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He was the first of two very classy and speedy Irish seven year old Gold Cup winners sandwiched between a host of GB victors from 1097 to 2004 and 2007 to 2013 inclusive. The other was War of Attrition (2006) who died las year. Both looked imperious on their days of triumph, and were quite clearly the best in the field. Both later made significant comebacks after injury,buthad lost their brilliance. Kicking King at least stayed sound long enough to remain as top UK chaser for over year, winning two King George’s T different courses. Despite being Irish his win was very popular in GB where the Taaffe dynasty is loved, especially Tpm’s dad Pat, who rode Arkle.
What a fantastic group of horses won the Gold Cup in the Noughtirs ! So much more impressive and charismatic than some more recent winners,a, although I have higher hopes for Galopin des Champs if he stays sound,
He was the oldest Grand National winner still alive; this honour now passes to Bindaree (28) who won in 2002, the year Monty’s Pass finished second in the Topham before his National victory in 2003. He also finished 4th in 2004 and 16th in 2005, after which he was retired, living another 17.5 years. He was very capably ridden by Barry Geraghty (his only National winner) and handled with great intelligence by his trainer Jimmy Mangan, who campaigned him quietly over hurdles during the 2002/3 season to prevent his weight rising too much. Jimmy was a competent rider who became an understated trainer who thoroughly deserved this win. Happy memories.
Decent, genuine horse who finished third in the 2013 Aintree National, having won the 2012 National Hunt four miler at the Cheltenham Festival under the late great JT McNamara. He retired seven years ago today at the age of 11, as his connections didn’t want to risk serious injury. Rebecca Curtis comes across as a trainer who looks after her horses; their welfare and contentment is paramount. Glad Teaforthree had a reasonable length of retirement.
I remember watching him striding into the parade ring before he won the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup, as a seven year old. He looked magnificent, and had been extremely well-prepared by Mouse Morris. Although he won the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown on his next appearance he suffered an injury the following year and never triumphed again, although he recovered some of his form on his reappearance and ran creditably afterwards. Mouse, who was a very competent jockey, is an underrated trainer who alsoproduced Rule the World ten years later to win the Aintree National for Gigginstown. I’m glad War of Attrition had a good long retirement, but sorry that he contracted colic at the end. Michael O’Leary thought the world of him.
Very sorry to learn this. These days not many horses run in five Aintree Nationals.) In fact, apart from Saint Are, only Amberleigh House, Hedgehunter and Vieux Lion Rouge have done so this century. He will be much missed by his connections, but lived a full and active life, and will be fondly remembered by thise of us who appreciate the longevity of the careers of horses like Saint Are.
This was (sad) news to me, too, today. He was one of the most versatile, robustly-campaigned horses I can remember, who stood plenty of racing, and was still competing in top class long-distance handicaps until he retired sound at 13. I was at Sandown when he scythed through the field in 2012 to win the Bet365 on the last day of the season. It was a fabulously enjoyable day, seeing all the season’s champions and some retired stars, made even better by Tidal Bay’s unexpected win under a big weight. He ran in a Gold Cup and two Nationals, too. Glad he had an honourable retirement, which he thoroughly deserved, in the light of the courage he showed and the pleasure he brought to those of us who were privileged to witness his long career.
Very sorry about The Conditional’s death on a dreadful weekend in which five horses were killed in action in live terrestrial televised races. (A few weeks ago we had almost no T.V. fatalities for several weeks, which was a great relief at that time.) Many commiserations to David Bridgewater, who was an underrated excellent jockey, and is now an underrated trainer. His two stellar horses, The Giant Bolster and The Conditional were both campaigned very skilfully, placed regularly in top class races, with The Conditional winning at Cheltenham, and The Giant Bolster (who retired successfully a few years ago) placed in Gold Cups. The Conditional would have been a promising each-way contender in this year’s National. Hope the stable gets some more good horses of this calibre.
6th in Lord Gyllene’s 1997 Monday National, and 17th in his final attempt in 1999. A grand servant to Maurice and Julie Camacho, who were related to Charlie Hall, the distinguished northern trainer. Maurice took over his stable when he retired. It’s great to see our old heroes having such long and happy retirements.
Very sorry that this much-loved horse lost his life at Newbury this afternoon in the race he won at 40/1 two years ago. He was very accomplished at winning long-distance races at long prices. He is now reunited with his talented ex-jockey and rising star trainer Richard Woollacott who tragically took his own life a few weeks after Beer Goggles gave him the biggest win of his training career. (Apparently his wife was having a relationship with one of his jockeys.) RIP both Beer Goggles and Richard Woollacott.
A brave genuine horse who was a great credit to his trainer Paul Webber and jockeys Will Kennedy and Denis O’Regan. He appeared to remain sound and ran in a number of top quality races, without reaching the highest peaks, although finishing runner up to Big Buck’s in the World Hurdle was no mean performance. He retired before deteriorating, and I hope and trust that he enjoyed his last few years. R.I.P. Time for Rupert.
