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Christy Roche has described Like-A-Butterfly as "a bit special" after the multiple Grade One-winning mare died following a severe bout of colic.
A winner of 12 of her 17 career starts, the JP McManus-owned Like-A-Butterfly was one of the most popular Irish-trained horses in recent memory.
A winner at Grade One level in the bumper sphere, Roche's mare was unbeaten in her first five starts over obstacles, raising the roof when justifying favouritism in the 2002 Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
A year later she claimed the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown and although she disappointed in the Champion Hurdle itself that March, she went on to win three times from five appearances over fences, including the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse. She signed off her racing career with a win in the Mildmay Novices' Chase at the 2005 Grand National meeting at Aintree.
Roche said: "I've never trained one better than her. She was a bit special. I can't think of another mare who has won a Grade One bumper, a Grade One over hurdles and a Grade One chase. She was a great servant.
"We had some great days with her. Winning the Irish Champion Hurdle was special and of course winning in Cheltenham - that's what you dream about. We have three foals out of her and the dream is that they can be as good as she was.
"We have some great memories of her and it's great to look back at those days. I'll never forget her."
Only last week Like-A-Butterfly gave birth to a fourth foal, a colt by legendary Flat stayer Yeats.
McManus' racing manager Frank Berry said: "She was a great race mare. She won a Grade One bumper, three Grade Ones over hurdles and a Grade One over fences. Not many do that. She had a lovely colt foal by Yeats last week, but unfortunately she got severe colic and it's just one of those things.
"Speckled Wood was her first foal and the only one to race so far. She has three more to come, including the colt that was born last week".
A winner of 12 of her 17 career starts, the JP McManus-owned Like-A-Butterfly was one of the most popular Irish-trained horses in recent memory.
A winner at Grade One level in the bumper sphere, Roche's mare was unbeaten in her first five starts over obstacles, raising the roof when justifying favouritism in the 2002 Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
A year later she claimed the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown and although she disappointed in the Champion Hurdle itself that March, she went on to win three times from five appearances over fences, including the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse. She signed off her racing career with a win in the Mildmay Novices' Chase at the 2005 Grand National meeting at Aintree.
Roche said: "I've never trained one better than her. She was a bit special. I can't think of another mare who has won a Grade One bumper, a Grade One over hurdles and a Grade One chase. She was a great servant.
"We had some great days with her. Winning the Irish Champion Hurdle was special and of course winning in Cheltenham - that's what you dream about. We have three foals out of her and the dream is that they can be as good as she was.
"We have some great memories of her and it's great to look back at those days. I'll never forget her."
Only last week Like-A-Butterfly gave birth to a fourth foal, a colt by legendary Flat stayer Yeats.
McManus' racing manager Frank Berry said: "She was a great race mare. She won a Grade One bumper, three Grade Ones over hurdles and a Grade One over fences. Not many do that. She had a lovely colt foal by Yeats last week, but unfortunately she got severe colic and it's just one of those things.
"Speckled Wood was her first foal and the only one to race so far. She has three more to come, including the colt that was born last week".
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very sad , i remember her making her debut at naas , i was standing around waiting for the first show as soon as they'ed past the post in the previous race ....think i got 5/4 6/4....she won doing handstands ...r.i.p....
She traveled like a dream in her races,beautiful big long strides.Blessed to win at Cheltenham though as Adamant Approach had her measure at the last flight.
Roche doesn't seem to get the good ones any more from McManus.
RIP
RIP
would anybody be able to put up a link of her win in the 2002 cheltenham win?? cant view the race anywhere 
A cracking mare alright. As Christy said, some feat to win grade ones in three different disciplines. The year she won at Chelt was the first year i went to the festival, never forget it. The roar that went up at flag fall, then when Adamant Approach came down, and when she clung on from, i think Westender, it was hair raising. That day had its downfalls, with Istabraq bowing out, and Valiramix meeting an untimely death, but with Moscow winning the Arkle, certainly one i won't forget. Was in The Apple Tree that night,and Willie Mullins happened to be in the same company. I couldn't bring myself to feel sorry for him, I had a little too much on the mare, for a 22yr old, with not much cash over with me!! R.I.P.
