Moscow Flyer

Even when parade around the ring this year at Punchestown, he just doesn't walk around it, he swaggers. Just oozes class and charisma....a legend.
 
Moscow Flyer would have had Flyingbolt for breakfast over 2m. The latter was only campaigned at that trip to keep him away from Arkle, and the division was virtually non-existent in the '60s. His feat of running third in a Champion Hurdle the day after landing the Champion Chase is genuinely remarkable, but says a lot about the quality of horse being campaigned at 2m in those days.
 
What like Dunkirk ? another brilliant 2 miler of the 1960s .

Moscow Flyer was a terrific horse but to suggest he was the best ever is all about sentiment.
 
And suggesting that he wasn't is to get bogged down in sepia tinted nostalgia. To be honest, nobody knows the answer. As pointed out above, the 2 mile division was so unusual in those days that it's impossible to accurately draw comparisons between the pair. Anyway, the thing about Moscow is that he was never the kind to romp away from a horse, just did what he had to do really. Certainly, the best of recent memory, and I doubt we'll see a better one for some time. If indeed, we ever will, with so many reasons for connections to keep classy hurdlers over the smaller sticks.
 
We never got to the bottom of Moscow Flyer, imo. Fantastic, fantastic horse, and probably had another half-stone of talent in the locker that he never had to use.

Great pics too - he looks imperious in the last one. :cool:
 
Thanks for sharing these photos. Does bring back wonderful memories of what was a grand era of 2 mile chasers. He was not even my favourite at the time, but loved him madly, and admit it was a very emotional day at Cheltenham when he fell and got retired.

So glad he has a nice retirement, and hope it goes on for ages.

He has so much presence, even in photos! :<3:
 
I was a big fan of Badsworth Boy who won 3 Champion Chases-I was never really a fan of Moscow Flyer but I have no doubts that he would have beaten Badsworth.
 
I was looking through the net last week trying to find a video of the Badsworth Boy/Bobsline Champion Chase, without success. If anyone can find it could they stick a link up, please.
 
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Ardross said:
What like Dunkirk ? another brilliant 2 miler of the 1960s .

Moscow Flyer was a terrific horse but to suggest he was the best ever is all about sentiment.
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What kind of competition did Dunkirk have to face? The sentiment belongs to the Arkle merchants who can't have it that Kauto Star would have caned him round Kempton.
 
Omigod; I thought something had happened to him! Was there when he 'lost' his last race, but so glad to see him in the flesh. Spent all week telling people that I was going to see him. Loved him to bits.
 
Euronymous said:
The sentiment belongs to the Arkle merchants who can't have it that Kauto Star would have caned him round Kempton.
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I'm trying to visualize any horse "caning" Arkle but I can't. By all means argue that Kauto Star might have beaten Arkle at levels at Kempton but if "caning" means "thrashing", as I think it does, then it's a ludicrous statement.

I think Dancing Brave was a better horse than Sea The Stars and would have beaten him over 12f at levels but I'd never suggest that any horse that's ever lived would have "caned" him.
 
What or who is Celtic tiger?

Just reading info on the site above & can't make the connection between this name & horse welfare
 
Aldaniti - 'the Celtic tiger' refers to Ireland's boom years, financially, not to a horse. As discussed elsewhere (buggered if I know where it is, though), there was a lot of racehorse buying during the 'tiger' (boom) years, which has dropped away dramatically as boom turned to bust. That's meant that horses are suffering as owners can't sell them, can't even give them away. Some are just being dumped and some, sadly, are being despatched by sometimes less than humane methods. We'll probably never know where many unsold foals and their hapless dams went to, and the plight has been across the equine board - worst hit, racehorses (as luxury purchases), but even trotting ponies, gypsy ponies, etc. as trading has hit everyone's pocket. Hence the welfare issues due to the crash of the Celtic (Irish) tiger (once booming economy).

Must say, in that pic to the right, if we didn't know it was him, I'd think it was a mare in foal! Steady on those pies, Mozzie! Thanks v. much, Trips - lovely to see him in such fine fettle.
 
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Thanks to both of you for the info, never taken much notice of these things!

Although saying, that if you live were I do being Irish isn't going to get you the warmest welcome more like arctic conditions! Thankfully I know better!
 
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