MOMENTS YOU WILL NEVER FORGET IN RACING

Nijinsky winning the Derby...

Mtoto's first Eclipse

Barton Bank unseating Adrian Maguire at the last fence in the King George. Still no idea why he went for a big one.

Merit winning the Chester Cup in 1996 carrying 7-10. I'd hoped all winter that it would be entered after winning three races the previous November. I went to Chester for the week and come the day got slightly cold feet and split my stake with a horse of David Abels.

Agree Crisp Also Rums 3rd win

Absolutely in unison with joevalue147 there.

I had beast in double with 20/1 winner

Maguire, utter tosspot.

Didn't have a bet over jumps for 3 or 4 years, subsequently.

I am slightly more philosophical, now.

Watched Sunday Silence beat Easy Goer in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Gulfstream on the roof of the grandstand where the press area used to be. American racing at its finest.

**** is indeed a forbidden word, no one appears to know why, happened on another thread, must have been something "controversial"

Allowed me to post it with full stops last time, now even that is barred....! ****

Secretariat winning the Belmont

Duke of Devonshire`s Gay George, unbeatable over hurdles on firm, taking a fatal fall at Windsor. It was very very sad Sad

themightymac

Wasn't Gay George killed at Warwick in September 1983?
Or maybe my memory is playing tricks!

seeing Claire Balding tell Liam Treadwell after he had just won the Grand National, that he could afford some new teeth

annie power

Ballyandy winning this years bumper, last leg of a treble, Un Temp, Diego Du Charmil

Every race that Frankel won as a 4 year old.

If I can only have a single choice, his 2000 gns win.

Sea Pigeon-Saw the horse at York ebor win and @ haydock in a big hurdle win.A horse which didn`t run a few times and you never see it again but were able to follow summer flat and winter nh over a number of years-suppose get me going to the races

Personal:
The first horse I had a quarter share in, coming 2nd at Newton Abbot, my first race as an owner. Picked up the each way part of a bet at 33/1 on him.

Ultimate:
Though I only ever saw him race on TV, would have to be seeing Arkle race, as a young child.

In Person:
Would have to be seeing Risk of Thunder winning any of his 4 La Touche's that I was fortunate enough to be at Punchestown for.

Frankel's 2000 Guineas was indeed quite the most extraordinary race, Andrew.  Many of us will have read reports of Tudor Minstrel's 1947 romp, in which we were encouraged by greybeards, possibly through on-the-day enthusiasm or subsequent rose tinted spectacles and without the aid of tracking cameras or indeed any cameras at all, that this horse had the field stone cold by halfway, won by 8 lengths and could have won by 20. Yeah right. No doubt he won well but I've seen hundreds of European classics and I've never seen that.

Then along came Frankel.....who proved the impossible was possible and made you wonder if those '47 race reports were right after all.  Simply outstanding and if I ever see a classic won like that again I'll consider myself very, very fortunate.

'And Ruby Walsh draws the whip' as the mighty Denman was running them into the ground.
You had to be there that day the atmosphere was electric, still gives me goose pimples every time i watch.

Red Alligator..Scottish Rifle,magical names from my childhood.
Watching a preview on yorkshire tv on the eve of the 2000 guineas ,Mill Reef v My Swallow,it was a two horse race.
Watching Red Rum win his third national.
El Gran Senor winning "that" guineas.
Hawk Wing,thrashing the rest of the Lockinge field.Frankeleque.
Seeing J Francome's creased half washed hooped silks before he mounted See you Then at Doncaster,where it beat little bay(chaser) in a photo over hurdles.
Dickinson's first 5.
Slip Anchor winning the Derby,i was on at 20s after Cecil said after its lingfield trial that it would go for the leger not the Derby.

and of course..."the mare's begining to get up".

Actually being there to see a race live, Shergar's Derby will always be number 1 and I've seen pretty much all the greats over the last 40 years, flat and N.H.

I think history will look even more kindly on Frankel than we do.

On his 14 race unbeaten run, including 10 group 1's, he started odds against on his first start only.

so it's his Lockinge for me as it's the only one I was there for.

Although I mostly follow NH racing I agree with some of the other posts in that the nature of Frankel's 2000gns win was quite incredible. I can't ever remember seeing a horse run at sprint pace in 1 mile Classic race and still win it with such authority.

Saxon Farm

I could have sworn it was Windsor but you may be right. Memory has caught one of us out.

