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Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
In no particular order…
Ei Ei
Cool Roxy
Call It A Day
Kauto Star
See More Business
Robbo
Stormez
Smarty
Grey Abbey
Beau
Rooster Booster
AudacterAnd I could go on!
Re: Cocklecootycottage ~ he won two novice hurdles in the spring of 1968 at Ayr and Perth I believe (ridden by Barry Brogan) before breaking down; he carried the colours of Mrs J W Bradley (White and Emerald Green Quarters, Gold Cap) and was the older full brother to the same connections’ useful Ballyowen and The Benign Bishop.
I go back to the sixties when as a boy, the son of a jumping and point to point mad father, I became hooked on the winter game. There is one horse who will always stand above them all for me, already mentioned several times. The one and only:
ARKLE
My other great favourites over the years have been
Freddie, second in that 1965 National Phebu ran in and from the same Scottish Border country as me.
Red Rum saw him in the flesh twice, beat both times
Golden Gygnet, was at Ayr when he was took the fall that led to hid tragic early death – ah what might have been
Persian War, the greatest hurdler of all time? Discuss.
Edredon Bleu, saw him win his third Peterborough Chase and had a tear in my eye when the little battler won the King George
Sea Pigeon
Night Nurse
Viking Flagship
Moscow Flyer
and last but not least, the great Scottish Hunter Chaser/Pointer, Flying Ace whom I saw many times especially in his early races including the only time that Doreen Calder did not win on him (I think this was the case) at Lockerbie when the late great Charlie McMillan rode him.Desert Orchid by a country mile but as it’s such a popular choice I’ll add Montelado, I loved him to bits and but for the injury…
Suny Bay was another personal favourite as was Vodkatini who was madder than a box of frogs.
Lee
Too many to mention really. But two that I came into contact with were…Red Rum, he was retired from racing at the time, he opened a William Hill betting shop in Sunderland. I was going to ask if I could feed him some polos, but it was too late he’d already snaffled them out of my hand! He slobbered all over my jacket. I still have that jacket carefully preserved!
And Mighty Mark. He won at the Festival Under Jimmy Walton, and the following year, went on to win the Scots National under Brian Storey. Jimmy rode a treble at the points that day and Mighty Mark made his mark in history with a great win. He hated being clipped out but he was a magnificent stamp of a chaser, and was named after Frank senior’s grand son Mark.
I go back to the sixties when as a boy, the son of a jumping and point to point mad father, I became hooked on the winter game. There is one horse who will always stand above them all for me, already mentioned several times. The one and only:
ARKLE
My other great favourites over the years have been
Freddie, second in that 1965 National Phebu ran in and from the same Scottish Border country as me.
Red Rum saw him in the flesh twice, beat both times
Golden Gygnet, was at Ayr when he was took the fall that led to hid tragic early death – ah what might have been
Persian War, the greatest hurdler of all time? Discuss.
Edredon Bleu, saw him win his third Peterborough Chase and had a tear in my eye when the little battler won the King George
Sea Pigeon
Night Nurse
Viking Flagship
Moscow Flyer
and last but not least, the great Scottish Hunter Chaser/Pointer, Flying Ace whom I saw many times especially in his early races including the only time that Doreen Calder did not win on him (I think this was the case) at Lockerbie when the late great Charlie McMillan rode him.Obviously you are a lover of great horses and like you I was a huge fan of Persian War who I idolised. I was so taken by the horse I stupidly had my wages on him when he won a handicap hurdle with top weight at 10/1. I say stupidly as he was apparantly only 85% fit and his trainer said he had no chance…..so pure luck on my part.
As far as I was concerned there is no way on earth he could lose when going for his 4th Champion Hurdle win but lose he did. Looking back I hve no doubt in my mind he was beaten by a better horse and for me the greatest Champion Hurdle winner I ever saw.
Bula for me was the perfect hurdler, not only was he a great jumper of hurdles he had the best turn of foot I ever saw. I will never forget him jumping the last at least 10 lengths behind the front 2 in a group one hurdle and Paul Kelleway taking him from 6th place to first like he had sprouted wings.
Persian War was brilliant and as much as I loved the horse I am convinced had Bula, winner of 21 from 26, been around earlier he would have beaten him at any stage of his career.
Yes, Persian War was a great hurdler, though perhaps not quite as good as Night Nurse. PW’s career certainly wasn’t helped by his somewhat peculiar owner falling out with a succession of trainers. He was easily the best hurdler of the 1960s.
I know it’s not very fashionable to say so, but Istabraq was just about as good as those two. I don’t know, maybe people are put off by his fancy pedigree and trainer.
Other greats: one horse that’s often overlooked is the raw-boned Fortria, winner of 2 Champion Chases, 2nd in 2 Cheltenham Gold Cups, winner of the Cotswold Chase (now the Arkle) and winner of the Irish Grand National (the latter race also won by his full sister, Last Link, dam of Last Suspect). That is some record.
