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On This Day In (Racing) History

Bowlby was OK, quite a good boxer also.
Rode quite a few for Graham Roach who was a permit holder and myself in those days
 
April 28

On this day in 1976, the Henry Cecil-trained Wollow landed the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Also on this day in 2004 we lost Persian Punch
 
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28/04/1886 Ormonde wins 200Gns from Minting in what is considered one of the best races of the 19th century en route to Triple Crown victory. Minting's trainer could not accept the defeat and was reported to have taken to bed for a week afterwards. Minting won Grand Prix De Paris next start, far away from Ormonde who remained unbeaten in all 16 starts.

28/04/1972 Ribot died from a twisted gut.He was also unbeaten in 16 races.

28/04/1973 Jockey Doug Barrott killed by a fall from French Colonist in Whitbread Gold Cup.

28/04/1984 Special Cargo wins dramatic Whitbread Gold Cup from Lettoch and Diamond Edge in a finish of short heads; an absolutely cracking race.

28/04/90 Mr Frisk defeats Durham Edition again to be first horse to win Grand National_ Whitbread double in the same season
 
April 29

On this day in 1967, Mill House enjoyed one last hurrah when lifting the Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown.
 
Diamond Geezer, then on that same day a 4yo colt called Busted won his first race for Noel Murless (we didn't know then quite what was to follow). The race is now called the Sir Gordon Richards Stakes, think it was something like the Coronation stakes then.
Quite a card!
 
April 30

On this day in 1992 the French-trained filly Hatoof landed a thrilling renewal of the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
 
April 30 1947
On this day Tudor Minstrel wins 2000 Gns in a canter by a long 8 lengths.
Hailed as horse of the century by many who saw him that day.

April 30 1965
First jumps meeting took place at Ascot on this day.Sir Giles wins the opener.

April 30 1969
Right Tack wins 2000 Gns and goes on to win Irish 2000gns, the first horse to do so.
Top 2yo of 1968 Ribofilio is pulled up after being tailed off. Drug tests post race prove negative.
 
May 1
1961 Betting shops become legal in Britain.

1971 Brigadier Gerard wins electric 2000 Gns from Mill Reef and My Swallow.

1975 Pickets by stable lads marred 1000 Gns meeting where W Carson is pulled off his horse.

1985 Desert Orchid runs his only flat race in Sagaro Stakes at Ascot. Unplaced
 
May 2

On this day in 1999, Wince (Kieren Fallon) became a sixth 1000 Guineas winner for Henry Cecil, beating Wannabe Grand.
 
May 3

On this day in 1990, Willie Carson completed a full set of English Classic wins when Salsabil struck in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
 
May 3

1769 "Eclipse first, the rest nowhere " was the cry when Eclipse won at Epsom by a furlong, too far in front for the other horses to be officially placed.

1979 One In A Million became the first classic winner owned by a company when winning 1000 Gns .

2009 Sea The Stars (remember him 2yrs pre Frankel) wins 2000 Gns in the style of a good horse. The jury is still out as to how good !
 
May 4

On this day in 1981, Shergar confirmed his cast-iron claims for the Derby with a 12-length thrashing of his rivals in the Chester Vase.
 
May 4 1780
The Derby first run over a mile at Epsom. Sir Charles Bunbury, after losing the toss to name the race with Lord Derby wins the race with Diomed.

1935 Omaha wins Kentucky Derby on his way to TripleCrown win.
Comes to England to race in Ascot Gold Cup in 36 only to be beaten by Quashed.

1968 Dancers Image wins Kentucky Derby only to be disqualified for failing a dope test.
Forward Pass gets the race. Dancers Image sire of Godswalk, top sprinter 1977 in the Golden Ballydoyle era.
 
Godswalk was trained by Christy Grassick (senior) for his juvenile season before going to Ballydoyle.

The Grassick stables at the time were just outside the Castleknock Gate of the Phoenix Park, and there was a gallop for their horses on the Fifteen Acres, near where the Papal Cross now stands. I don't know what the surface was, perhaps a mixture of sand and cinders, but it was in a public space and was not regularly maintained. I'm not sure it was used at all by that time, they might have just run their horses on the grass, like everyone else. The grass was kept under control by the thousands of cattle who summered in the Park and by the permanent herd of deer.

Hundreds of other horses from hacking stables used the Park every day, with the result that the routes to and from the Acres were as bad as a ploughed field most of the time. It was not an easy place to be training racehorses.
 
May 5 a big day in racing history.

1904 Sir Gordon Richards born.

1950 Sir Gordon won on Abernant at Sandown, his 4000th British win.

1973 Secretariat wins Kentucky Derby in 1m 59.2 sec,running every quarter faster than the previous one.

1979 Spectacular Bid wins Kentucky Derby among 26 wins from 30 starts. Some horse.

1984 El Gran Senor wins a cracking 2000 Gns from Chief Singer, Lear Fan And Rainbow Quest. At Leopardstown the same day I witness Sadlers Wells scramble home in The Derrinstown Derby Trial by a short head. Linda Martin fails to make it an Irish hat trick in Eurovision finishing 2nd with Terminal 3 !

1987 SIS begin broadcasting daily in Betting Shops

1990 Tirol wins 2000 Gns for R Hannon , M J Kinane and Horgans from Cork who also owned Dont Forget Me in 87.
 
May 6

On this day in 1972, Meriel Tufnell became the first woman to ride a winner under Jockey Club rules when Scorched Earth struck at Kempton.
 
May 7

On this day in 1977 jockey Edward Hide rode four winners at Ayr to take his career tally to within one of 2,000.
 
May 7

1977 Seattle Slew wins Kentucky Derby on way to Triple Crown

!988 Winning Colours, a roan filly wins Kentucky Derby for Gary Stevens and D Wayne Lucas. Has a filly won KD since ?
Meanwhile at Leopardstown I witnessed Corwyn Bay win the 2yo maiden ( he later won Cartier Million race) Kris Kringle win Derrinstown Trial and Shannon Spray win the Savel Beg Stakes.
 
May 8

On this day in 1941, champion jockey Gordon Richards suffered a broken leg in an accident at Salisbury.
 
May 8 1788
Sir Thomas was the first Derby winner owned by a member of The Royal Family.

1915 Regret became the first filly to win Kentucky Derby

1920 Paul Jones (the horse) wins Kentucky Derby. There was dancing in the grandstand seemingly.

1937 War Admiral wins Kentucky Derby. He was later to meet Sea Biscuit in a famous match at Pimlico.

1945 VE Day in Newmarket with Lord Derby's Sunstream winning 1000 Gns ridden by Harry Wragg ( who became champion jockey in 1941 after Sir Gordon's accident)
 
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