horse racings greatest ever races

1 Special Cargo/Lettoch/Diamond Edge/Plundering
2 Monksfield/Night Nurse
3 Grundy/Bustino
4 Viking Flagship/Deep Sensation/Marthas Son
5 Edredon Bleu/?
6 Barnbrook Again/?
7 Ard Patrick/Sceptre/Rock Sand (silent movie)


Crisp

Moscow Flyer, Azertyuiop & Well Chief - Tingle Creek?

There was one that is very unlikely to be on it - a battle between Frozen Alive (Stan Mellor) and Tudor Dance (Jeff King) one Saturday afternoon at one of Sandown/Ascot/Kempton. A fantastic race with the 2 horses head to head over the last 2 fences with 2 great jockeys chucking everything in. Blow me if they didn't repeat it a couple of Saturdays later with a 3rd horse in there as well (can't remember its name).

the first 5 r on ged

moscow flyer aint on

Number 7 was a longshot. I think it was 1902.

lol

50p? You were robbed

its ok i will sell it on ebay for 75p

One of my favourite ever low-grade affairs was a marathon chase at Sandown, a year to the day of the aforementioned classic Tingle Creek, and run in near darkness!

Willie John Daly & Brave Spirit fought out the most incredible finish and hopefully some kind soul can't give us all a few thrills and throw it on youtube - I still have it on VHS somewhere

I liked watching Mtoto and Pentire on the flat and Kilbrittain Castle and Remittance Man on the jumps.

Bula winning a handicap hurdle at Sandown under about 12-2, passing the whole field from the 2nd last, coming about 6 wide and getting up on the line to preserve his unbeaten record.

2005 champion hurdle

reference point and mtoto is one of my favs

i wasnt lucky enough to see bula

The Minstrel beating Hot Grove under a Lester power packed special in the 1977 Derby.

Agree with 2, 3 and Crisp's National (but I stop watching after they have jumped the last)

yeah that one is on pauli

Meant they were my favs

red rum and crisp is on what a fantastic race

when the national was the proper national imo

jonnyfc38     14 Aug 12 17:46 
red rum and crisp is on what a fantastic race


Depends if your everlasting memory of it is a telly whizzing past your ear and flying through the window..

ha ha whos telly was it mr G

The family's.

My Da wasn't a happy chappy..

lol crisp would have won with a jockey on him

Bula was a superstar. Won 16 of his first 17 races over hurdles (incl 2 Champion Hurdles) - the 1 defeat came on his seasonal debut on his 14th race when he failed by a neck to give away 3 stone. Would probably have won the Gold Cup as a 10yo if it hadn't been hock deep ground - he finished 3rd; started fav for the Gold Cup the next year (11yo) - ran bad. His last race was as a 12yo, and he started fav for the 2 mile Champion Chase. He fell and injured himself, and was put down 2 months later.

Yes Killiney died that year as well. He still hasn't forgiven him.

It's fair to say Mr Pitman was never mentioned around the house much..

Remember those times also Pendil

A truly wonderful beast was Bula. Game as a pebble and top class to boot..

a sad end for bula, ekbalco also

the bula hurdle been called the **** is also sad.

spoilsports

The 1977 Champion Hurdle was a top class renewal.  Night Nurse retained his crown beating Monksfield and Dramatist with Sea Pigeon in 4th and Bird's Nest 5th.  For good measure Beacon Light was also in the field.  Champion Hurdles don't come much better than that.

Here ye go jonny..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzHddelxH6E&feature=relmfu

cheers G

i was lucky enough to see sea pigeon on parade at newcastle on day when he was retired

Thanks for that link guinness.  That was a bloody good renewal as well wasn't it?

For sheer excitement,

Dessie beating Pegwell Bay 1989 Sandown Gainsborough Chase.

Not a bother chaps. The seventies was a vintage period..

Except for Mr Pitman that is..

Dessie beating Panto Prince...........Sir Peter at his best http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oPmxwgDwd4.

i would imagine that that period would have helped to capture the publics imagination of NH, as it was very much second fiddle in those days Guiness

Dancing Brave's Arc.

the dessie races are classics the heart he showed to win his gold cup was immmense

And I expect Dawn Run's GC is on there

What might have been

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfNY7tNKh5g

Silver Buck beating Night Nurse in the Embassy Premier Chase Final, March 1979. Epic race - they went at it hammer and tongs for most of the final circuit, both jumping superbly. And, best of all, I was there.

Could not wait for Dessie's races'...........always exciting.

Well it certainly captured mine..

Some decades in sport are just full of legends. Horse Racing is no different..

For sad endings/exciting endings W Carson and the horse jumping his shadow in the US........cant remember the horse name.

