On This Day In (Racing) History

On the same day Princess Anne rode her first race . I remember C4 cameras on this tailed off horse wondering what the fuss was...

Feb 28 1980
Sonny Somers won his second race of the season at Lingfield; aged 18 !
 
March 1

On this day in 1989 Martin Pipe became the first jumps trainer to saddle 150 winners in a season as Beau Ranger won at Worcester.

Vintage Crop, born 25 years ago today and 20 years since he won the Melbourne Cup.
 
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On this day in 2000 the great Dubai Millenium won the Al Maktoum Challenge before going on to win The Dubai World Cup and The Prince of Wales - the only blemish on his 10 race career was the 1999 Epsom derby his only race further than 10f - he won all his other 9 races by an accumulative distance of 47 1/2L. He won on hvy, soft, gd, gf and dirt including 4 group/grade 1's.
 
March 2

On this day in 1991, Twin Oaks landed the Greenalls Gold Cup at Haydock for trainer Gordon Richards.
 
On this day 1938 Airgead Sios won King George VI Chase, the only 12yo to do same. After WW2 they ran the race on Boxing Day.
1985 Mar 2 Peter Scu had his first ride for MCPipe on Hieronymous at Haydock. It won .
Scu remembered the horse not to be a great jumper but "the fittest horse he had ever ridden". A new era in jump racing had begun.....
 
On this day in 1996, Florida Pearl won a Lismore point-to-point and won the Champion Bumper the following March.
 
March 4 1989
On this day I went to Haydock park to see Southern Minstrel win the Timeform Chase.
Bred locally by Mallow vet Victor Dowling by Black Minstrel then standing at Clongeel Stud he was the great local hope for stardom. He won easily and went on to run Waterloo Boy to a half length in Arkle Chase. He got injured after Ayr and came back a year later. Ultra consistent he ran until a 13 year old and was rarely out of the money but was short a gear.
Eton Rouge won the Greenhall Whitney Chase for Mercy Rimell and Martin Pipe/ J Lower had a double. Heycottage won the bumper for Ginger McCain ridden by 7lb claimer Donald McCain. They were winning their share of bumpers that season, a sign of things to come...
 
March 4

On this day in 1978 the legendary Red Rum had what turned out to be the final race of his career, finishing sixth at Haydock.
 
March 5

On this day in 1994, Flakey Dove took the Berkshire Hurdle by 20 lengths at Newbury, and just 10 days later she won the Champion Hurdle.
 
March 6

This day in 1982 saw Wayward Lad land the odds in the Timeform Chase at Haydock. Michael Dickinson also struck at Mkt Rasen with Silver Buck
 
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March 7

On this day in 1964, Arkle landed his first Cheltenham Gold Cup following a mighty battle with his old foe Mill House
 
What a big moment that was.

Does anyone know when they decided to move the festival back a week?
 
1964 seems to be an aberration Art.
The festival ran from Thurs to Sat.
Other years had the Gold Cup run Mid March to as late as 21 March in 1968,possibly due to Foot and Mouth restrictions. Not counting for yrs postponed due to frost and/or snow eg 1978 the latest.
A Churchtown local told me last week that GC day 1949 or 1950 was postponed owing to the number of double and trebles riding onto Cottage Rake from other MVOB winners Hattons Grace ( and possibly Castledermot) that would have pauperised the bookies!
As an aside; in 1948 Cottage Rake travelled by train and boat and was walked from Chel Spa railway station to racecourse, started 10/1 and won.
In 1949 MVOB flew in his 3 challengers! (CR got upset on board and was nearly shot!)
 
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