his frailties on a flat track he was capable of mixing it with the best around.
As for Andy Turnell I can’t see the comparison with Hide either in style or ability.
Similarly with Birds Nest who, despite his quirks, was capable of mixing it with the best.
In 1975/76 he was rated 167 over hurdles, in comparison to stable companion Bird’s Nest’s 176. He was indeed trained by Bernard Van Cutsem on the level,. for whom he won two of four flat starts.
It would be interesting to know what he was rated at the end of the previous year as he had a relatively modest year in 75/76 winning only one handicap. In contrast Birds Nest probably ran one of his best ever races when chasing home Night Nurse.
Just to correct myself it was the SGB Hire Shop Hurdle – at least I got some of it correct.
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