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I know I’m boring and predictable, but:-
JUMPS
Red Rum – not just for his racing record, but his larger than life personality,strong will and his clear belief that he was a supreme being! The way he enjoyed his celebrity life after racing too e.g switching on Blackpool illuminations, in the BBC studios for Sports Personality…and living to the ripe old age of 30.
The Pilgarlic – for doggedly making it round the GN year in year out.
Our Vic – for eventualy getting up after that hideous fall and allowing me to breathe again.
FLAT
Red Rum – I saw him win (well dead heat) over 5 furlongs as a small child and fell in love with him from that day.
Who would have thought that that a 5 furlong flat horse would go on to be a National legend.Old Vic – for being an amazing flat horse and then going on to be sire of so many great jumpers.
Yeats – such a perfect looking horse
Jumps –
Kauto Star – What a CV. We should appreciate him while we can, his retirement will leave a huge void in NH. Obviously we fellas don’t blub, but definitely something in my eye last Boxing Day.
Persian War – A Triumph, three Champion Hurdles (and a second place), the Schweppes as a 5yo with 11:13, on ground from rock hard to heavy………and probably 10lb better if in different ownership. The first horse I ever noticed on TV as a nipper.
Monksfield – Not too shabby a record either.
Loved him for his attitude.Flat –
Dancing Brave – His Arc win gives me goosebumps even now.
Zenyatta – for her quirkiness, and for transcending the game.
Lochsong – no-nonsense speed machine.
Bubbling under – the rogues’ gallery….Harchibald, Made In Japan, Knockroe and ‘the forgotten horse’, Flyingbolt.
JUMPS-
Moscow Flyer
Kauto Star
Brave IncaFLAT-
High Chaparral
Persian Punch
Refuse To BendI’ve only included horses from when i was interested in racing
NH
Silver Buck – Cracking chaser and Gold Cup winner but maybe underrated by some. This horse intensified my interest in NH. Considering his fragile temperament, he did brilliantly to win 34 of his 48 races and took some notable scalps along the way including Night Nurse and Bregawn.
Red Rum – I was only a kid when Red Rum won his Grand Nationals but always recall the buzz surrounding him on those days and the effect he had on my Dad. As I grew older, I realised just how daunting the old course was and soon fully appreciated what he’d actually achieved … a remarkable record that’ll never be bettered. Utterly unique!
Kauto Star – Savour the moment! Total class act and the best we have today. Roll on Boxing Day … surely has to make it five in a row. Oh the anticipation! Oh the butterflies!
FLAT
Dancing Brave – My all time favourite. He had the power of the devil in his hooves with such a venomous turn of foot. His last furlong in the 1986 Arc was as fast as Double Schwartz’s in the Prix de l’Abbaye. I almost pooed myself watching that race. Honestly, there should be a race named after him.
Dayjur – Sublime sprinter. Like watching a bright, crackling firework going off. Loved how he blitzed the opposition in his last season. Gutted when he jumped the shadow in the Breeder’s Cup Sprint.
Frankel – Might be a touch premature to say it but I can see him being an exceptional 3YO. Whatever happens though, he’s the best 2YO I’ve seen … and his form is looking good. Superb!
Im a flat man really so :
Rodrigo De Triano – I read the other day that Chapple-Hyam said he might’ve won the Derby had they seriously believed he’d stay. Nevertheless I backed him to win the Guineas and loved the horse.
Salsabil – What a filly she was. She gets largely overlooked when people name great fillies but she was brilliant.
Frankel – Yep same as the previous poster premature, granted, but no two year old has ever excited me like this fella. I don’t think we’ve seen nearly the best of him yet either.
Over jumps I’d probably go :
Desert Orchid
Royal Gait
Remittance ManPersian War and Spartan Missile who got me in to all this malarkey in the first place, they just jumped and came home first everytime I watched them. Red Rum who thrilled me in all his Nationals.
For the flat Peeping Faun (in one of my famous Oak/ Derby doubles), Barshiba (the hard pulling one eyed classy chestnut she is, even better with Hayley as the fiesty lady double)and Persian Punch (of course) and hopefully White Moonstone will creep in to this if she makes the grade and gets me the Guineas double.
Wow it’s been a while since I posted here but my favorite flat horses are:
Alysheba and Prairie Bayou (both horses may not be the best ever, but they are very special to me)
Currently, my favorite flat horse is Goldikova. No disrespect to our Zenyatta but she is the best in the world at the moment and did not get the respect on Breeder’s Cup day that I expected she would. I saw her in her first win at the BC in 2008 but missed the last 2. I will be there next year. They don’t come around like this every year. Thank God for her connections!!!
