Cheltenham Festival
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Arkle: The Legend Lives On.
Channel 4 11.05pm to 00.05 (just before Cheltenham highlights programme).
Radio Times:
ABOUT THIS PROGRAMME
In 1964, one of the greatest steeplechasers of all time beat the champion of England in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Arkle's victory over Mill House became known as the race of the century. This documentary celebrates the event's 50th anniversary and compares the Irish thoroughbred racehorse to many of the modern greats of the chasing game. With contributions from commentator Peter O'Sullevan, trainers Nicky Henderson, Paul Nicholls and Ted Walsh and broadcaster Brough Scott.
Channel 4 11.05pm to 00.05 (just before Cheltenham highlights programme).
Radio Times:
ABOUT THIS PROGRAMME
In 1964, one of the greatest steeplechasers of all time beat the champion of England in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Arkle's victory over Mill House became known as the race of the century. This documentary celebrates the event's 50th anniversary and compares the Irish thoroughbred racehorse to many of the modern greats of the chasing game. With contributions from commentator Peter O'Sullevan, trainers Nicky Henderson, Paul Nicholls and Ted Walsh and broadcaster Brough Scott.
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Replies: 13
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Hoping for plenty of footage and not much waffle.
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Hoping for a realistic appraisal!
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When Kauto Star won his 4th King George by half the straight I seem to remember the official handicapper was going to reappraise ratings across the generations based on championship grade one races. This never came to fruition unfortunately. I do hope the program has more depth than a sycophantic homage to Arkle as I already know how great he was and have always doubted Arkle's rating is it was calculated from his handicaps ratings. i.e. I don't believe for instance Arkle could beat any of the horses below giving 21lb or more if they all were at peak performance. Denman was a weight carrying specialist in handicaps and apparently Arkle could have beaten him giving 28lb!
212 Arkle 1957 210 Flyingbolt 1959 192 Sprinter Sacre 2006 191 Mill House 1957 191 Kauto Star 2000 187 Desert Orchid 1979 186 Dunkirk 1957 184 Burrough Hill Lad 1976 |
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Did you really mean to have Dunkirk on the list?
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What Storm Alert said.
The legend / myth just keeps getting bigger with the passage of time. |
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And for those who saw him , lets hope it continues .
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Interesting thread (we've been here before on here, of course, many times).
I saw him aged 12 and 13 (me, not himself!)so not a great judge. However I've hoped every year since to see something emerge that was close. I haven't yet, but i truly live in hope. Re the legend/myth, I don't think it has changed much over the years. The problem of the championship form with small number of runners remains (dearth or scared off); Analysis of the Arkle vs Flyingbolt collateral form is very tricky; The multiple huge weight carrying handicap performances against top class chasers are difficult to assess against more recent champions whose weight carrying performances are sparse or non existent. The time differences and methodology changes behind the Timeform ratings create probably inappropriate differences in ratings. Re the Racehorse list below, my view is that he'd give at least a stone and a pi77ing to anything on that list over 3 miles anywhere. He'd give three stone to Dunkirk over 3m, BUT OVER TWO MILES AT SANDOWN (Gallagher Gold Cup!  ), that would be some race |
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Blackbarn,do you remember that Willie and Pat "saved a suit" on the result? I wonder what they would save these days.
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I've heard that story, dun. Whatever, he seems to have been a mixture of the incredulous and inconsolable.
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doesn't Arkle still hold the course record at Sandown over the Hennessy trip whilst carrying 12st 7lb? I may be wrong, but if that's true then it's some achievement, a bit like Secretariat's Belmont Stakes
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^^^ think yr right amazing stat
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bloob/Howdi - 1965 Gallagher Gold Cup. Broke Mill House's course record by 17seconds giving that horse 16lbs. That record still stands. Mind you, not many top class 3m chases at Sandown!
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Meant to add, the distance was 3m 118yds, not the Hennessy distance.
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