Special Horses

Definitely Dessie, ONE MAN, BOBBY JO, BRAVE INCA, AZERTYUIOP, BARRACUDA, FAIR ALONG, JAIR DU COCHET (funny how as we get into the 90s, there are far more French breds creeping into the frame)... HALLO DANDY, DORAN'S PRIDE...
 
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Crikey! EC1, you are spoiling us - what treasures you've unearthed! I wasn't living in the UK through 1972-92 so missed seeing all the action bar a handful of races. What a finish - MONKSFIELD looks like a pony against NIGHT NURSE, who surely can't be terribly helped by his jockey thumping up and down on him! Lots of superb links off that one, I see, and there's the treat of being able to see COMEDY OF ERRORS, for whom there's a bar named at Fontwell Park. (I'd say there's a PRINCE REGENT suite for the horse at Brighton r/c, too, but I think that's really for Edward VII, the Prince Regent who added so much to the gaiety of the town.)

Oh, wow! COMEDY OF ERRORS, 1973 Champion Hurdle against CAPTAIN CHRISTY and BULA! Hurdletastic! Fantastic finds, EC - I can now go over the back catalogue which I never saw at the time. Thanks so much.
 
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krizon said:
Crikey! EC1, you are spoiling us - what treasures you've unearthed! I wasn't living in the UK through 1972-92 so missed seeing all the action bar a handful of races. What a finish - MONKSFIELD looks like a pony against NIGHT NURSE, who surely can't be terribly helped by his jockey thumping up and down on him! Lots of superb links off that one, I see, and there's the treat of being able to see COMEDY OF ERRORS, for whom there's a bar named at Fontwell Park. (I'd say there's a PRINCE REGENT suite for the horse at Brighton r/c, too, but I think that's really for Edward VII, the Prince Regent who added so much to the gaiety of the town.)

Oh, wow! COMEDY OF ERRORS, 1973 Champion Hurdle against CAPTAIN CHRISTY and BULA! Hurdletastic! Fantastic finds, EC - I can now go over the back catalogue which I never saw at the time. Thanks so much.
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glad you are enjoying looking back Kri

My favourite racing times really..it was when i first started being interested...its a pity many of the meetings between the top horses have not been saved. Its a pity Bob Monkhouse didn't like the gg's..he had a video recorder in the mid 60's.

virtually every Champion Hurdle of the 1970's was superb really..so many old favourites..tough hardened animals that could take their racing
 
EC1 said:
a bit naughty but I'll just pre empt NN and Monksfield threads..this is the Aintree hurdle between them..possibly one of the best hurdles races ever

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X2Ai77voXE
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Take out the words "possibly one of", this was the greatest hurdles race I ever saw. That clip doesn't do it justice because they started to battle each other leaving the back straight, about six furlongs out. From there several times first one then the other seemed to be getting the upper hand and again the situation changed in the last few strides.

This incredible race came as the middle leg of a trilogy of races that day starting with 12 year old Skymas, the dual Champion Chase winner trained by Brian Lusk in Co Antrim, confirming his class in the 2m chase, and Red Rum becoming a legend after winning his third national. It was one of the best day's racing ever.
 
ISTABRAQ! LIMESTONE LAD! RINCE RI! BEEF OR SALMON! (That's to chuck a strong Irish flavour into the stew.) Since the tone is 'special horses' and not just old-timers, there are just dozens and dozens on the list. MOSCOW FLYER! QUIXALL CROSSETT!
 
