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can’t see anything beating KS now; a fully fit and firing Denman would have had a chance, but he was clearly not right. I’ll be having a decent bet, even at odds on
Dawn Run; Champion Hurdle/Gold Cup double
+ Gold Cup as a novice and in record time, + defeated reigning 2-mile champion, + Irish English and French champion Hurdles in the same year. There will never be another like her
And she was only learning how to jump fencesbefore Xmas I’d narrowed it down to Solwhit, Go Native Zaynar and Kyber KIm; Celestial Halo’s run devalues Khyber Kim’ form, so now it’s a 3-horse race
Apalachee; when he won the (then) Observe Gold Cup he looked like a machine, then got turned over by Nonoalco in the 2000 Guineas and never raced again
I appreciate that Moscow Flyer was more highly rated than his 3 mil counterparts, but if he had styed 3 miles he would have been running over 3 miles.
In terms of prestige; 3-mile chasers, 2-mile hurdlers, 2-mile chasers, then 3-mile hurdlers.Fethard Lady was the one that got away; once her unbeaten run started, she was untroubled in all her races, strolled away with the Xmas Hurdle, easiest winner of it I’ve ever seen, then got injured and retired
In the same vein, tho it kills me to say it, chasing is superoir to hurdling; if Istabraq, probably the best ever IMO, had been a chaser he would be evn more of a legend
Ted Walsh is absolutely right; the 3mile chases and 2 mile hurdlers are more prestigious (and the prizes are better, to really prove it)
If Big Bucks was as good over 2 as 3 he would be going for the Champion Hurdle
If Moscow Flyer had stayed 3 miles he would have gone for the Gold Cup ( though I often wondered why thgey never tried him, he stayed 2 +1/2 so well)On C4 I’ve just seen Arkle win by a distance at Sandown, carrying 12.10, breaking the course record by 17 seconds
and scampering the final hill looking like he could go around again.
I love Kauto Star, but would Imperial Commander have ever run Arkle to a short head?I enjoyed the chat; John Francome and Ted Walsh are always worth listening too. It was also great to see the footage of Arkle, romping home with 12 st 10 lbs around Sandown In record time), and Flyingbolt winning the Irish National with the same wt, a month after trotting home in the 2-mile champion chase and finishing third (the very next day) in the Champion Hurdle.
I love Kauto Star, but he still has some way to go to match their achievmnetsbefore he won his first Champion Hurdle he looked more like a stayer, and slightly below the top level. That is why it was such a surprise. Perhaps they found out that day how to ride him, set his own pace in front and use his beautiful hurdling technique to its fullest advantage.
A great old warrior, lots of wonderful memoriesThings are a bit clearer now; Go Native, Solwhit, KYber King, and Zaynar. Zaynar reminds me a bit too much of Detroit City, and may not have the speed, but the other 3 make the choice hard. Solwhit looks a rugged competititor, the other two much more classy. Gun to my head, I’d choose Go Native.
absolutely brilliant, the way he accelerated down the home straight was unforgettable.
A small caveat is that once Imperial Commander made his mistake, the othere were obviously so inferior that the victory was just a tad bloodless.
Great horses need great rivalsI remember watching KS’s debut, at Newbury I think, when he absolutely thrashed Foreman, and thinking he was a monster. Amazing to think he missed that season, thru injury, and fell in the 2 miler at the next festival, and has still managed 4 KGs and 2 GCs by the age of nine
It’s impossible to compare generations, but Sea the Stars is equal to the best; 6 grade 1s, from mile to 18 furlongs, all won with consummate ease and thrilling speed
