As we gallop towards a new decade...

krizon

krizon

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I'm wondering what you feel your best highs have been during 2000-09? (I'm talking horses, now!) Most inspiring performance by horse, rider, or trainer? Highlights from NH and the Flat? Most outstanding betting result (that you don't mind the taxman knowing about!) and so on.

It's an awful lot of racing to think about, I know, and it surprised me to think of how many horses, many since retired but sparkling during these past ten years, are involved. I suppose MOSCOW FLYER's a real stand-out for me, plus SPOTY's gallant x-countries, and any number of dazzling hurdlers. STS finished off the Flat with the best flourish possible, but there were others who shone like stars, too.

Would love to hear your thoughts on a personal Best of the Decade.
 
So many from the flat, particularly early in the decade with none more so than Montjeu at his peak with Moscow Flyer being the standout for me over jumps. Special mention to Florida Pearl winning the King George - that race (the horse so deserved a big UK success) and the whole Christmas card that year at Kempton was very special.
 
Performance by a Horse (NH) - Denman's second Hennessy.
Performance by a Horse (Flat) - Dubai Millennium's Dubai World Cup.

Race of the Decade (NH) - Moscow Flyer's second CC. Mainly because that was my first visit to Cheltenham. A great occasion even though I did my nuts on Azerty.
Race of the Decade (Flat) - Teofilo's Dewhurst.

Training Performance - Oxx keeping Sea the Stars at his peak all summer.

Betting Result. Beauchamp Pilot's Cambrideshire in 2002. I knew he'd win after he finished a staying on fourth off of a bad draw in the Magnet Cup. I shovelled most of my reduced (thanks to Spread-Betting) bankroll on him.

Berk of the Decade - Head of BBC Sport. Hour many fecking hours of snooker are they showing this week?
 
Best date: 2nd May 2009.
The day Sea The Stars won the Guineas ... at 8/1

... and winning £605.00 with a £12 combination exacta in the Suffolk Stakes.
High roller, huh?

:)
 
I've enjoyed this decade more than the the 90s in the sense that more horses have captured my imagination.

I loved Moscow & co. in those two mile chases, and likewise the Hardy Eustace v Brave Inca v Harchibald contests.

I enjoyed watching Best Mate, even though I have seen better chasers before him and since. He was a beautiful horse and a joy to watch over his fences.

I'm more a NH follower but I adored Ouija Board, particularly in 2006. She was sent all over the place to race and always did her best. An extremely genuine and likeable mare.

AP has helped me out on numerous occasions betting wise. Ruby has been the jockey I've enjoyed watching the most.

I've saved the best for last, and no surprises, it's Kauto. To me, he's the best I've seen since Desert Orchid. I loved the flying grey as a kid, and yet I really thought I'd grown out of all that sentimentality. It turns out I was just waiting for another personal equine hero. I love him to bits.
 
The standout for me would ahve to be Rooster Booster's Champion Hurdle. Regulars on here will know I started tipping (and backing) it when it beat Mr Cool at Kempton in the October and kept on and on (and on and on :lol::lol::lol:) about it till it finally won by a record margin.

He won me much more even than when I got 120 about New Approach a few days before the Derby when there was 'officially' some doubt about its participation.
 
Betting wise - its got to be Comply or Die's national win - never ever have I been so certain of a horses chance in it when ive seen the first entries - and started backing him then (not that I came away with oodles of money - I dont back big,and I had personal reasons for wanting him not to do too well - MAJOR mixed emotions watching him do exactly what I knew he would...!!!)

On a personal level,there were two that stick in my mind - one was watching "my" horse, Happy Hussar get touched off in the Grand Military - we shouldnt have been in the same county as Inca Trail, but to watch him boing into the lead down the back straight, jumping as if he had springs on his feet and loving every yard of the race - wow.
The second wasnt quite so huge - it was a 3mile conditional jockeys chase at Towcester,on a HORRIBLE day weatherwise and Frankolino - who had never had a chance to shine, came second (again!) and retired. lovely horse, lovely owners, and just such a fantastic result for them all. :)


on the flat (lets face it, i dont watch a lot!!) its Ouiji Board and Dubai Milennium for me - DM out in Dubai was incredible. Have to stick Zarkava and Zenyatta in there too !!!!
 
Here's what I'd pick for favourite races of the decade.