Silver Buck​

48 runs
34 wins

Big Race Wins:
Cheltenham Gold Cup: 1982
King George VI Chase: 1979, 1980
Edward Hanmer Memorial Chase: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982
Terry Biddlecombe Challenge Trophy Chase: 1979, 1981, 1982
Embassy Premier Chase Final: 1979​



The following is taken from the book Silver Buck by Andrew Hoyle:
Jonjo O'Neill wrote the foreword:

Silver Buck has certainly earned the utmost respect of yours truly. Talk about a thorn in my side! Three of the most brilliant steeplechasers I have been privileged to partner – Night Nurse, Alverton and Jack of Trumps – all had to settle for second best against Silver Buck. At least I can claim to have been one of the first to find out how good he was. Silver Buck was still a raw novice, competing in only his third 'chase when I rode Alverton against him in an Embassy Premier Qualifier at Wetherby in 1978. Silver Buck may have been flattered to beat us by six lengths because it was Alverton's first race of the season. Nevertheless, it was a performance that told Tommy Carmody, me and a whole lot of others that here was a novice of exceptional ability.
The form of that race could hardly have worked out better with Silver Buck going on to beat Night Nurse in the Embassy Premier Final and Alverton giving me one of my most memorable rides when winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Silver Buck's owner, Mrs Christine Feather, relates in the book how Tommy Carmody, Ron Barry and I arranged to travel together when going to Kempton for the King George, and how her jockey nearly got left behind at Knutsford. We should have left the beggar there! I was on the strongly fancied Irish horse, Jack of Trumps, who started favourite, and we beat everything except that blighter, Carmody, and Silver Buck.
For Silver Buck, his ability to keep finding that little bit extra would keep you wondering just how much he had in hand. He was always a very hard horse to beat. I am well qualified to vouch for that!


Silver Buck vs Night Nurse

In his novice chase season, before the Cheltenham Festival, Silver Buck went to Haydock for the Embassy Chase Final, over two and a half miles. Connections feared Night Nurse the most and as Silver Buck was already a winner over three miles, Michael (Dickinson) told jockey Tommy Carmody to make plenty use of his stamina. "I wanted Tommy to make a race of it from a long way out and force the pace. Night Nurse did his customary front-running and I was pleased when Tommy moved Silver Buck up to take him on at the first fence in the back straight. After that the two of them just battled on and on over the last seven fences to the winning post. It was a magnificent scene. Most chases get exciting at the second fence from home, but the Haydock crowd was buzzing from the second fence down the back straight. Silver Buck and Night Nurse went at it hammer and tongs for a mile and a quarter over seven fences. Every time Silver Buck jumped to the front he would stop and that gave Night Nurse the chance to fight. That's what made it such a close race. You could see that Silver Buck stage manages his own battles. After that I was more tired than the horse."

Silver Buck had two and a half lengths to spare over Night Nurse at the line. Carmody reported that he had been confident of success throughout the race. "Silver Buck felt fantastic, and when we took Night Nurse on going down the back straight I was sure we would beat him."
Carmody immediately predicted that there would be nothing for Night Nurse in any re-match and that Silver Buck would win the King George the following season. He duly did.

Night Nurse took on Silver Buck again at Haydock the following season, along with Border Incident in a three horse race. The latter departed alongside two out, leaving Night Nurse and Silver Buck to battle it out once again. Carmody, confident that he would always beat Night Nurse, edged his mount back in the lead at the last, Silver Buck going on to win by one and a half lengths.
There was more misery for Night Nurse when he took on Silver Buck at Kempton in the King George. Night Nurse's jumping left something to be desired that day but Silver Buck never looked like being beaten, with five lengths to spare over his rival at the line.

Gold Cup Glory

Silver Buck achieved Cheltenham glory in 1982, after failing to convince others of his stamina in previous years. In fact he was taken out of the Gold Cup in 1980 because his trainer felt the ground was too soft and that the horse was not at his best. Yet it was softer still in 1982 and plenty felt that Silver Buck would not last home, Lord Oaksey among them. But Silver Buck's triumph over his stablemate Bregawn fully vindicated Michael Dickinson's unshakeable faith in the horse's ability to get the Gold Cup distance despite his two previous Festival defeats.

Though some of his stablemates achieved higher ratings, Michael Dickinson still regards Silver Buck as the best horse he trained and maintains that the horse only ever did enough, often winning with ears pricked. His record of thirty four wins from forty eight races speaks of a remarkable consistency.

