Moscow Flyer

Moscow Flyer will be forever immortalised through his fearless jumping, those historic battles against titans of the sport Azertyuiop, Flagship Uberalles & Well Chief. He epitomised National Hunt racing at its finest with the highs and lows, the thrills and spills and the gladiatorial nature of our great sport.
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Fine words, they say it well.
 
Undoubtedly one of the finest chasers of the last 20-odd years, and the winner of the greatest race I've ever seen. Still don't think we ever saw the best of him, because even at the very highest level, he was never really all-out to win.

A great shame that he has passed so soon after retiring, but he leaves a tremendous legacy. Thanks for the memories, Moscow Flyer - RIP.
 
What a shame. Just hearing his name evokes great memories. I've never shouted a horse home so loud when not having a penny on as I did when he won 'that' Champion Chase when it was supposed to be impossible as an 11 year old.

Those tremendous battles with Azertyuiop and Well Chief will long live in the memory, and he was the best of the three of them in a golden era for Champion Chasers.

Hard to beleive he was 22. RIP old fella.
 
There is seemingly no online footage of the 2004 Tingle Creek - or at least none that I can find. Tells you everything you need to know about the clowns that run UK racing, that one of the greatest adverts for their sport, is hidden away from view.

I shall refrain from further comment, out of respect for Moscow.
 
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he epitomises why its important to have a couple of really serious horses to oppose him..there is no.."well what did he beat" with this one..you know what you are seeing is quality

the camera view at ground level..from his first CC win..was what really impressed me initially..then after that you just knew it was quality you were watching

great days..in the past..with all the other good things
 
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that has to be one of the great 2m chases from any era..full stop

to me..every champion chaser we see now..is measured mentally against this one..a great name..and very great horse..loved him loads
 
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Still reckon he beat Rathgar Beau that day at Punchestown...anyone know what happened to him? I thought he was in good health. Can't believe another one has gone.
 
I think this horse and others like him..very few in this example....mark out why people like the jumps over the flat..i like/love both..but when it comes to the jumps you get to "know" a horse so much more than the flat..they become your friend. Flat wise i doubt i personally will see a better horse than Frankel..but with the jumps horses you actually bulid a bigger friendship with lower rated horses..code allowing...just through familiriaty and longevity..thats not the case with Moscow..because from early on he was above that level

but you know what i mean generally
 
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Fantastic horse, I always think there's something really special about a champion chaser, they are spectacular over their fences.

RIP old boy.
 
Aw no, the stud only posted a picture of him out in the sun yesterday.

He's before my interest in racing started but having watched back he was clearly special and to see the regard he's held in here says it all.
 
Just back from a week away and first thing I have seen. Gutted. Carried my biggest ever bet on course when backed him at Aintree ( 4/6 I think ) when he completely pinged every fence and I never had a moments worry. Truly great champion and will be missed.
 
Moscow was the horse that got me deep into racing. He spiraled the careers of Jessie Harrington and Barry Geraghty too. I met his owner too and he was an absolute gent.

I was at Cheltenham for all his festival victories, his second QM was especially climatic. The scenes in the parade ring. I remember climbing up on the wheelie bins to try get a glance.

He had the odd tumble but it just added to his box office. Every moment he raced, i could feel a nervous anticipation. Heart bet that little bit extra. The day he was headed at Punchestown, i had to go for a long walk, i was totally shocked. It was like losing a relative.

He had his rumble in the Jungle and was part of a great era, this if nothing else will ensure his memory lives on. I know they named a hurdle race after him, but I hope he gets a good chase called after him somewhere soon too.

I landed some large bets on him but they pale in significance to the great memories he gave me.

One of the greats
 
We tend to forget how good a hurdler he was before going chasing.
He was the only horse to repeatedly put Istabraq to the sword,the only pity was that one of them always fell and Foot And mouth deprived us of a monster Champion Hurdle show down, that for a horse that was always going to be a better chaser.
Over fences he was unbeaten in nineteen when he stood up and nobody can say he was beaten in any of the others as he never had a "tired "fall.
That he broke the track record when winning a charity race at 12 tells how much of a monster he was at his prime and as previously posted he was never all out when he won.
Had he been given a flat rating his combined flat/hurdles/ chase rating would have put all others in the shade. ( did Overturn pull a 460 combined rating ?)
Can be labelled as one of the all time greats, it was great to be around for him and that he was around for so long publicly both racing and in retirement.
It just shows what a great asset the National Stud is; please support it.
 
A champion. Better than his rating in my opinion and would have loved to see him fare against better than Azertyuiop and Well Chief.

Great that he got horses as good as them to push him as far as they did.

Was it 6/1 for the Arkle against Seebald?
 
HawkWing said:
A champion. Better than his rating in my opinion and would have loved to see him fare against better than Azertyuiop and Well Chief.

Great that he got horses as good as them to push him as far as they did.

Was it 6/1 for the Arkle against Seebald?
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to be fair there aren't many that much better than azertyuiop or well chief when in pomp..and MF beat them when they were in their pomp

like Edgt says..his hurdling weren't bad either
 
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