Maybe, someone can clarify from their old form books?

There is no way on this planet that I am going to Google Gay George

Danedream winning the 2011 Arc - probably the most confident ive ever been on a flat horse and was screaming about the filly for 2 weeks leading up to the race - was that confident i was saying that she would leave them for dead and win by 5+  lengths.

Was still 48/1 just before the off for decent money - great day ! and im still searching for another .

The Headmaster    07 Jun 16 22:24 
Frankel's 2000 Guineas was indeed quite the most extraordinary race, Andrew. 

Simply outstanding and if I ever see a classic won like that again I'll consider myself very, very fortunate.

Headmaster, I was home recovering from a broken leg and feeling sorry for myself at the time of his 2000 win. I had a decent bet on him, but when I saw TQ go 4-5 lengths clear early on I thought he's gone off way too fast and won't keep that pace up, so there goes my bet. When he was 10-12 in front before the dip you could see he wouldn't get caught, but oddly enough, throughout the whole race i didn't cheer at all. At the finish I was so in awe and couldn't really believe what I had seen. I very much doubt we will see anything similar again in the 2000.

I was very fortunate (and privileged) to see Frankel race 4 times, including the QA and champion, the latter at which is the only occasion I have shed a tear at a course, knowing I wouldn't see him (or HRAC) again. A truly remarkable horse.

I was lucky enough to be in NY for the 1990 Breeders Cup, and had what was for me, a lumpy bet on Dayjur. In real time I didn't notice him jump the shadow, just knew one second he had the race won and as they went past the post he was second! Gutted.

            Also saw Dessies Gold Cup that was fantastic, and have to give Frankel a mention even though I never saw him live, he was breathtaking.

as an astonishing performance frankels queen anne as an occasion frankels champion stakes never again will we see an entire racecourse on its feet as the horse raced through the final two furlongs and then for twenty minutes after.

as a race the 2005 champion hurdle as an achievement the dickenson five.

Red Rum, third National (as a 14yo glued to TV) and Dancing Brave 2nd in Derby, walked back from epsom to relatives in chessington where i was staying in a state of shock, convinced i'd seen one of the greats and it made the KG and Arc even more special.

This dates me but I don't mind ...

Gladness winning The Ebor in 1958 ridden by the incomparable Lester - him and I had won The Derby in a facile manner the year before putting that champion Ballymoss in his place but that is another story .....

Back to The Ebor - the picture is etched in my brain - at the furlong pole Lester looked right - then left (with his backside as far in the air as it has ever been) for dangers - there were none and the magnificent mare , carrying 9 st 7 lbs, strode clear to win by 5 lengths (or was it 6?).

I had backed her so what a thrill for a young boy - apologies for the after timing!!!!

DAWN RUN 1986 Gold Cup......had £500 at 5/2......happy days!!
Thought she was beat......but what a performance to get up!! Heart rate was off the scale that day!!

Crepello - here is a bit from the Copes Annual for 1959 on Gladness...just for you

"She was entered for York's Ebor Handicap, now worth over £10,000, our richest handicap, and naturally attracting a higher class of horse than in the old days. As was to be expected she was given 9st 7lb. That she should add this rich prize to her previous successes (She'd won the Ascot Gold Cup and the Goodwood Cup that season) was not altogether surprising. What was really astonishing, however was the way she ran away with the race. Well before the finish she was being eased by Lester Piggott, yet still had six lengths to spare over Woodside Terrace with the rest of a large field labouring well behind.

When Queally pressed the button in Frankel's Queen Anne romp, that moment of acceleration was something else.

russian rhthym winning guineas at 11/1 when it should have been 2/1

frankels queen anne win, best i have ever seen

Thanks for that blackbarn - so it was 6 lengths ........

Live ... Cheltenham ... Bobsline and Noddy's Ride

NH on TV ...  Neblin winning the Tote Gold Trophy beating Mrs Muck
Flat on TV ... Any of Royal Match's handicap wins 1976 trainer by R Jarvis ridden by Taffy Thomas

best memory: time charter winning the champion stakes
worst: celtic ryde dying at Haydock

A huge crowd booing when the Ryan Price trained Hill House easily won the Schweppes Hurdle at Newbury in 1967.

The ludicrous hype every time Frankel slaughtered a mickey mouse filed.

Went to my first Cheltenham Festival this year and the noise when Sprinter Sacre came up that hill is something I'll never forget.