Silver Buck was a nervous horse and tragically he ran into a brick wall at home when spooked. He died of internal injuries before the vet arrived.


1982 Cheltenham Gold Cup (closing stages)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5Ckk5hE25g

Horse_Silver_Buck-_2big.jpg
4442016767_de94f46433.jpg
 
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Thanks, krizon. I loved that horse. He was before my time and I was only a tot when he died but I caught up with his career a few years later and I remember being upset when I learned what happened to him.

A very genuine and consistent, top class chaser.
 
Katharine said:
Thanks, krizon. I loved that horse. He was before my time and I was only a tot when he died but I caught up with his career a few years later and I remember being upset when I learned what happened to him.

A very genuine and consistent, top class chaser.
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Lovely stuff Katharine

My memories of Silver Buck where mainly from listening to the old extel commentarys in my local bookies..i backed NN against him each time and they spent much of the races neck and neck as described above..and so it seems from memory..with SB finding his familiar bit extra at the end..he was a tough tough horse. That period in time was a golden era for chasers and hurdlers..many of those horses were good enough to win many of the 80's & 90's GC's imo..then along came Dawn Run to mix it with Dickininson's...golden times for sure. In an ordianry era I think Night Nurse would have won a fair bit more as a chaser..but at that time the competition was red hot.
 
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I don't know what he looked like in life, but he looks quite lightly-built and either he's got a very tall jockey on (look where his feet are), or he wasn't of any great height, either. Must've been like some 'nervy' people, who are thin and all tendons and no flesh! I know, it's curious how we can really take so much to certain horses who we may never meet or who have already died, but whose career and character take such a hold. They're not necessarily always the most fabulous-looking or the most talented - I was tremendously fond of, for example, LORD RELIC and a few other less than top-class horses in NH, and BURNT IMP on the Flat - no interest at all in punting them and not even able to see them in the flesh, but just loved them for themselves.
 
Katharine Desert Orchid was my first hero too! Got Jonathan Powell's book on him when I was wee. My husband bought me a print of him jumping in his last ever win for our first anniversary this year which was fab so went and bought Richard Burridge's The Grey Horse. Was interesting to read his version as he was so involved :)

I think Im going to love this thread!
 
EC1 said:
Lovely stuff Katharine

My memories of Silver Buck where mainly from listening to the old extel commentarys in my local bookies..i backed NN against him each time and they spent much of the races neck and neck as described above..and so it seems from memory..with SB finding his familiar bit extra at the end..he was a tough tough horse. That period in time was a golden era for chasers and hurdlers..many of those horses were good enough to win many of the 80's & 90's GC's imo..then along came Dawn Run to mix it with Dickininson's...golden times for sure. In an ordianry era I think Night Nurse would have won a fair bit more as a chaser..but at that time the competition was red hot.
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The Dickinson horses were familiar names when I was a youngster. Wayward Lad, Bregawn, Badsworth Boy and Rathgorman, along with Silver Buck. Ashley House and Captain John,too, part of the 'famous five'.

Dawn Run, now there was another sad loss to racing. If she hadn't been killed she may well have turned up at Kempton, in the same season that Dessie made his first mark as a staying chaser. A great shame.
 
I haven't seen any of Golden Cygnet's races before but he really does look exceptional. A tragedy that he was lost before his full potential was fulfilled.
 
