STRADFORD 4.00 Hunter Chase

WD today koi

Gl with this one

He's off fur his fish 'n chips and a can 'o cok

1/2..but couldnt really expect anything else.

wd on yesterdays hunter chaser tip and gl with todays project koilkeeper
another interesting analysis and there is certainly no need to make any apologies for the price
I really like these type of races and with the best jock on board too this should take some beating today

What won the lady dudley?

Sparta....not Kohaku...he post on another forum..

Metro John..Rosies Peacock held on from Findlays Find

koikeeper 22 Apr 12 10:59
Sparta....not Kohaku...he post on another forum..

...and koi copies it onto here

Only kidding koi,keep up the excellent work

cheers for that koikeeper, what forum does kohaku post on now thanks in advance

Morning Kohaku Hope you happy and healthy,i do miss your post.

Whilst the race itself may not be worth a write up, surely you could have given the race its proper title!
UK Racing Hunters´ Chase (for the John And Nigel Thorne Memorial Cup).

What a poor race to commemerate the memory of the Thorns a lousy, £1200 to the winner race!

Missile's bolt from the blue

By Marcus Armytage

12:01AM BST 07 Apr 2006

CommentsComment

The Grand National nearly always produces a good story and very few have come close to bettering the amazing tale of Bob Champion and Aldaniti in 1981. However, in Spartan Missile, who finished four lengths back in second, there was a story of equal if not greater poignancy.

John Thorne, who bred, owned, trained and rode Spartan Missile, was a 54-year-old amateur rider who had already retired once from riding with a broken back to let his son, Nigel, take over. Nigel had even ridden Spartan Missile's dam, Polaris Missile, in the 1968 National before falling at Becher's Brook.

A year later, however, after a day's drag hunting, Nigel was killed in a car crash while driving back to Newmarket. With his twin sisters Diana (later to become Henderson) and Jane (Sloan) too young to take over, their father returned to the saddle.

In 1978 and 1979 Thorne had ridden Spartan Missile to victory in the Aintree Foxhunters. The pin in one his leathers came undone at Becher's Brook in '78 and he only thing to do was kick his other foot out of the iron and ride the remaining eight obstacles without stirrups. It proved no hindrance as he came home in front, beating Peter Greenall (now the racecourse chairman Lord Daresbury) on Timmy's Battle and Nicky Henderson (subsequently his son-in-law) on Happy Warrior.

After a year out with an injury, he trained Spartan Missile for the 1981 National and insisted that one of his daughters ride because they could do the weight. He even threatened, according to Diana, never to put them up again on one of his horses if one of them did not oblige. He had always had two ambitions in life: to have a horse good enough to ride in the National, and to swim the Channel. Here, the girls insisted, was the opportunity to fulfil at least one of those dreams.

Normally a strapping 13st, he trained with soldiers at the local barracks to get fit and wasted down to ride at 11st 5lb, just 3lb over weight.

Spartan Missile was running a great race until he landed on the first fence on the second circuit and lost his position. It was an uphill struggle to get back into the race from that point but, when Champion appeared to have the race in the bag, Spartan Missile and his 54-year-old rider came from nowhere with a wet sail.

"He was so pleased for Bob and said it was the best result, but he always asked himself what he could have done to have made up those four lengths," Diana recalls.

"It played on his mind. When you're second, other people think it's wonderful but, actually, you think it's terrible and regard it as a failure rather than a triumph."

She should know, having finished second at Badminton and Burghley.

That night Thorne's wife, Wendy, drove the horsebox home to Stratford and they gathered at the Westgate Arms to celebrate, where they were joined by Champion. Having wasted so hard, Thorne could only eat hors d'oeuvre and figs.

The story, alas, did not end there and it was not happy. The following season Thorne was tragically killed in a point-to-point fall.

Metro...

Koi K.knows what he's doing.just presented in a different way.

Mine is all about ratings.that also show going performed on, time of year ,early/late etc,and can clearly show animals that are in decline, which I have for all decent Hunters & Pointers for the last 19yrs(2012 inc) 19 winning years on PtPs.going to be my 1st losing year(probably) on Hunters..altho I could Lump on 2day to retrieve losses,but would then probably lose.

imo the standard of Hunters has dropped alarmingly this year. Horses are winning for example Rumbury Grey was a decent pointer,now a multiple Hunter winner.but there have been many winners who previously would not be worth a mention,they are taking their chances now and winning them. I'm not interested in backing poor horses for the sake of it.

The days are gone when all the standing dishes at Kelso for ex, would turn up,and trot up.Natiain.Quotica.Always Right.Anshan Spirit etc etc.

Got to be selective now...hence.Less is More.

GL Koi

well done koikeeper

Won as it should