I couldn’t agree with you more on Istabraq he had that extra gear that not many hurdlers have. Was great to watch when Charlie Swan pressed the button it was alamost always there. Persian War trained today would have probably won more Champion hurdles as his owner was a total lunatic who ran the horse so often it must have shortened his life span dramatically. Apparantly he used to drive Colin Davies nuts with his constant interference on where the horse should run……….Persian War may not have been the greatest ever hurdler be he was certainly the toughest.
Party Politics!
His national win is my first memory of racing and probably the reason I love this sport so much! I still remember kneeling on my Papa’s living room floor in front of the box cheering him home! What a beast!
Jonny
I go back to the sixties when as a boy, the son of a jumping and point to point mad father, I became hooked on the winter game. There is one horse who will always stand above them all for me, already mentioned several times. The one and only:
ARKLE
My other great favourites over the years have been
Freddie, second in that 1965 National Phebu ran in and from the same Scottish Border country as me.
Red Rum saw him in the flesh twice, beat both times
Golden Gygnet, was at Ayr when he was took the fall that led to hid tragic early death – ah what might have been
Persian War, the greatest hurdler of all time? Discuss.
Edredon Bleu, saw him win his third Peterborough Chase and had a tear in my eye when the little battler won the King George
Sea Pigeon
Night Nurse
Viking Flagship
Moscow Flyer
and last but not least, the great Scottish Hunter Chaser/Pointer, Flying Ace whom I saw many times especially in his early races including the only time that Doreen Calder did not win on him (I think this was the case) at Lockerbie when the late great Charlie McMillan rode him.Obviously you are a lover of great horses and like you I was a huge fan of Persian War who I idolised. I was so taken by the horse I stupidly had my wages on him when he won a handicap hurdle with top weight at 10/1. I say stupidly as he was apparantly only 85% fit and his trainer said he had no chance…..so pure luck on my part.
As far as I was concerned there is no way on earth he could lose when going for his 4th Champion Hurdle win but lose he did. Looking back I hve no doubt in my mind he was beaten by a better horse and for me the greatest Champion Hurdle winner I ever saw.
Bula for me was the perfect hurdler, not only was he a great jumper of hurdles he had the best turn of foot I ever saw. I will never forget him jumping the last at least 10 lengths behind the front 2 in a group one hurdle and Paul Kelleway taking him from 6th place to first like he had sprouted wings.
Persian War was brilliant and as much as I loved the horse I am convinced had Bula, winner of 21 from 26, been around earlier he would have beaten him at any stage of his career.
I too thought he could not be beaten that day but the horse changed trainers more often than I change me socks as his owner was a business man who new nowt about racing and the horse had some serious mouth and sinus trouble. I can see your point about Bula, but the Persian War that beat Drumikill would have beaten Bula that day, he just was not the same horse. Try and get a copy of The Persian War Story, long out of print but a good second hand dealer will know how to get one. Mine is neither for loan nor sale.
I’ve just watched the 1965 national up to the point where my beloved Phebu got brought down; her jockey didn’t seem to get up afterwards..I assume he was ok? lovely to see Freddie with his silly old tongue sticking out…
very hard question…………….
Limestone lad, Moscow Flyer, Beef or Salmon,Isterbraq, Dessie and cant forget the horse that got me hooked Dawn Run
Re: Cocklecootycottage ~ he won two novice hurdles in the spring of 1968 at Ayr and Perth I believe (ridden by Barry Brogan) before breaking down; he carried the colours of Mrs J W Bradley (White and Emerald Green Quarters, Gold Cap) and was the older full brother to the same connections’ useful Ballyowen and The Benign Bishop.
Thanks so much for the information re Cocklecootycottage.
I have just bought a lot of National Hunt racing formbooks and was going to check his performances. I wrote to Mr and Mrs Oliver asking about him, and they told me that in their opinion, he would have been a high class racehorse had he recovered to be fit enough to race, but apparently, that didn’t happen and he was wisely retired from racing.
I hope that he enjoyed a really good retirement.
rooster booster
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amberliegh house
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iris gift- Total Posts 170
Best Mate, La Landiere, Baracouda, Katchit, Moscow Flyer…To be fair the list could go on for a long time.
I know La-Landiere (spelling?) is a tiny bit random. But at the festival (04?) I was a virgin Cheltenham festival goer and went with my uncle’s (who were regulars) and they kept pushing me for my tip of the day and I did not have one (though I did get the Flyer at 6/4 and fluked Young Spartecus at 20/1) and said that I fancied La Landiere the next day. After a few beers that day I found myself talking up the chance of La Landiere so much that I kind of began to believe my own hype on the horse – it was a certainity that could not lose.
The next day down the pub, a couple of good wins on short priced things (The Couda and Best Mate and a cheeky tenner on Palashan in the early race) and I found myself putting on the biggest bet I had ever placed (and still is – though probably small fry to even the small hitters on here).
I went absoluetly nuts as she battled up to that hill against the rail to win. Never the same horse the following year. But still, did me proud that day!
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