Zenyatta said:
I haven't seen any of Golden Cygnet's races before but he really does look exceptional. A tragedy that he was lost before his full potential was fulfilled.
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A novice that was as good if not better than the best of the rest around. The potential was frightening.
 
krizon said:
I don't know what he looked like in life, but he looks quite lightly-built and either he's got a very tall jockey on (look where his feet are), or he wasn't of any great height, either. Must've been like some 'nervy' people, who are thin and all tendons and no flesh! I know, it's curious how we can really take so much to certain horses who we may never meet or who have already died, but whose career and character take such a hold. They're not necessarily always the most fabulous-looking or the most talented - I was tremendously fond of, for example, LORD RELIC and a few other less than top-class horses in NH, and BURNT IMP on the Flat - no interest at all in punting them and not even able to see them in the flesh, but just loved them for themselves.
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I know the feeling, though I admit in my case the horses I've loved most (Dessie and Kauto) also happened to be among the best. As with Kauto, I got myself into a nervous mess whenever Dessie ran, awful butterflies in the stomach, and how I would sulk if he didn't win! Typical teen back then.

When Dessie was left very ill with colic, I was tearful and frightened for him. I remember picking up the morning newspaper and there it was on the front page: Dessie Fights For Life. It was a shock. Fortunately he recovered and enjoyed many more years of retirement. But I did shed tears when he died.

I'm often teased about how emotionally attached I am to some horses but I wouldn't have it any other way, because the joy you get from the good times means that much more.
 
Brochdoll said:
Katharine Desert Orchid was my first hero too! Got Jonathan Powell's book on him when I was wee. My husband bought me a print of him jumping in his last ever win for our first anniversary this year which was fab so went and bought Richard Burridge's The Grey Horse. Was interesting to read his version as he was so involved :)

I think Im going to love this thread!
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Wasn't he just a wonderful horse? He ran his heart out every time.

I've got a print of him and Kildimo jumping the last in the old Whitbread Gold Cup. That was a glorious race to watch. Dessie looked magnificent in the bright sunshine. A great day.

I agree, I'm already loving this thread. :)
 
...or the Scottish race, it's the same with Shakespeare's Scottish play. Bad luck to mention it by name. :(
 
Indeed. I'm too young to remember him but I made the mistake of watching that race (Unknowingly at the time). Not one I would want to see again.
 
Aragorn said:
Indeed. I'm too young to remember him but I made the mistake of watching that race (Unknowingly at the time). Not one I would want to see again.
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all the videos are on the post about him Aragorn

that race though shows just how good he could have been

if you do watch it its pretty clear he would won easily..he was cantering all over NN ...and SP was eventually all out to catch NN..think GC could have won that by 5 or 6..which at the time would have been thought impossible for a novice to do to such stalwarts as NN & SP

but for that fall we may have seen probably some of the greatest Champion Hurdles ever over the next 3 seasons..they were pretty good anyway...scary to think how good he would have become though
 
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PERSIAN WAR​

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]from famousracehorses.co.uk[/FONT]​