Very sad news, what a lovely racehorse she was.
anyone know where she got the colic, roches or martinstown?
Great horse. Was involved in one of the greatest finishes I ever had the privilege of seeing when she went toe-to-toe with Limestone Lad at Leopardstown many moons ago. There was a bob of a head in it for about a furlong and a half IIRC. Had her in a Yankee the day she won at Cheltenham with Moscow Flyer and Istabraq and the winner of the William Hill. She was lucky to win that day as Adamant Approach had her beat only he fell at the last.
I think Chrisy Roche has mentioned in the past that we never saw the best of her as her work as a young horse was better than by the time she made a belated racecourse debut as a 7yo. Pity didn't get a fair craic at a long retirement.
Only last week Like-A-Butterfly gave birth to a fourth foal, a colt by legendary Flat stayer Yeats
Will her death have any effect on the new colt foal.......is it easy to get a foster mare ?
Will her death have any effect on the new colt foal.......is it easy to get a foster mare ?
yeah not normally a problem catch me , the only difficulty might be if the foster mare doesn't take to the foal ....
Smashing horse and remember her winning the novice chase at Aintree back in 2005 under AP.
Actually think that might have been her last race.
Actually think that might have been her last race.
yeah not normally a problem catch me, the only difficulty might be if the foster mare doesn't take to the foal....
No problems so for the likes of The National Stud or even the Martinstown boys.
No problems so for the likes of The National Stud or even the Martinstown boys.
I see SW is down to run on Wed in Thurles although Upsie will now run there as well after Naas been abandoned.
The foal is at Coolmore and has settled in with his foster mare I believe.
"Speckled Wood (2.05 tomorrow) was her first foal and the only one to race so far. She has three more to come, including the colt that was born last week".
Very good mare, has there been an older supreme winner?
Speckled Wood was a hotpot in the opening mares maiden hurdle and duly got the job done with the minimum of fuss.
The Christy Roche-trained mare is a daughter of High Chaparral and former stable star Like-A-Butterfly, who passed away recently.
She was sent off 8/11 favourite (from 8/15) having been placed on her two previous outings here over hurdles.
Alan Crowe tracked the leaders on the JP McManus'-owned mare as Zara cut out the running in the two-mile contest.
Ma Belle Amie took over three from home but always looked a sitting duck as Speckled Wood cruised in behind entering the straight.
She was asked to hit the front, in very testing looking conditions, before the final flight and a big leap at the last sealed matters.
Crowe only needed to nudge her out to gain a four-and-three-quarter-length victory.
“That was grand. She jumped and travelled away and did it well,” said McManus' racing manager Frank Berry.
“Her two runs here previously were nice and she likes jumping. She'll go for a handicap or a winners of one next.
“It's nice to have one in the family coming along after her mother passing away.”
The Christy Roche-trained mare is a daughter of High Chaparral and former stable star Like-A-Butterfly, who passed away recently.
She was sent off 8/11 favourite (from 8/15) having been placed on her two previous outings here over hurdles.
Alan Crowe tracked the leaders on the JP McManus'-owned mare as Zara cut out the running in the two-mile contest.
Ma Belle Amie took over three from home but always looked a sitting duck as Speckled Wood cruised in behind entering the straight.
She was asked to hit the front, in very testing looking conditions, before the final flight and a big leap at the last sealed matters.
Crowe only needed to nudge her out to gain a four-and-three-quarter-length victory.
“That was grand. She jumped and travelled away and did it well,” said McManus' racing manager Frank Berry.
“Her two runs here previously were nice and she likes jumping. She'll go for a handicap or a winners of one next.
“It's nice to have one in the family coming along after her mother passing away.”
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