- This topic has 241 replies, 114 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 1 month ago by
.
-
Posts
-
A ridiculously tough question, even for someone as young as me!
I’ve got loads of favourites, but if I had to choose one it would be Blowing Wind at his best. Won a County Hurdle, before he was robbed of the National in 2001 (IMO), then went on to finish 3rd at Aintree again the following year in virtually polar opposite conditions. Unfortunately, he seemed to suffer from ‘French Horse Syndrome’ and was past his best by 10. By no means the best horse I’ve seen, but one I always had a real soft spot for.
Mill House, hero horse of my youth, eclipsed by Arkle but would have been a worthy champion in any other era.
Hops And Pops – we saw this one put in a superb front running performance at Ascot and followed her career afterwards.
Baulking Green – must have been the name that caught my eye with this one. Another favourite from my youth, who won a pile of hunter chases.
Earth Summit – told everyone this would win the National, and knew it would after the first 6 fences at Aintree.
Rob
Lots of names here that bring back happy memories. One of my earliest favourites was Pendil – the best chaser of his era, yet somehow he didn’t win the Gold Cup. More recently there was Grey Abbey, who like Dessie seemed to keep on winning against the odds. His Scottish National win was terrific. A front runner with all that weight, and unproven over such a long distance, surely he couldn’t possibly win – but he did, gloriously.
one of my fave horses was the french horse JAIR DU COCHET who unfortunately died in 2004 (i think) before the gold cup after beating Best Mate comfortably in the Peterborough chase , every race he won in England (quite a few) i was on and he jumped superbly at times just a shame i didnt get to see him in that years Cheltenham spectacle , magnificent looking horse and liked the colours too!!
Grey Abbey could have been one of the best chasers of the last 20 yrs if he hadn;t been trained for so long by Finbar Murtagh. J Howard doesn;t improve many by 2 stone.
When I was a child Mill House. His picture was on the table next to my bed. I hated Arkle for beating him In Ireland the other year went on a Mill House pilgrimage to find where he was born; was sent up all sorts of lanes in the middle of knowhere, but never did find it. Also around that time a little mare called Phebu, but can’t remember much about her. Went into the racing doldrums until I started seeing this white horse on the news every Christmas, devoured every book about racing that I could find to catch up with the years that I’d missed.Joined his fan club, couldn’t wait for him to retire safely as I was terrified of something happening to him, and when he did there was this void in racing for a few years until another grey crept into my affections; One Man – how ecstatic I was when he won at Cheltenham, and how desolate when he lost his life at Aintree, probably one of the worst days ever on a racecourse.. More recently Grey Abbey, See More Business and Moscow Flyer. I never felt much for Best Mate or Istabraq, or at this moment in time for Kauto Star – some horses just work their way into your affection. My tombstone will read ‘She kissed Desert Orchid’, because I did and it was the magic!! mo
Far too many to name, so it’s really hard to narrow it down, but these would be towards the top of my list. Mr Mulligan, Flakey Dove, Midnight Madness, Sun Rising, Sporazene,Desert Orchid, Mr Frisk, Viking Flagship and Baydon Star.
Remittance Man is probably my favourite of all. He was a superb racehorse and his jumping was incredible. He would have won the Champion Chase on more than one occassion if it hadn’t been for injury.
Desert Orchid, Kribensis, Celtic Shot, Brown Windsor, Nick The Brief, Waterloo Boy, Large Action, Bradbury Star, Montelado, Viking Flagship, Anzum, Gloria Victis, Marlborough, Florida Pearl, Our Vic & Well Chief our others off the top of my head.
I’m probably going to forget quite a few but I’ll list those I remember….
Desert Orchid probably gave me more tears of joy than any other.
Night Nurse, Sea Pigeon, Monksfield, Earthmover, Iris’s Gift, Comedy of Errors, Beef or Salmon (in Ireland!), l’Escargot, Lanzarote, Burrough Hill Lad…that’ll do for now
One of my favourite horses as my name says was the way Anzum came from ‘out the clouds’ to win the Stayers hurdle.
Other favourites over the years have been Suny Bay, Minnehoma, Viking Flagship, Moscow Flyer, Well Chief and Neptune Collonges.
Too many admirable ones to mention, but Remittance Man, Dato Star, Montelado, Thisthatandtother, Jair Du Cochet, Moscow Flyer………….these are the horses I’ve really connected with on a personal level over the years.
Cyrlight is in the pending tray until I see him run at Auteuil next month.
The only horse from the Flat who comes close to qualification is Luca Cumani’s fine miler Second Set, and even then, the above named jumpers are a distance clear after a furlong.
My favourite and i’m not sure how many will remember him – it’s a horse called Lefrak City.
He was a tiny little former point to pointer trained by Capt Tim Forster. I looked after him when he won the Tingle Creek. A legend !Tingle Creek
Night Nurse
Wayward Lad
Desert Orchid
Mysilv
Suny Bay
One Man
Moscow Flyer
…with Kauto Star pending (couple more G1s please)and there’s been many a run-of-the-mill chaser who’ve generated a warm inner glow on a winter’s afternoon, none more so than Chergan who was a pleasure to watch at his fences
Do i really need to answer!?!?!?!!!
Obviously Ballycassidy.
Other of my best favourites:
Flying Instructor, Barton Bank, Barton, Suny Bay, Bonanza Boy, Go Ballistic, Rough Quest, See More Business, Moscow Flyer.
Oh there’s too many favourites!!!!
Where do you start?
Go Ballistic
Ei Ei
Pollardstown
Limestone Lad
Toms Little Al
Dessie
Beat the Retreat
Grey Abbey
Detroit City
Suny Bay
Strong Promise
Material World
Moscow Flyer
Shadow Leader
Jair Du Cochet
Dubacilla
Just S(l)o(w)
New Halen
The Last FlingThere’s loads more but that’s a few that spring to mind
My favourite and i’m not sure how many will remember him – it’s a horse called Lefrak City.
He was a tiny little former point to pointer trained by Capt Tim Forster. I looked after him when he won the Tingle Creek. A legend !Hi Katabatic, I remember little Lefrak City very well. He was a pony compared to some of the horses the Captain had. His size didn’t stop him from jumping well! He had a big white face so you couldn’t miss him in a race.
I use to follow your yard. Fantastic memories.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.