With York on the horizon I am always reminded of another great race of the 70's.  My favourite horse of all time Sea Pigeon beating Donegal Prince by a short head in the the 1979 Ebor.  Sea Pigeon carried 10st that day under Jonjo which is still a record for the race.  The race wasn't on tv due to a strike.  I had to go to the local bookies to listen to the race.  Sea Pigeon started at 18-1 that day and I never had a penny on him as I didn't think he could pull it off under that welter burden.  How wrong I was and I was happy to be proved wrong.

Sea Pigeon, great NH & FLAT, did Lester John Francome win on him.......different days of course.



Not a classic but a race from Hawthorn US I will never forget.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO6vm7TIvrI&feature=related

dayjur jumped the path MM

Bula.... my favourite horse of all time, and my boyhood NH hero horsey. Will never forget that Sandown race (Benson and Hedges Hurdle) when shouldering top weight coming from miles back to somehow nail Moyne Royale (?) on the line. ITV went to an advert break immediately after the race which meant an excruciating wait to learn whether Bula had maintained that unbeaten record.  Have some black and white film of it somewhere.

yeah dawn runs gold cup was a classic sad end though due the the greed of the owners

Real Quiet going for The Triple Crown vs Victory Gallop in the Belmont

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLV7xZPwvM0

Dayjur........cheers.

I only ever got to see Bula 'live' in the flesh at the track on one occasion. And what a race to see !  The 1971 Welsh Champion Hurdle, in the era when it was a proper championship race. Bula's first race after winning the Champion Hurdle at Chelters. A pulsating finish saw Bula, Persian War and True Luck fighting out a heartstopping 3 way battle to the line, with Bula getting home by a nose.

jonnyfc38     14 Aug 12 17:40 
reference point and mtoto is one of my favs

Jonnyfc38, this is absolutely true. I was being given a BJ by my girlfriend, whilst listening to a radio commentary in the background. I had backed Reference Point !

Yes MM.  As a 2-y-o Sea Pigeon won at Ascot in 1972 ridden by Lester.  John Francome rode him at Cheltenham when he won the 1981 Champion Hurdle.

u should be ashamed of yourself putting naughtiness before a group 1

Alun...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FkTtsrDsoA&feature=related

That's the one Guinness !!

A few months later was crowned Champion Hurdler

Andrew in Sweden..........looks like she got your point.

alun2005... I was there that day as well. (The 1971 Welsh Champion Hurdle)
Was old enough at the time to appreciate what I was witnessing.

Baracouda
Limestone Lad
A young iris' gift  - 2003(?) stayers hurdle

Denmans second hennassy

The Le Moss/Ardross battles should be in the mix, because of the longevity and consistency of both horses. Le Moss did the stayers' triple in 2 successive years (Ascot Gold Cup/Goodwood Cup/Doncaster Cup). In the 2nd of those years, Ardross battled him to about half a length in all 3. With Le Moss out of the way the following year, Ardross went on to win 2 Ascot Gold Cups, a Goodwood Cup, and a Doncaster Cup - and then signed off by almost winning the Arc. What a pair!!

AiS - BJ's seemed a rarity in 1987 and really seemed to 'take off' in the 90's for me...in receipt of course

PS - just to enhance the 'image' - was she Swedish?

PPS - Johnny's question is very pertinent...before a group one stormer?

Good call ged.  They take high rank on any thread about great horses and great races.

A lot of the great races mentioned on this thread. I would have to include Badsworth Boy's astonishing first 2 mile Champion won by a distance with some of the fastest jumping you will ever see.

It's not everyones idea of a great race , but Red Marauder's National success is one of mine ,alongside the stellar field that took part in Minnehoma's 94 win.

Bula was the reason I got hooked on racing as a kid.

I bet the DVD doesn't have footage of the day Bula and legendary stablemate Pendil both got beat in a 5 runner race at Newbury , by a 25-1 winner called Shock Result.

Cheltenham Foxhunters mid 80's - Honourable Man v The Drunken Duck - Brod Munro-Wilson punching TDD in the face to make it go faster.

626 - this sounds unbelievable for someone like me that's a real enthusiast, but I remember when I was a kid and didn't even like racing...I saw that race only because the TV was on, and I always remembered the irony!

I didn't have a clue that Pendil & Bula were in the field, and for all I knew, it may well have been a seller!
I've never heard anyone ever mention the name Shock Result, and judging by what he was up against, I can safely assume he was a damned good horse

Too many to mention but of the races I can say 'I was there', Salsabil winning the Prix Marcel Boussac, Shergar's Derby and Best Mate's third Gold Cup spring to mind. I could go on forever though..

I was there too Slippy when best mate won his 3rd.

I've never heard noise like it.

To whomever mentioned the Willie John Daly race, I remember that one too. Absolutely out on their feet but trying with everything they had.

