correct Zil not Nigel but looks like the games up!

am i  mis somethin

Yes fid name of jockey! Lol.

Colin Tinkler was entrusted to land the gamble( not much of a gamble for them when they knew what they had)
Albeit Silver Buck got well beat on debut over hurdles b4 landing a touch next time up (barney curley involved)

any one rember one callled premier charlie

lovely to be reminded of all the past greats what about the greatest hurdler ever to look thru a bridle
NIGHT NURSE

kab....remember Aonoch beating See You Then before the 86 National, also Villerstown finishing in the first 2, 2 years in a row in The Topham. He wore the Peter Pillar colours so familiar from this period. He had some great horses with WA.

Pretty sure she was on that day too, though if I recall, it was trained by her dad (i think), and she was usually on board.  When the jocks were walking out to the paddock for the National, Steve Smith Eccles face was tripping him. Don't think he could believe Aonoch had beat him.

Hayden....Aonoch must've been good....he was defending Aintree hurdles before he was actually born!!

Jimmy Duggan rode Aonoch when it beat See You Then in the Aintree Hurdle in 86 @ 16/1 and it was trained by Sue Oliver. Her daughter Jacqui won the same race on it the following year in 87 @ 5/2f

Yes sorry Browne did mean 87 not 77 

i think clear cut was maurice camacho

A Sure Row winning at Bangor-On-Dee when trained by Sally Oliver. Heard it had been laid out for a gamble and managed to get 16s. Backed down through all rates into 11-4 and bolted up on the bridle. Stewards called for the trainer as soon as it passed the post. She was not at the track and when they contacted here she said that she had gone to the other Bangor in North Wales by mistake!
Horse later went on to join Michael Dickinson.

With the Ebor fast approaching I thought I would take some time to reflect on the achievements of my all time favourite racehorse - the mighty Sea Pigeon.

He won the Ebor in 1979 carrying 10-0 under Jonjo O'Neill.  I remember the day well.  I had to listen to the race in my local bookies due to a TV strike.  Sea Pigeon started at 18-1 and came with his usual late run.  O'Neill admitted to dropping his hands and thought Sea Pigeon had been beaten but he had got up to record a famous victory.  I didn't back him that day but I didn't care.  It is a sobering thought that the highest weight carried by any Ebor winner since is 9-4.

Sea Pigeon's record on the flat and over hurdles speaks for itself.  As well as the Ebor he won 2 Chester Cups (1977 and 1978) and was runner-up in the Northumberland Plate in 1977 and the St Simon Stakes in 1978.  I'm pretty sure he ran in the 1972 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and he finished 7th behind Morston in the 1973 Derby.

Over hurdles he won 2 Champion Hurdles (1980 and 1981), 2 Fighting Fifth's (1978 and 1980) and 2 Scottish Champion Hurdles (1977 and 1978).  He was also runner-up to Monksfield in 2 Champion Hurdles (1978 and 1979).

He is buried alongside his stable companion Night Nurse and their epitaph reads "Legends in their lifetimes".  Truer words have never been spoken.

If you're having a bet in the Ebor I wish you the very best of luck, just spare a thought for Sea Pigeon.

Don't think John Jenkins ever had Pearlyman, thank goodness. John Edwards trained him.

The ride Scudamore gave Bonanza Boy in the Scottish National was also incredible....under the cosh for 4 miles!

It was Pauli. I'd imagine it would have been a vintage few years between that and See You Then. I was at Newcastle when BG unfortunately died....won't forget the day.

Great Sea Pigeon write up pauli , my lasting memory was the Champion Hurdle win at the age of 11 and as a Francome fan as well that was poetry for me.
Forgetting achievements for a second I think Sea Pigeon should be singled out alongside Desert Orchid for capturing the public imagination and drawing people to racing , there's been very few horses that became household names and generated the public interest so much outside the hardened racing fraternity.

There's a 4 min tribute clip upon the announcement of his retirement taken from terrestrial TV all those years ago which underlines his popularity , not the best quality clip but a lovely few minutes all the same 

Not only did he beat Desert orchid but I reckon See You Then was also in that xmas hurdle field. Unfortunately crookead Browne took away his champion hurdle glory.

Pauli .
I allways reckon Sea Pigeons greatest flat performance was in defeat.
In the Ayr tennets trophy 1977(ish) he gave 22lb & just got outstayed by a head or so by the Queens Vase winner le Moss who subsequently won the next 2 gold cups beating the likes of other great stayers Buckskin & Ardross.
Ardross was truly versatile & only just got done in the Arc by Akiyda however Le Moss always had the better of him.
I have on vid a compilation of some Sea Pigeons finest races(plus a fantastic tear jerking tribute by Tom Oryan) culminating in that 1981  champion hurdle.
Easterbys quote to Francome leaving the paddock "Dont win to far"

bewcastle? Newcastle ffs