Horses you never forgave and couldn’t like

I was at Newmarket when El Gran Senor won the 2,000 Guineas and at the time I'd never seen a fitter - or better - horse in my life.

The way he quickened twice. - to lead and then to see off Chief Singer - and was back on the bridle by the line was amazing to me.

Surely the best 2,000 Guineas since Brigadier Gerard beat Mill Reef at the time.

As for The Derby, I will always compare and contrast the ride Pat Eddery gave him with the one Lester Piggott gave Sir Ivor, another suspect stayer on paper, some years earlier.

I think Eddery, even though sitting quietly for a long way, let El Gran Senor do too much, too soon.

Whereas Piggott completely switched off Sir Ivor and showed great audacity to deliver him late and fast.

For me, it typifies why Eddery was a very good jockey, but Piggott was a great one, and had the edge on him overall.

"Missing me?" Piggott famously said to Vincent O'Brien and Robert Sangster as he walked past them after the race.
 
Some awful aftertiming going on with this Last suspect. I suspect I'm too young to remember. Heart breaking to see so little love for Sea the Stars also. What an absolute monster he was a sublime horse.

My biggest cold feeling horse at the risk of being lynched,stoned, hung drawn and quartered by the Irish contingent on here.....Hurricane Fly, never have I seen such and overated horse in all my life the absolute king of jog and sprint. How he won so many top class races is beyond me.

The unforgivable would be Neptune Collonges for nutting Sunnyhill Boy but ultimately I blame A.P Mcoy for picking a horse that was never going to jump around in a million years ( RIP Synchronised) over Sunnyhill.

Any of Nicky Henderson 2 mile chase superstars bar sir gino who strangely I've found a bit of affection for in my heart.

And so much negativity I can't handle without finishing on a positive note horses I had much more love in my heart for than I should've done, Dom Samuri, Stormez, Lady Rebecca and Big Brown Bear to name just a few.
 
Sean Magee used to come to our racing club meetings. I bought his book about Arkle and he wrote in it ‘ To Mo, who never stopped loving Mill House but eventually forgave Arkle’. He kindly sent me a copy of his book about Sea the Stars when he saw how much I adored him. It took me decades to acknowledge that Arkle was better than Mill House; and years to admit that Kauto Star was possibly better than Dessie*.And I still love Sea the Stars far more than Frankel. Apart from Persian Punch I don’t think I’ve ever adored a flat horse as much.
*I put my hand inside Dessies mouth to feel a new tooth that he had grown which, or so I was told, was unusual for a horse. And I kissed him ( it is going to be written on my tombstone that I kissed Desert Orchid). I can only assume that he was a different horse in the summer when not in training!
I’ve just found inside my Arkle book a race card from Brave Incas Chamipion hurdle day signed by Sean, Willie Robinson and Peter O’Sullivan. I’d wondered where it was.
 
Danny said:
Some awful aftertiming going on with this Last suspect. I suspect I'm too young to remember. Heart breaking to see so little love for Sea the Stars also. What an absolute monster he was a sublime horse.

My biggest cold feeling horse at the risk of being lynched,stoned, hung drawn and quartered by the Irish contingent on here.....Hurricane Fly, never have I seen such and overated horse in all my life the absolute king of jog and sprint. How he won so many top class races is beyond me.

The unforgivable would be Neptune Collonges for nutting Sunnyhill Boy but ultimately I blame A.P Mcoy for picking a horse that was never going to jump around in a million years ( RIP Synchronised) over Sunnyhill.

Any of Nicky Henderson 2 mile chase superstars bar sir gino who strangely I've found a bit of affection for in my heart.

And so much negativity I can't handle without finishing on a positive note horses I had much more love in my heart for than I should've done, Dom Samuri, Stormez, Lady Rebecca and Big Brown Bear to name just a few.
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Ian_Davies said:
I was at Newmarket when El Gran Senor won the 2,000 Guineas and at the time I'd never seen a fitter - or better - horse in my life.

The way he quickened twice. - to lead and then to see off Chief Singer - and was back on the bridle by the line was amazing to me.

Surely the best 2,000 Guineas since Brigadier Gerard beat Mill Reef at the time.