My addition has not stood the test of time like many of these, but surely Kauto Star's win in last year's Betfair has to be on the list? Amazing scenes at Haydock. Love the shot of the old boy cheering him home and running up the home straight just after the last. I think everyone was roaring him home that day.

Me too Mr Eboue. Magic stuff; I think that one race was harder to watch than any other I've ever seen. I felt like I'd just run three and a quarter miles by the time it was over.

shows you what a sad racecourse chepstow as become.
i was there for that welsh champion(just a kid),family day out park the car inside the track.
massive crowds in members,tatts and silver ring,what do we have now.
could be another hereford.

also seen bula in the welsh champion chase,fell in a match against summerville (turnell).

Ouija Board and Alexander Goldrun in the Nassau

Roberto beating Rheingold in the Derby, and beating Brigadier Gerard in the B@H Gold Cup should surely be in it!

Mr Eboue, nor me. It was a rainy old day, we were in the stands and like you the roof was literally shaking with the noise, an absoultely unforgettable day and a wonderful memory to have in the locker.

i was at aintree the day kauto star won his first old roan and thinking this horse looks like he might be decent lol it was a good day all 6 favs won. i also saw him win 2 betfairs and when monets garden beat at aintree, great horses it was sad when exoctic dancer died though

Yep the weather was awful. Cold, damp and black clouds....

I remember hearing a rumour going round that Knight was thinking of pulling him out!

I backed Sir Rembrandt the day before at 40/1 ( he had run a gallant race in the Welsh national but then went completely off the boil ) with a fence to jump I couldnt help but cheer Matey on!

would have to be grundy v bustino in the 75 king george neck and neck to the line.

Galileo fighting off Fantastic Light


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKFrU4YAT9Y&feature=related

Many, many Lester Piggott rides come to mind and in no particular order,Epsom Derby - Sir Ivor, Roberto, The Minstrel, The Leger - Comanche Run, Breeders Cup - Royal Academy, King George - Dahlia. I could go on and it would be remiss not to mention every time he rode Nijinsky win or lose.

1983 Cheltenham Gold Cup....Bregawn the winner, with Michael Dickenson horses filling the 1st 5 places

The 1st time i went racing was when Bula beat Tingle Creek in a match at Sandown, indeed the second time i went was the same track when April Seventh held off Captain Christy to win the Whitbread, this was Crisp last race and for a few glorious moment when he took the lead down the far side i thought he was going to roll back the years but he hit the second last and faded.

I would love to see a replay of that race and Otter Ways victory

vintage crop

Hi Ged,
Good to see you mention plundering in your greatest ever races in special cargo's whitbread i used to look after him at fred winter's brings back great memories.

Kangaroo - was he yours when he ran that day? You must have been gutted at the time. Looked like winning it, and would have settled the trainer's championship for Fred if it had won. I think Michael Dickinson was left winning it instead. So many stories around that race - 2 young horses vs 2 old'uns. At least yours won it a couple of years later.

Yes i looked after him both times he ran in the whitbread was a bit gutted but got sweet revenge when he won it.We had good friendship and rivalry over the wall at Fulke Walwyn's.

I backed Plundering a good few times kangaroo.  Who could ever forget the 1984 Whitbread.  I remember a couple of weeks before the race Plundering had beaten Ashley House in a photo at Cheltenham with Special Cargo well beaten.  The three met again at Sandown with Special Cargo gaining his revenge.  Plundering ran a great race though.  It was great to see him win the race in 1986.  He was a good horse and there was no more deserving winner.  I have some great memories of him.

i always remember a good horse of fulkes called ten plus being fatally injured in dessies gold cup

Frankels guineas was very special , no one expected anything close to that and it was the day the world took notice off him ,

Fav race was light shifts oaks , the return of henry and i will never forget the emotion of the man or the occasion , very special sporting moment

One of my earliest memories was of Raffingora (late 60's ?)coming from miles back under Piggott at Epsom over 5f at Epsom, I think carrying 10 stone.

Sea Pigeon winning the Ebor under 10 stone under an inspired ride from Jonjo, and Attivo the Chester Cup were also special  memories of mine in the 70's.

Most of the great jumps races have already been mentioned, but notice how they outnumber flat races easily in this debate.

hello - i remember thinking queally what the hell are you doing you idiot while i was watching the guineas on the big screen at thirsk, the rest is history

Persian War was/is my favourite. Such a star owned by an idiot. I backed him at 100/6 for the Schweppes but it was frosted off on the day, he was 5/4f. He won the Irish Sweeps, I think it was called, and I had my biggest bet to that date on him. 'Bar a fall it's Persian War'. Briliant hurdler and so tough.

one mans queen mother was good one a real star and a hell of jumper i was gutted when he went at liverpool