Pinhooker, were you there?  I remember the booing for Rosyths second win (and I was very young) but nearly all the fuss about Hill House was not on the racecourse.

SELDOM has a race been so closely identified with one trainer as the Totesport Trophy was with Ryan Price in its early years.

This was not merely because Price won four of the first five runnings of the Schweppes (its original title) but also because two of his winners, Rosyth and Hill House, were highly controversial. The five times champion jumps trainer was banned for four months after Rosyth's victory in 1964.

The inaugural Schweppes Gold Trophy, more valuable than the Champion Hurdle, was run at Aintree's Grand National meeting in 1963. In a huge field of 41 (no safety limits in those days) the winner was Rosyth (10st), a novice trained by Price and ridden by Josh Gifford.

The following year the race was transferred to Newbury in mid-February and was again won by Rosyth, though on this occasion amid a storm of controversy.

Rosyth had failed to win in five races over hurdles since his victory in the previous year's Schweppes, finishing unplaced in four of them, yet this time, carrying 10st 2lb and again ridden by Gifford, he scored by two lengths. His closest pursuers were Salmon Spray, Sempervivum and Magic Court, three horses of championship calibre, while Price's first-string, the favourite Catapult, was unplaced.

Rosyth's dramatic improvement caused the Newbury stewards to refer the case to the stewards of the National Hunt Committee (which was then separate from the Jockey Club) at an inquiry in London five days later.

At the time, racing justice was crude by modern standards and Price had no legal representation. He explained that Rosyth kept on breaking blood vessels and therefore could not be trained properly early in the season, and that, as an entire horse, he did not blossom until the spring anyway.

The stewards rejected this defence; they suspended Gifford until the end of March and took away Price's licence for the rest of the season, which ended in mid-June. In effect, it was a four-month ban with no guarantee that his licence would be restored the following season, though in the end it was.

His horses therefore had to be dispersed from his stables at Findon in Sussex to other trainers. Some of them never returned, including Anglo, who won the Grand National for his former stable jockey, Fred Winter, in 1966.

Probably the only offence that Price had committed was to be too good at his job. He was a great trainer but the authorities found Rosyth's win too much to swallow. He observed bitterly: "It is a crime to improve a horse and a far bigger crime to win too many races."

In the 1965 Schweppes, Price's two runners were unplaced as Elan, trained by John Sutcliffe, prevailed from none other than Rosyth, who was now with Tom Masson and yet again proved himself a spring horse. And in 1966 Price scored a six-length triumph with popular fancy Le Vermontois.

But the trainer's runaway victory with Hill House in 1967 caused him more grief.

Hill House had finished only fourth in a Sandown handicap a week before the Schweppes, but in the big race Gifford sent him to the front two out and, carrying 10st 10lb, he came right away to score by 12 lengths from Celtic Gold. Price's second-string, Burlington, was unplaced.

THE ease of Hill House's victory was so insulting that boos from spectators started before he jumped the final flight, and continued around the winner's enclosure. As with Rosyth, the local stewards considered the winner's improvement to be abnormal, and reported Price and Gifford to the NH Committee.

Another ban for Price seemed inevitable, especially when Hill House's post-race sample tested positive for the steroid cortisol.

But the gelding was sent to the Equine Research Station in Newmarket, where analysis showed that he had a naturally high level of cortisol in his body and therefore had not needed to have dope administered to him in order to test positive. In effect, he was a horse who doped himself.

For six months the Hill House saga was a constant source of news and speculation in the press, and anxiety for Price, but eventually, at an inquiry in August, the case against him was dismissed.

The following year Price and Gifford nearly made it five wins in six runnings of the Schweppes when Major Rose (11st 8lb) was beaten only by the great Persian War (11st 13lb).

Price handed over his string of jumpers to Gifford in 1970 and thereafter trained mainly on the Flat, though he did have Moonlight Bay, third in the Schweppes as a juvenile in 1973. He died in 1986 on his 74th birthday.

John Oaksey once described him as "Capt Ryan Price, ex-Commando, fearless horseman, dedicated animal-lover, outspoken self-publicist and, let no-one doubt or question it, brilliant trainer of racehorses."

Google was my friend

Meyer - I have read that report (many times!!) and others. I can only speak from memory, and I remember boos for Rosyth but not for Hill House.  I was young though, but there.  Wish my Uncle Jack was alive; he'd remember.