As for The Derby, I will always compare and contrast the ride Pat Eddery gave him with the one Lester Piggott gave Sir Ivor, another suspect stayer on paper, some years earlier.

I think Eddery, even though sitting quietly for a long way, let El Gran Senor do too much, too soon.

Whereas Piggott completely switched off Sir Ivor and showed great audacity to deliver him late and fast.

For me, it typifies why Eddery was a very good jockey, but Piggott was a great one, and had the edge on him overall.

"Missing me?" Piggott famously said to Vincent O'Brien and Robert Sangster as he walked past them after the race.
Click to expand...
Never forgave Eddery for a pig of a ride on Dushyantor in the Derby,which cost me a juicy double with Oaks wnner Lady Carla.
 
Bootlaces......I had backed Snowtown Boy to win the Schweppes for weeks or even months before the race.

Unknown to me Bootlaces who was on paper out of form had been laid out for the race and under 10st9lbs ridden by Paul Leach was a handicap certainty witha stone in hand.............took me months to get over it
 
moehat said:
Sean Magee used to come to our racing club meetings. I bought his book about Arkle and he wrote in it ‘ To Mo, who never stopped loving Mill House but eventually forgave Arkle’. He kindly sent me a copy of his book about Sea the Stars when he saw how much I adored him. It took me decades to acknowledge that Arkle was better than Mill House; and years to admit that Kauto Star was possibly better than Dessie*.And I still love Sea the Stars far more than Frankel. Apart from Persian Punch I don’t think I’ve ever adored a flat horse as much.
*I put my hand inside Dessies mouth to feel a new tooth that he had grown which, or so I was told, was unusual for a horse. And I kissed him ( it is going to be written on my tombstone that I kissed Desert Orchid). I can only assume that he was a different horse in the summer when not in training!
I’ve just found inside my Arkle book a race card from Brave Incas Chamipion hurdle day signed by Sean, Willie Robinson and Peter O’Sullivan. I’d wondered where it was.
Click to expand...

That's just such a lovely post hit me right in the feels. What beautiful memories to have.
 
moehat said:
Sean Magee used to come to our racing club meetings. I bought his book about Arkle and he wrote in it ‘ To Mo, who never stopped loving Mill House but eventually forgave Arkle’. He kindly sent me a copy of his book about Sea the Stars when he saw how much I adored him. It took me decades to acknowledge that Arkle was better than Mill House; and years to admit that Kauto Star was possibly better than Dessie*.And I still love Sea the Stars far more than Frankel. Apart from Persian Punch I don’t think I’ve ever adored a flat horse as much.
*I put my hand inside Dessies mouth to feel a new tooth that he had grown which, or so I was told, was unusual for a horse. And I kissed him ( it is going to be written on my tombstone that I kissed Desert Orchid). I can only assume that he was a different horse in the summer when not in training!
I’ve just found inside my Arkle book a race card from Brave Incas Chamipion hurdle day signed by Sean, Willie Robinson and Peter O’Sullivan. I’d wondered where it was.
Click to expand...
I get that totally
moehat said:
Sean Magee used to come to our racing club meetings. I bought his book about Arkle and he wrote in it ‘ To Mo, who never stopped loving Mill House but eventually forgave Arkle’. He kindly sent me a copy of his book about Sea the Stars when he saw how much I adored him. It took me decades to acknowledge that Arkle was better than Mill House; and years to admit that Kauto Star was possibly better than Dessie*.And I still love Sea the Stars far more than Frankel. Apart from Persian Punch I don’t think I’ve ever adored a flat horse as much.
*I put my hand inside Dessies mouth to feel a new tooth that he had grown which, or so I was told, was unusual for a horse. And I kissed him ( it is going to be written on my tombstone that I kissed Desert Orchid). I can only assume that he was a different horse in the summer when not in training!
I’ve just found inside my Arkle book a race card from Brave Incas Chamipion hurdle day signed by Sean, Willie Robinson and Peter O’Sullivan. I’d wondered where it was.
Click to expand...
I get that totally, Moehat. There are some horses that you won’t “allow” to be better than your horse.

When Captain Christy was coming over to England and absolutely battering our boys in Gold Cups and King Georges, I despaired, and wrote his wins off as freaks. And I really did not like Monksfield turning over Night Nurse - how!
 
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