As for jumpers, I may have a different view being from the US as we normally don’t follow jump racing like they do in the UK. However, being from Maryland we do get a LOT of attention on the sport here and I’ve been to meets quite frequently.
My all time favorites are:
McDynamo
Istabraq
Bubble Economy
Desert Orchid
FlattererCurrently running I have to say Bubble Economy is my favorite. He’s a timber horse here in the Mid-Atlantic region. He’s not as well known as some others but he’s a two time timber horse champion.
Jumps
Earth Summit – what a horse, Scottish, Welsh and the Grand National. Loved him to bits. I remember the night before his Grand National I was so excited I couldn’t sleep!
Danoli – just loved him and the romance that surrounded him. I remember reading a quote from Tom Foley upon his first visit to Cheltenham where he described the fences as being like paintings.
Mon Mome – just love him. He’s been incredibly lucky for me and I don’t think he is finished just yet!
Flat
Troy – was the horse that got me into this mess in the first place! Only joking. Was the first horse I really followed. Wagged school to watch him win the Derby.
Giant Causeway – what a battler. As tough as teak. Was lucky enough to be present when he went head to head with Tiznow in the Breeders Cup. Couldn’t believe he got beat that day.
Sea The Stars – the greatest horse I have ever seen. A true great. Every race was a real event. I hope he passes on his class to his kids. He gave me some truly unfortgettable days
Currently running I have to say Bubble Economy is my favorite. He’s a timber horse here in the Mid-Atlantic region. He’s not as well known as some others but he’s a two time timber horse champion.
Three-time, he got the title this year too
. I made a profile for him. https://theracingforum.co.uk/horses/bubble-economyCurrently running I have to say Bubble Economy is my favorite. He’s a timber horse here in the Mid-Atlantic region. He’s not as well known as some others but he’s a two time timber horse champion.
Three-time, he got the title this year too
. I made a profile for him. https://theracingforum.co.uk/horses/bubble-economyAwesome!! I have some photos of him if you want. He’s a lovely looking horse.
FLAT
Bosra Sham
: The most beautiful filly I’ve ever seen. An elegant, feminine head, but a powerful, coltish body. Plagued by foot problems, she literally won the 1000 Guineas on three legs. Destroyed Halling in the Champion and won the Prince Of Wales in a canter by 8L. Henry Cecil described her as the best he ever trained.
Zafonic
: I was a highly impressionable 11 year old when this chap came along. Who doesn’t still get chills watching the 1993 renewal of the 2000 Guineas? ‘He’s absolutely pulling double’ roared Graham Goode before Zafonic displayed the greatest turn of foot that I, to this day, have ever seen. Take any great miler you want, they would have had to be at the top of their game to beat him that day – nigh-on unbeatable. A handsome, powerful athlete and the greatest mover I’ve ever seen – he literally floated.
Zenyatta
: What can you say about the most charismatic individual to ever grace the racetrack? She had the size, looks and ability to match. Through no fault of her own she couldn’t leave us unbeaten, but Zenyatta touched more hearts around the globe than any other horse in history. Beautiful to look at and exciting to watch, she will leave a massive void that can never be filled. There will be other Dancing Brave’s, Sea The Stars and Goldikova’s, but we will never see another Zenyatta. Truly unique.
FLAT
Zenyatta
: What can you say about the most charismatic individual to ever grace the racetrack? She had the size, looks and ability to match. Through no fault of her own she couldn’t leave us unbeaten, but Zenyatta touched more hearts around the globe than any other horse in history. Beautiful to look at and exciting to watch, she will leave a massive void that can never be filled. There will be other Dancing Brave’s, Sea The Stars and Goldikova’s, but we will never see another Zenyatta. Truly unique.
While I do agree with you on everything you said here with the exception of seeing another Goldikova. I doubt we will ever see a mare win 3 Breeder’s Cup races in succession over males. She may not have the record of 20-19-1-0, but what she has done is IMO is at the very least as impressive as Zenyatta. If only that stretch had been 10 feet longer. Certainly there will not be a horse that carries the charisma or unique showing she puts on. If I had been a person never knowing who she was and saw all that dancing about by any other horse I would never wager a dime on them. She is a beautiful odd duck so to speak. The fact she is the best horse IMO to have run in the USA and will probably never win an Eclipse. This is a travesty. She will however have no problem getting into the Hall Of Fame on the first try. Anyone who denies her that is a moron.
We have been very blessed these past 3 years to have witnessed Zenyatta, Goldikova and Rachel Alexandra taking on males. Hopefully connections of top fillies and mares will continue this trend of this type of competition. Sometimes the best is a girl.
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Let’s not forget that Zarkava has trounced Goldikova twice, she deserves a massive mention here.
. I made a profile for him. 
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