Blackburn. The above post is spot on. Yes, I was at Newbury that day..have never heard anything like it before or since.

ProSniper
     08 Jun 16 17:33 

The ludicrous hype every time Frankel slaughtered a mickey mouse filed. 


Nathaniel, Dream Ahead, Excelebration, Canford Cliffs, Immortal Verse, Farhh, St Nicholas Abbey, Twice Over, Cirrus Des Aigles.

Those Mickey Mouse types you mean.

I was there too, Pinhooker. Odd that I remember Rosyth but not Hill House; still I was young (15) and my memory seems to be contrary to other contemporary views.  Mind you I was right not to boo

Booing, when top cees won Chester cup.Not a clue at the time what it was for

Can anyone let me know where and when Gay George was tragically killed please?

Old Vic winning the 89 French Derby for Cecil and Cauthen, a much underrated horse

for personal financial reasons Pennekamp winning the Guineas from Celtic Swing. A very exciting race (for me)

Wasn't the Top Cees booing after the Coral Cup?  I definitely remember that.  First time I'd ever heard booing on track toward a winner.  Wasn't at Chester though so maybe he got the boo there too.  For reasons outside his control, he turned into a rather unpopular racehorse.

saxon farm    08 Jun 16 20:17 
Can anyone let me know where and when Gay George was tragically killed please?

Windsor

Hill House's Schweppes win being greeted by booing and shouting.

Royal Palace winning the Eclipse from Taj Dewan and Sir Ivor.

Just read other posts on the Hill House affair so apologies for repeating it so soon

Posy - that 68 Eclipse was a cracker, and the first time IN THAT RACE that two Derby winners had met since the famous 1903 race. Still think the french horse won

saxon farm    08 Jun 16 20:17 
Can anyone let me know where and when Gay George was tragically killed please?

Windsor

Thanks Andrew, but could you give me the date?

Saxon farm/b], apologies, but I don't know, I just vaguely remember it was at Windsor. He won the Scottish champion hurdle in the early 80's so it was obviously a good few years ago. Hopefully one of our resident experts ([b]Onlooker, GED, Blackbarn et all) will see your question.

Your name suggests you were a fan of Fulke Walwyn ?

it was 1982 when bill smith rode him to win the scottish champion hurdle hopefully that might help  anybody with form books from that season.

Cairn Rouge beating Master Willie in the 1980 Champion Stakes. The finish was exactly what I'd hoped for thanks to CR and Tony Murray

reversing placings from york life lucky one of the forgotten great fillies.

Seems so many from some of my earlier memories of racing, but standouts maybe

Nashwan vs Cacoethes battle, in Derby and King George

Zafonic making Barathea and rest of the field look like plating class, that was a crazy good performance.

wasnt much of a battle in the derby stu.

yeh, but that set up the revenge match that they had, which was great one. Plus the derby was hyped as a battle until the race.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=006B8vgTLs0


Just Take a look at this...still gives me the tinglies


a very special horse

after ascot stu neither were the same again.

I was almost certain it was Windsor. Thanks for confirming Andrewinsweden.

Regards Saxon Farm, was that one not trained by Stan Mellor??

TMM, Yes Stan trained it to win the Triumph hurdle, Cheltenham (1982)

Didn't Faulke Walwyn used to train at Saxon Farm ?

some good memories and a few come close but lester getting the ministrel up to nut carson on hot grove is tops for moi

Clare balding follow Frankie dettori into the jockeys changing room after his derby win with Johnny murtagh sat down naked. will never forget that

Lester on Royal Academy in the breeders cup was special, the yank commentator version  added to it a treat I thought...Lester Piggott flailing away at Royal Academy....and the living legend out of retirement...great stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6tdQXkAu6Y

I won The Triumph in 1983 from my stable companion Tenth Of October!

Fulke Walwyn trained at Saxon HOUSE.  Think Mark Usher is based there now.

Still not convinced Gay George died at Windsor.

Cheltenham 2000. Edredon bleu beating Direct Route in a thriller. Although i done my dough on Flagship Uberalles i still get a kick out of watching that race on youtube from time to time.

The saddest moment for me in over 60 years of going racing was the sight of dear old Persian Punch dying of a heart attack on the stands side running rail at Ascot in 2004.

Only the most hard hearted individuals could prevent themselves from shedding a tear or two that afternoon.

