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The TV coverage introduced by John Rickman.
Plenty there to cheer when Mill House returned to the winner's enclosure.
https://twitter.com/horsevault/status/1644359751562665984
Plenty there to cheer when Mill House returned to the winner's enclosure.
https://twitter.com/horsevault/status/1644359751562665984
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Wonder why Mill House was ridden by 'The Duke' David Nicholson - and not G W 'Willie' Robinson.
--------------------- Noticeable, too - How the TV Announcer called every Jockey by only their Surname - even though the Caption had their First Names on screen.... Something of a deference to the Jockey Club (attitude) who were 'runnig - (or ruining- pun intended) - the job' at the time. Little wonder that the BHB, and then the BHA, were invented to take over from the ex-military Jockey Club duffers.  |
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Mill House was a great horse and that win was memorable after it seemed he'd lost some brilliance after mixing it with the even greater Arkle. How unlucky Mill House was to be in the same time as Arkle.
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It was a very emotional moment,though he wasn't the horse he was even when winning. Robinson was relatively small and light for a jumps jockey and there was a feeling the massive Mill House could do with a stronger,heavier (if rather less subtle shall we say ) jockey such as Nicholson.
Mill House was not only born in the same year as Arkle but also Dunkirk,Buona Notte,What A Myth,Ben Stack,Freddie,Dormant,Highland Wedding amongst others. The class of '57 was something special. |
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Seems likely Robinson was injured anyway, as he he didn't ride at Aintree or Ayr earlier the same month. And the Duke also rode Mill House in the Gold Cup that year, but other Walwyn trained horses at Cheltenham were ridden by various jockeys.
If Robinson had been fit, he would presumably have been on the infamous Popham Down in the 1967 National. |
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Willie Robinson broke his leg when Kirriemuir fell in the Oteley Hurdle at Sandown on Feb 11. This was the day after he'd ridden Mill House to beat What A Myth in the Gainsborough Chase. Mill House got a big reception that day, as he had been fired on both forelegs the previous spring, had had back problems, and missed 2 races that were waterlogged off, so Walwyn had found it hard to get him fit. He made all the running and held off What A Myth by a neck. In the Gold Cup, he again made the running and was still going well when falling 6 out - his first fall since his novice days at Hurst Park.
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Nicholson had previously ridden Mill House in the 1965 Gallaher Gold Cup against Arkle, when the latter put up one of his greatest performances. Robinson missed the ride that day because he broke his jaw at Hereford 3 days earlier.
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Great memories George. Am I right in thinking that the last of the railway fences was omitted? They seemed to arrive at the pond fence much more quickly than nowadays. My old mate John Haine was a good third on Kellsboro Wood but Rondetto ran one of his rare poor races for Jeff King. Three Gold Cup winners in a handicap! I saw Mill House win the Hennessy "live" and could not believe how easily Arkle turned it round at Cheltenham.
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I'm not going to argue against the combined forces of Theanorak and ged but I could have sworn that on at least one occasion Robinson was intentionally replaced by Nicholson for the reason I gave above.
Hindsight's a wonderful thing sageform but I suppose if not for that bad mistake Arkle made 3 out in The Hennessy it would at least have been close. Like you though I was expecting MH to win at Cheltenham. |
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Nicholson certainly seemed to struggle to get a grip on Mill House that day at Sandown. The horse pulled him along for nearly 3 miles, letting fly at most of his fences.
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