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What about Balthazar King? Got his ribs stove in falling and being cannoned into by another horse in the National, survived that and came bsck only to suffer a nasty looking fall in the XC at Cheltenham, which he fortunately also survived and retired.
Maggio; ran his heart out every time, even when utterly outclassed, finally picked up a big pot in an Aintree handicap at 50-1
Some wonderful horses listed here. Particularly pleased to see one of my favourites from the 90s, Carranita, get a mention. She was a very tough and consistent sprinter, but just a tiny step below Group class.
Perhaps more a cult hero than unsung hero but i really loved Lough Derg in his distinctive red hood. Tough as teak as the saying goes.
A few horsey names have seeped through my hallucinatory brain fog, aided by picturing Andy Burnham’s majestic eyebrows as two rocks in a sea of mist, and two reliable markers.
Katabatic – solid horse that excited and a horse that resonated with the racing public and the Yankee man. Not as prolific as Dublin Flyer but a character in his own right.
Orojoya – flashy sprinter that I backed in Frankfurt and later in England ( possibly @ Sandown )
Perion – a sprinter that only won when it was raining – he loved a drizzle best.
Suny Bay a horse one felt for and Viking Flagship who never failed to race the pulse..
I have more …
but suddenly it’s clouded over ….stop squinting Andy – I have lost my bearings.P.s.. If ever I had been forced to marry a horse – my intended would have been a coin flip between Orojoya and Zilzal. Dancing Brave was a class above my station but good dream fodder !
“If ever I had been forced to marry a horse….good dream fodder”
Highly-disturbing nightmare fodder, more like.
Ever read a posting and wished you hadn’t?
Can anyone recommend a good therapist for Chezza please?
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"First had access to a VHS recorder on Champion Hurdle day 1983. Had trouble setting it up so missed out recording the Supreme and Arkle, but had it working in time for Gaye Brief’s impressive performance in the big one. From then onwards I built up a big recorded collection of all Group/Graded/ Listed events along with the traditional handicaps, and with lots of post race interviews too.
Unfortunately, in the early noughties I realized the dreaded white mold had set in, rendering the collection all but useless, – so thanks to the likes of espmadrid on You Tube and ‘The History of Horse Racing’ on Twitter, as I needn’t of worried after all. They really are big givers to the sport.
As for unsung hero horses – well, The Dealer seems all but forgotten. Won the Embassy Premier Chase Final in the same season that his stable companion Midnight Court won that rescheduled Gold Cup, and was thought so much of that he had a Gold Cup entry despite being a novice. Unfortunately injury intervened after Haydock and that was it – though years later he made a sole appearance in a Hunter Chase.
Would also add the tough as nails Arthur Stephenson trained Villierstown who ran in the Peter Piller colours. Skipped over the then demanding Aintree fences in his Topham appearances and loved Wetherby too.
Two of Venetias stars for me.
Lady Rebecca and Teeton Mill.
She was an absolute star and he could have been anything had injury not cut his career short.
That Stayers’ Hurdle where Lady Rebecca and Le Coudray are slugging it out, and then both get caught by Anzum, remains one of my favourite ever races.
I loved Fethard Friend, who seemed like a celebrity horse when I started going racing at Newton Abbot in 84 or so. I mean, he was 7th in the 84 National, and carried a decent weight in the 85 race (pulled up 27th) so I just thought it was so exotic that this brave Grand National horse was turning up at my local track.
So, Fethard Friend.
The name reminded me of Fethard Lady, unbeaten, absolutely strolled home in the Christmas Hurdle the year it was at Sandown. Could have been anything, but got injured and never ran again
Direct Route. Trained by Howard Johnson. Had some battles with Flagship Uberalles and Edredon Bleu in his prime. I was quite fond of that horse. When he was short headed at Cheltenham I was gutted.
Well Chief was another who had some proper battles in the 2 mile division against Moscow Flyer and Azertyuiop.
Those 2 mile races used to be glorious.
Good thread
The first horse I got excited about was a lowly handicapper called Golden Duck, trained by a villain named Michael Kane at Howwood, Renfrewshire. I was about 13 and an utter sucker for ‘friend of a friend knows the jockey’. That friend said Golden Duck was being ‘run down the park’ to get ready for a big gamble. Since I didn’t know when that gamble would be I just backed it every time it ran – probably had a shilling on it – this was 1966.
Oddly, my most vivid memory of that time was getting up for school – I despised school, and I hated getting out of bed on winter mornings. My Ma and Da would be shouting me ten times before I’d drag myself up and get dressed. One freezing morning, my Da put his head round the bedroom door and said, ‘Golden Duck’s running today.’ I was up in a flash. Motivation, eh?
Anyway, I cannot recall Golden Duck ever winning but I do remember Mr Kane getting warned off for life for a gamble landed with a horse called (I think, memory is fading) Brogeen Glas. Happy days.
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