The saddest moment for me in over 60 years of going racing was the sight of dear old Persian Punch dying of a heart attack on the stands side running rail at Ascot in 2004.

Only the most hard hearted individuals could prevent themselves from shedding a tear or two that afternoon.

Hawkwing v Rock of Gibralter

Hardy Eustace beating Harchibald & Brave Inca

Rakti winning his Lockinge.

Too many to mention but Broadsword getting beat in the Truimph Hurdle. (would have traded at 1.01) My biggest bet at the time.


On the winning side an even bigger bet on a horse wh's name I can't remember. Was going to stick 1K on a beast ridden by Cauthen at 4/5.

Thought it was 2lbs in hand of the 2nd FAV and duly informed my mentor. Luckily he reminded me that the last time it ran it was ridden by P.Cook and that day the pilot was Pat Eddery.

He told me he was backing Eddery's mount and I changed my mind and followed him in. Stuck a monkey on it and it won by a lenghth at 3/1.

It was Moet time for a few days until I had to go back to work....offshore.

I wasn't going to go but he reminded me that it was my wages that paid the bills...

Early eighties as it was.....when the shops would take a decent bet.

** I was taking home about 550 per month at the time. Decent enough wages but feckin slave labour when I think back.

Big Bucks 3rd and 4th World Hurdle wins. Grand Crus and Voler La Vadette looked like they had him but Big Bucks Proved too strong both times.

Big Bucks 3rd and 4th World Hurdle wins. Grand Crus and Voler La Vadette looked like they had him but Big Bucks Proved too strong both times.

One memory I would sooner not have was the death of One Man. I watched his final race in Ladbrokes in Rose Street Edinburgh and a great cheer went up from a group of builders as he fell.

Nashwan vs Cacoethes battle, in Derby and King George



Can't remember the King George stu but the Derby 'battle' was hardly a battle???


Carson still maintains Nashwan was the best horse he's ever ridden.

Hope the never had the winner oldgit.

Stewarty b . Did you enjoy the cup final.

Watching Crisp run his heart out in the 1973 Grand National - has there ever been a more gallant loser?

Nashwan wasn't even rated the best horse of that year.

Not even second!  - Old Vic and Zilzal

Tamarpour winning the 1991 plate under Ernie Johnson for Martin Pipe appeared on the scene about a 1/2f out

My first day at the races and my first bet in the plate,Man Of The Moment was my first bet on a racecourse £1 win at 4/1 which of course won

I was 9 years old and backed 5 out of the seven winners £1 on each that day changed my life indefinitely makes me feel emotional but those days at the races with my old man and his mate were some of the best of my life without a doubt

Stewarty b . Did you enjoy the cup final.



Aye Fidway, the first 80 minutes.

Brigadier Gerard being beaten by Roberto at York in the Benson & Hedges 1972.
Red Rum beating Crisp 1973 Grand National.
Dayjur jumping that shadow in the  Breeders Cup sprint.
Arazi weaving his way through in the juveniles race at the Breeders Cup.
Frankel spread eagling a classic field in the 2000 Guineas Newmarket.

Fantastic Light winning the Irish Champion Stakes in 2001. Probably Richard Hills best ever ride and he was on the pacemaker!!!!!

Fidway: I didn't wait to see if they had the winner. It was a strange betting race with three under 3/1.

stewarty b . I enjoyed it a lot,especially the first and last 3 minutes.

Yes Fidway, Hibs deserved it. I thought Stokes was outstanding. Different kettle of fish in the new season with Barton being a huge asset imo along with some other shrewd sigings that are on the cards.(apparently)


As for Hibs giving Lennon the manager's job......good luck with that venture.

fri 10th June 2016

hit a bare patch last 3 weeks

then today lucky31

2/1
11/2
16/1
12/1
N/R@11/4

in a way I wish it did run,to get a lucky31 for the first time,but then reality hits,and fate is fate

Atours winning on his hurdling debut for Elsworth at Newbury, had the race won coming into the straight

Arazi, we will never ever see a better 2yo performance.

Frankel 2000 guineas win.

Dancing Brave in the Arc.

Pebbles winning The Champion Stakes in the scarlet and white Sheikh Mo colours .

Several from Cheltenham.
Oh So Risky. Triumph Hurdle
Collier Bay. Champion Hurdle.
Meister. Bristol Novice Hurdle. I owned a third share in that one-my only Cheltenham winner as an owner.