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One of many good horses which Sam Waley—Cohen rode for his father Robert around the big Aintree fences. She retired to the paddocks after the 2007 National won by Silver Birch, who’s still alive. She produced several good foals, who have won 15 races between them, up to now. A very commendable record for a happily remembered mare.
Campaigned regularly and fairly over a long career, and deserved to win his 2006 Champion Hurdle, having run in four. At 27 he was the oldest Champion Hurdler, and it is great to learn that he spent his long retirement happily in the stable of Colm Holmes,who trained him. His fellow countryman Sublimity (25) is now the longest surviving Champion Hurdler, I believe. Enjoyable memories.
I first watched the Great Yorkshire as a child in 1965 as a child sixty years ago. Visibility was extremely poor, and two leading contenders for the Grand National were lost, Buona Notte (who had just beaten Arkle when receiving lumps of weight) and Red Thorn (who had won at Aintree’s autumn meeting) I was heartbroken and very sorrowful. Despite many safety improvements such tragedies still happen, as evidenced by poor Forward Plan’s fatal fall. I will never stop feeling sorrowful when this happens, but it is an inevitable downside of the great pleasure we receive from watching so many gallant horses racing against one another. Racing must never be complacent about horse welfare, especially where potential tragedies can be prevented.
I’ve just discovered that Looks Like Trouble was also enjoying an extremely happy retirement as Richard Johnson’s family pet. Fabulous news !
The link to David Pipe’s website article is https://www.davidpipe.com I forgot to include Rushing Wild’s close second behind Jodami in 1993 among Martin Pipe’s Gold Cup’s unlucky horses. However I wouldn’t want to underrate Noel Chance’s training feats specifically with Mr Mulligan (1997) and Looks Like Trouble (2000) whom he handled very well indeed. He trained for 38 years, which was a considerable achievement,and it has always been very refreshing for the sport when small trainers like Arthur Barrow, Sirrell Griffith, Fergie Sutherland and Mark Bradstock have won the Gold Cup, beating the big names. Incidentally Looks Like Trouble must be 32 years old now, the oldest Gold Cup winner, assuming he’s still alive. Any news of him ?
Brilliant tribute by David Pipe, who described Cyfor Malta’s long and wonderful retirement alongside Miinnehoma, It takes time and Dynaste. I loved his precocious victory at the ago of five in the Topham, although he never ran over the big fences again. His triumph in the Pillar Chase at Cheltenham in 1999, beating the first two home in that year’s Gold Cup, was superlative, but he succumbed to injury and was never the same horse again, despite some courageous comeback efforts. How on earth did Martin Pipe never win a Gold Cup (with Carvill’s Hill, poor Gloria Victis, Cyfor Malta etc) when Noel Chance in the same era, won two ? Great memories, though.
Ran 8 times over the big Aintree obstacles, including in 4 consecutive Nationals. Very easy to follow, being a chestnut with a big white blaze with his jockey wearing green, with white spotted Mould silks, although on 3 occasions he finished without his rider, which didn’t seem to daunt him. He often seemed to keep Amberleigh House company. Never placed again after his 2002 triumph, but he completed in 2 more Nationals. Had a fabulous long retirement in the stables he loved, and they will certainly miss him.
Yes, his 4th place behind Denman, Kauto Star and Neptune Collonges, the three Nicholls superstars, was certainly his best run. I’d followed him since watching him win at Warwick as a novice, and he was always game and genuine. So pleased he had a long and happy retirement, with plenty of hunting.
Many thanks for posting Istabraq’s 32nd birthday celebration, Cork All Star. He looked really well, and recalled memories of such a wonderful career. Few top class jumpers live so long, although Spanish Steps reached 34. Delighted that he was looked after so well.
This is appallingly inhumane and extremely tragic for all the horses who provide us with such entertaining memories during their racing careers. There is no dignity in sending these wonderful animals to such ghastly places of execution. The next government needs to be charged with the responsibility of bringing these practices out in the open, so that the general public can be made aware of what is happening and focus on the need to change the whole system under which these slaughterhouses operate. If this was done it might persuade kinder people to provide decent homes for retired racehorses rather than send them to such horrible deaths.
It’s great to know that he had a long and happy retirement, living to the age of 24. After winning the Becher Chase he didn’t have much luck in his three Grand Nationals; I was there when he was brought down when going well at Becher’s second time. My sympathy to those who gave him the excellent care that he and all other horses deserve in their retirement.