This is a really tragic loss, not only for his trainer Gavin Cromwell and his team, and owner J.P. McManus, but also for jumps racing in general. As a young horse he showed astonishing pace in winning this year’s Champion Hurdle, and could have developed into another Istabraq or even better. I can’t remember such a promising jumps career being cut short so early since the death of another young Irish hurdler Golden Cygnet in the 1978 Scottish Champion Hurdle. RIP Espoir d’Allen and commiserations to everyone connected with your short but brilliant career.
What a terrible psychological nightmare this must have been for these seasoned chasers who had each completed over 30 races under rules in Britain, to discover suddenly that they were required to swim during a race. No wonder they both quickly despatched their jockeys. It’s great to learn about old favourites such as Coneygree and Cue Card being retrained as show horses, and Balthazar King enjoying some hunting in retirement. However these horses have been carefully handled, so that they can adjust mentally from their old career to their new one. This takes time, patience and understanding. Captain Von Trappe never had the chance to assimilate his new work environment. RIP poor fellow.
Very sorry to learn about the death of this gallant and talented horse, and I’m particularly appalled at the circumstances of his death. British water jumps used to be similarly brutal obstacles, resulting in the loss of Sundew, the 1957 National winner, at Haydock, Arcturus, Neville Crump’s brave and popular chaser, at Ascot, and Champion Prince, killed in a six-horse pile-up in the 1968 Aintree National. In the early seventies these fences were significantly modified, as a result of public pressure, and there have been almost no incidents of this nature ever since. I hope British trainers will put pressure on Auteuil to modify their water jump in line with those encountered on U.K. courses, by boycotting their races until this issue has been addressed. Willie Mullins and his team have had some horrid misfortunes this year. RIP poor Isleofhopendreams.
After such a brilliant day’s racing on Thursday I, too, was much saddened by Friday’s fatalities, and felt particularly sorry for winningmost Irish amateur Patrick Mullins who rode two of the three horses killed at the meeting. When he was on board Dooney’s Gate, who was killed at Becher’s in the 2011 Grand National he wrote an award-winnng description of his experience, which highlighted the desperation felt by jockeys in such incidents. However the recent safety records of jump racing’s two biggest races has shown significant improvements. Invitation Only was the first horse killed in the Cheltenham Gold Cup since Gloria Victis sadly lost his life in 2000. Since then 236 horses have competed in 17 Gold Cups in the intervening years without any fatalities or serious injuries. A similar number of horses have competed successfully in the last six Nationals since 2012 when poor Synchronised and According to Pete died in that renewal. We must conitinue to investigate all racecourse equine deaths, and make improvements accordingly, but the sport will never be risk-free. Indeed the Epsom Derby has a poorer recent record of tragedies, I believe, than the Gold Cup or Aintree National, and there is no significant clamour to ban that race.
I do, however, remain very concerned about the National Hunt Handicap Chase. It might be the oldest race at the Festival, but a four mile novices chase run in fading light involving some (though not all) less experienced riders is not a spectacle acceptable to the general public these days, and it is surely time to replace it with an alternative race in which the risk to horse welfare is significantly lower. A three mile veterans chase would be a better alternative, I think.
Yes, he spent his long and happy retirement with former champion jockey Graham Thorner (who won the 1972 Aintree National on Well To Do) and his family. A fantastic jumper, whose King George and Peterborough Chase victories also showcased his turn of foot. A great credit to Henrietta Knight and Terry Biddlecombe’s training abilities, alongside Best Mate’s achievements. I doubt whether many trainers would have produced such spectacularly consistent results with those two animals, who were greatly loved. (His name translates as ‘Blue Eiderdown,’ by the way.
What a fantastic career and active retirement as a hunter Cool Dawn had ! Although I’ve seen 32 Gold Cups live at Cheltenham I watched this one in 1997 at home, and was mesmerised by his front-running win. Coneygree and Native River more recently also led from start to finish, and their performances were equally breathtaking. Looks Like Trouble (2000) who is also having an enjoyable retirement with Richard Johnson, I believe, is now the senior Gold Cup winner, whilst Kicking King (2005), War of Attrition (2006), Denman (2008) and Long Run (2011) are also still alive, together with the last six winners (Bobs Worth, Lord Windermere, Coneygree, Don Cossack, Sizing John and Native River) The Gold Cup now has a great safety record, with no fatalities since poor Gloria Victis prematurely lost his life in the 2000 renewal. However the Grand Annual, which concludes Gold Cup day, needs to be replaced, as it has a terrible recent record of equine fatalities, and ends the wonderful festival on a very sour note. This year I had to leave before the last race, thank goodness. R.I.P. Cool Dawn; you’ve left us some great memories.
Yes, this is very sad news about a really promising young horse. It is noteworthy that, although happily there have been no fatalities in the Aintree Grand National during the past five seasons, sadly horses have died in the other Nationals. As well as Arpege d’Alene we lost Golden Chieftain in last year’s Scottish National, and also Onenightinvienna in the Welsh National. Tammy’s Hill was killed in the 2015 Irish National. Although we should never be complacent about safety it is unhappily inevitable that there will be some tragedies in large fields of staying chasers in competitive events such as these. However I am very relieved that Liverpool’s safety record has continued to improve, and also that it is now 17 years since any horse has died or been seriously injured in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Let’s hope that our equine friends all return safely after the magnificent finales at Punchestown and Sandown Park this week.
