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On this day a quarter of a century ago we witnessed the greatest race of all time.
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Fondly remembered, still makes the hair on your neck stand up as the 'Brave' quickens into camera shot on the wide outside.
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Yep. Best race I've seen. Even better than Pebbles' various wins.
I suppose Dessie's Gold Cup has to be mentioned, but jumps and flat are different for the thrill they give. |
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25 years on and the same French cameraman still can't put the winner in the picture
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Dancing Brave was the 1st time id been to the Arc(saw Baiser Vole win the 1000 in that very may on a Sporting Life day trip, Geoff Lester et al) and went for the next three years, what a day that was.
Recommend Chantilly(it might have changed) as a relaxing alternative to the Arc as well, you'd be surprised on how much room there seems to be on french racecourses in the 80s it didnt seem that busy when Caerleon won-stunning scenery around there. Never made Deaville though |
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what short memories you have, surely you have forgotton about the greatest of all time in your uneducated reminiscing, namely Sea the Stars. A horse of a lifetime, perfection in equine form. Won the lot (including the derby) and the most impressive winner of the arc ever, after having a troubled trip and coming between horses to power on to an easy win.
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Id have the 86 Arc down as a better race than 09 KC, thats not to knock STS its just a thread to celebrate 25 years on
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And id have Sea Bird, Ribot, Mill Reef and a few others as more impressive winners
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And id have Sea Bird, Ribot, Mill Reef and a few others as more impressive winners
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1986 was the year I first got into racing so I can't compare to any previous champions zilzal1 but I haven't seen anything since that I deem to be better than Dancing Brave. I think you can only compare horses from seasons that you've followed and it depends on what Frankel does next season as to where he fits in with Dancing Brave and Sea The Stars as the best 3 flat horses I've seen of the last 25 years.
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around same time as I got started properly grendel.
Rather have them at their distances. Dayjur, Zilzal, Dancing Brave for me. Must admit I might always be swayed be personal fav' v what I know, if you know what I mean. |
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I think you've got my all-time fav 3 there lm!
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The 1st Arc i watched(as a 11yo!!) on telly was Nijinsky, however i did go to the Library and read some very good books on the champions past!!.
I still maintain that Golden Fleece was an exceptional horse on Derby day 82 and we may have been robbed of a great. |
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the 89 Milers were a vintage generation JC, just look at the results of the 1990 season and see the winners of the all aged mile races, and then watch them flounded in the Sussex, Marious and QE11 Behind Zilzal and Polish Precedent
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oh yes he was a superb horse. murdered a group 1 horse Assert, by many lengths iirc.
Connections of Assert couldn't believe it. |
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Golden Fleece i mean
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The 80s was a great era for great horses. It could be looking rose coloured specs because that was when I really loved horse-racing, but I doubt it. There were some superstars about then.
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What price was Zilzal to beat PP?
I know I bet him but wasn't earning much so not a lot on. |
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They bet Evens Zilzal 11-8 Polish and 10 bar, i was there that day and remember a Taste of the furure when the Balding trained 2yo Spinning swerve over to the opposite side of the course in the Royal Lodge!!
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Also there that day Zil'
 great day |
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brashee won the 12f hcp that day i believe, eddery nearly put on the deck 3 out, pity zilzal didnt stay in training as a 4yo
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Back to the Arc, i remember a time when we did it on the cheap on the coach from victoria in 87(Trempolino) we all managed betting offices and met up on sat night, of course the trip was a boozy one(Brandies on arrival in Paris at 6-00 am on Arc Day)
We ended up leaving one lad propped up near the Coat attendants place at Longchamp and we were a right state as we all had to be back at work Monday morning. Customer service wouldnt have been that attentive  |
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Dancing Brave and his Arc win are always looked upon with rose coloured specs, imho - not in any way the greatest race of all time for me...
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You couldnt quibble with the quality of the field Millhouse.
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Zilzal, without looking I'd bet there were more Group One winners in last weekend's field than in that one.
Bering finished on three legs according to connections, and as you know, Shahratstani was returning to the track after a long term injury sustained in the KG, and wasn't the same horse as in mid summer, imo (similar scenario to Workforce this year). The others would have been seen off in most Arcs since, for my money... |
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Well he(Bering) couldnt have been that bad as he managed to beat the rest, Triptych on her own must have won god knows how many group 1s
Shadari, Darara, Acatenango were all winners at group 1 or thereaboutsAnd being great visually helped |
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Millhouse, there are big races you can tear a hole in (Nashwan's Eclipse for me, for example), but you're on dodgy ground picking the 86 Arc. If Bering really did run on three legs, and Sharastani really wasn't the same horse (which i don't think connections ever claimed by the way) then they did mighty well to beat (in Bering's case) Triptych, Shardari, Darara, Acatenango et al.
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How many Arcs since do you think that trio would have won, Gerard..?? Not many for me.
Zilzal, I think the striking visual does make people regard that race as something it possibly wasn't, imho... |
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I would suggest that Triptych's career form would compare well with the vast majority of Arc winners.
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Gerard, I think she was an admirable, tough filly, but not a great one by any means - she couldn't even win her Oaks after all...
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She did win a colts classic though
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The likes of Pilsudski couldn't win all their handicaps at the same age - she was a dual Champion Stakes/Coronation Cup et al winner as well as numerous placings behind several superstars.
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for me the 1986 derby was more memorable, perhaps because i'm more drawn towards the tragedy of epic failure.
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And she won the irish 2000, International, Ganay and Marcel Boussac
Thats eight |
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I got some 100/30 for Dancing Brave and I would certainly like some more for any year since, win or lose.
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I'm afraid I was cagey seeing as there were ground concerns leading up to the race and left it to pari-mutuel, all my mates had 3/1's whereas I had to do with 11/10 ... the memories haven't been spent yet though
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Im really going to aftertime as i had him in a double with Dallas
Three arc wins on the bounce(and only Sagace being chucked out would have made it five)I havent backed a winner of the race since Tony Bin |
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always regret not going to the meeting grendal
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fine double Zilzal
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I never saw him at a racecourse la mall, all my watching was on telly. Didn't set foot on a racecourse until 1989
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