Although it’s only 15 years since Harchibald was running, and Champion Hurdles were contested between Irish horses and Nicky Henderson sounds familiar ?) the races seemed very different, as they all had huge fields and less predictable results. In Harchibald’s final appearance in 2009 the field contained the winners of SEVEN Champion Hurdles (six different horses) which would have been seven different horses if Harchibald had beaten Hardy Eustace in 2005 rather than being beaten so narrowly. (The horses involved were Hardy Eustace 2004 and 2005, Brave Inca 2006, Sublimity 2007, Katchit 2008, Punjabi 2009 and Binocular 2010) These were exciting races, with Harchibald providing some superlative performances without managing to win the prize he deserved. I’m sure he would have had a good long retirement, though.
I always feel sad, especially for connections, when a horse like Foxy Jacks who has run in the National dies shortly afterwards, perhaps in its next race. In the last couple of years this has happened to both The Big Dog and Class Conti. RIP Foxy Jacks.
Very brave decision for Laura Morgan to announce the sad news herself on live television that her stable star had been killed. Reminds me of my childhood favourite Grey Sombrero breaking a shoulder when falling at the Chair when pursuing Crisp in Red Rum’s first national win in 1973. Condolences to an up-and-coming trainer and her staff who must be devastated.
Yes, I agree, Ex Ruby. The achievements of the Ruckers’ horses, all ridden by Paul Maloney, were considerable (State of Play, Alvarado and Cappa Bleu). They were placed six times between them, without winning, although Cappa Bleu was closest. Second placed horses in the National have had shorter retirements than the winners, with at least four in the last ten runnings now deceased. (The other three were Cause of Causes, Magic of Light and Saint Are) whereas only two victors (Many Clouds and One for Arthur) have died during the same period. It would be great if The Opening Show dedicated one of its Home Schooling sessions to these old National heroes who are still with us, including Bindaree (now 30), Hedgehunter (28), Numbersixvalverde (27), Silver Birch (27) etc
I hadn’t seen the film before, and it was generally a better attempt at trying to replicate the Dream Alliance narrative than some of the critics gave it credit for. However I was slightly disappointed that it stopped short of Dream Alliance’s attempt to win Don’t I Push it’s National in 2010 (I was there !) for which he was well-fancied at 16/1, but was pulled up. I didn’t think that the portrayal of Philip Hobbs was kind enough either. He’s an extremely talented and sympathetic trainer who has persevered with other injured horses, including Balthazar King, who had a horrid fall the year after he was second in the National, but survived to have a good retirement. (He’s still alive, I think.) Dream Alliance lived until he was 22. What a fabulous horse !
He was my selection after I’d watched him win the Classic Chase at Warwick (my local track) and run on well in the Becher Chase. However he was never mentioned in commentary until two fences from home (even Founavon got a name check :unsur
: ;- :unsur 
:yah :unsin 1967 when Peter O’Sullevan listed the whole field as they jumped the water – he was nearly last) and I’d assumed he had dropped out early on. But No ! He scythed through the field, passing horse after horse. Derek Fox rode him with brilliant confidence. What a shame he didn’t have a longer retirement, which he was clearly enjoying, but succumbed to the dreadful colic. ‘One for Arthur’ apparently means ‘Onefor the road,’ referring to the empty glasses of Arthur Guinness on the table. It was the first year ofthat Randox sponsored the race, which was trying to create a healthier image after previous sponsorship by Seagrams, John Smithz, Martell and Crabbie’s, but the winner made sure that the association with alcohol dos not disappear
: ;- :unsur 
:yah :unsin 1967 when Peter O’Sullevan listed the whole field as they jumped the water – he was nearly last) and I’d assumed he had dropped out early on. But No ! He scythed through the field, passing horse after horse. Derek Fox rode him with brilliant confidence. What a shame he didn’t have a longer retirement, which he was clearly enjoying, but succumbed to the dreadful colic. ‘One for Arthur’ apparently means ‘Onefor the road,’ referring to the empty glasses of Arthur Guinness on the table. It was the first year ofthat Randox sponsored the race, which was trying to create a healthier image after previous sponsorship by Seagrams, John Smithz, Martell and Crabbie’s, but the winner made sure that the association with alcohol dos not disappear