National Hunt

1. 2004 Tingle Creek - Moscow Flyer
2. 2000 Racing Post Chase - Gloria Victis
3. 2005 Victor Chandler Chase - Well Chief
4. 2009 Connaught Chase - Well Chief
5. 2008 World Hurdle - Inglis Drever
6. 2004 Racing Post Chase - Marlborough
7. 2005 Champion Chase - Moscow Flyer
8. 2009 Hennessy - Denman
9. 2003 World Hurdle - Baracouda
10. 2004 Irish Hennessy - Florida Pearl

Flat

1. 2001 Irish Champion Stakes - Fantastic Light
2. 2001 Breeders Cup Classic - Tiznow
3. 2000 Breeders Cup Classic - Tiznow
4. 2003 1,000 Guineas - Russian Rhythm
5. 2001 Breeders Cup Juvenile - Johannesburg
6. 2003 Nunthorpe - Oasis Dream
7. 2008 Breeders Cup Classic - Raven's Pass
8. 2000 Prince Of Wales Stakes - Dubai Millenium
9. 2000 King George - Montjeu
10. 2007 Oaks - Light Shift
 
I've been reminded - lest we get too dazzled by ZENYATTA's wonderful record - of ATTRACTION, who gave us all such a buzz. Plain as a pork pie, ewe-necked, and with the worst pronated front legs, she looked more like a Cairo cart-puller, but by heck, she was smart. I admired the way she rested her worst front leg from leading and only used it a few times up the straight, before switching back to her 'good' one (relatively!) for the last few strides of the contest. She had a real racing brain, and a determination to lead the herd home - a true alpha female.
 
So many memories! Harchibald at Kempton would have to be up there, as would Beef Or Salmon v. Best Mate at Leopardstown, Moscow Flyer. On the flat the likes of Galileo, George Washington, Azamour, Teofilo were fantastic.

Biggest memory from a punting perspective would be Pay For Production in Navan Dec. 2006 (funny enough the correspnding meeting is on tommorrow). To say I had been waiting for that for a while would be an understatement!

Biggest disasters were undoubtedly ante-post: Sweet Wake and Aran Concerto in the Supreme and Ballymore respectively. Managed to convince myself that it would take an act of God for anything to get within 15 lengths of Aran in the Ballymore that year... and I backed him accordingly!
 
Unremarkable selection but Moscow Flyer, Tingle Creek 2004. I still watch it regularly on YouTube. Back in your box Azerty. Super stuff.
 
Many races to remember


jumps:
Some amazing hcps performances:
Denman both Hennessys
Azertyuiop in the Victor Chandler in defeat
Rooster Booster in the tote Gold Trophy beaten by Geos
Limestone Lad playing with the irish hcper


best 2 chase races I have seen:
Moscow Flyer in the tingle creek beatin Azerty and Well Chief
Denman winning the Gold Cup.

Hdls
Limestone Lad in the Hattons Grace beating Isty is the best nce I have seen
Rooster Booster winning the Champion Hdl
Istabraq in many races.




flat
Overdose the fastest horse ever for me.
Hawk Wing amazing in the Lockinge
Sea the Stars 2009 campaign
Deep Impact running at Japan
plenty of middle distance horses like Daylami, Montjeu, Dalakhani, Dubai Millenium....


what a deacade it was.
 
We've been spoiled rotten! One of my biggest wishes was to have been able to see LIMESTONE LAD in the flesh - if only he could've visited the UK. His hurdling style was superb - he ran with such gusto and you felt as if he'd just take his riders round by himself, without their assistance. He looked a lovable horse, too - don't know if he was, but I just thought he looked it.
 
Katchit winning the CH. Such a lovely admirable little horse.

Kauto this years GC. As a dominant performance as you could hope to see.

Master minded QMCC. Won me plenty...

Flat is tricky. So many. To add to list, George Washingtons guineas was breathtaking, Ravens in the BC, because it was such a feat after a long season. Goldikova this years BC for the sheer number of gear changes and Zarakava's still astonishing turn of foot in the too few races she ran in
 
Zarkava's Vermeille was the most breathtaking for me.

Sea The Stars' Arc was probably the best overall moment, to be there was just amazing.

Punting wise, Gladiatorus making an absolute mockery of the Dubai Duty Free and sprinting 1m1f with Ajtebi celebrating a furlong out.

The last two years have really ended the decade with a bang given how poor 2005-7 were really bar George and Rail Link.
 
NH

Florida Pearl 2001 King George
Beef or Salmon 2004 Lexus
Moscow Flyer 2004 Tingle Creek
Master Minded 2008 Queen Mother Chase
Kauto Star 2009 Gold Cup
Denman 2007 & 2009 Hennessy


Flat

High Chaperall beating Hawk Wing in the Derby 2002
Hawk Wing in the Lockinge 2003
Dylan Thomas in the Arc 2007
Sea the Stars in the Arc 2009
Yeats especially in this year's Ascot Gold Cup
Henrythenavigator in the 2000 Guineas 2008
Giant's Caseway Ascot, Sandown, Goodwood, York and Leopardstown 2000
 
My highlight has been Kauto Star's career so far from 05 on, i was smitten as soon as i saw him.
The biggest build up but dissapointment for the decade was Teofilo, his retirement was one of the most frustrating things ever.
Sea The Stars and George Washington made the flat for me.
 
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