​
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]by Tony Ward[/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Broken teeth, knocked unconscious, severe illness, fractured femur, leg injury, endless campaigns, inconsiderate owner - the courageous story of Persian War - winner of three Champion Hurdles.[/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Persian War, by Persian Gulf out of the Chanteur II mare, Warning, started his racing life on the flat. He was trained by Dick Hern and carried the colours of his breeder Jakie Astor in his first two seasons, when he won two small staying races in the autumn of his three year old days.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]He was bought as a potential hurdler by David Leyland-Naylor after that and sent to Tom Masson at Lewes, where he soon showed he was a cut above the average juvenile.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Masson thought a great deal of the big dark bay horse and actually backed him to win the 1967 Champion Hurdle as a four year old, a feat not achieved since Forestation did it in 1942.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Persian War was badly baulked by the eventual winner Capablanca in his first venture over timber and did well to recover and finish second. He then chalked up three on the trot, almost literally, and it was the last of these wins that sealed his fate. It was the televised Kintbury Hurdle at Newbury, which Persian War, ridden by Bunny Hicks, won by eight lengths. He was spotted by Henry Alper, a businessman who was considering buying a racehorse. He set his heart on the brilliant youngster he had seen on the screen. Alper had to go to more than £9000 to get the horse from Masson and his owner. It was a record for a hurdler at the time and turned out to be a bargain.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Alper sent his new aquisition to Brian Swift, who had just set up his own yard at Epsom. He got part of the purchase price back a week later when Persian War, ridden by jimmy Uttley, won the Chalow Hurdle at Newbury. The four year old, on Swift's advice, missed the festival and went for his own age group's championship, the Triumph Hurdle,, then run at the April meeting. His last run before Cheltenham was the Friary Meux Gold Cup Hurdle at Kempton, and here Persian War encountered the first of many mishaps that were to pepper his career. He hit the sixth hurdle hard and could only finish third to Acrania and Te Fou. On his return to the saddling enclosure he had blood pouring from his mouth and it was discovered that he had bitten through his tongue and knocked two teeth out.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]He soon recovered and five weeks later at Cheltenham went ahead approaching the last and came up the hill strongly enough to hold off the fast finishing Te Fou. He deserved a rest and that summer he got one. His only objective was the Champion and when he won the the Wyld Court Hurdle at Newbury by 25 lengths, it seemed only a matter of getting him to the post to collect.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But Persian War attracted more than his share of accident and illness. A week after Newbury it was decided to send him to Cheltenham to pick up the Lansdown Hurdle prize money, a formality on paper. It was an evil day with rain lashing and wind howling. The day's misery was completed when Persian War slipped going into the second last, hit the top bar with his head and knocked himself out. He lay there in the mud for several minutes and those in the stands feared the worst. But happily no lasting damage was sustained.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]There was another cloud on the horizon, A foot-and-mouth outbreak in Britain stopped racing and Alper decided it would be a good idea for his horse to be shipped over to France. Swift, with the horse's welfare and future at heart did not agree. Persian War was moved and sent to a little known trainer at Chantilly. He there contracted a severe internal chill and was in a sorry state when sent back to England, or rather Wales, by the picked by by Alper as his new trainer, Colin Davies.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It was with Davies, a shrewd and articulate trainer and businessman, that the horse truly showed his quality. He recovered from his illness quickly, he was an exceptionally tough horse, physically and mentally. He ran two fine seconds under big weights within a week at the end of January 1968.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]He was entered in the Schweppes as part of the build up to Cheltenham and Davies would have happy with finishing in the first three. He carried 11st 13lb and gave what was arguably the best performance of his career that day. There were 33 runners, the most that there had been in the races 16 runnings. They included top-class handicappers like Sempervivum, Stubbs II, Kirriemuir, Hill House, Louis Boy and Black Justice.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The betting concerned only Persian War and Major Rose, a six year old trained by Ryan Price who had won four out of five Schweppes so far. He would have won his fifth without Persian War around. Major Rose ran a fine race and tackled Persian War at the last. The pair duelled to the line but it was the younger horse who was the stronger, sticking his head out to score by half a length. He was giving Major Rose 5lbs and set a weight carrying record.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Incredibly, he did not start favourite for the Champion, that privilege went to Tom Jones's lightly raced Chorus II, winner of the Ackerman Skeaping at Sandown, but the issue was never in doubt from the moment Persian War took the lead two from home. He won by a long looking four lengths.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The going that day was firm. When he won his second title the following year it was heavy and in the hat-trick year, 1970, it was good to yielding, proof that he could operate in the highest class in any conditions.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But each time it had been a hard road, and on occasions, harder than necessary. His owner insisted in racing him in France in the summer, which would have been fine if the horse had a rest afterwards. But he also wanted to campaign Persian War on the Flat in the Autumn, which meant he never got the break he deserved.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]At the start of the 1968-1969 season he got the break he didn't deserve. Running in a minor event at Worcester he slipped and fell on the flat. When he got up he was badly lame and it transpired that he had fractured his femur and chipped a piece of bone off the end.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But true to form, he bounced back to take his second title at Cheltenham.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In his third Championship year his wind had begun to go. The courageous horse won only once that season, but it was the one that mattered.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]After that season Alper took his horse away from Davies, who had served him well, after a disagreement over the sale of another horse in Davies's yard. Persian War, then coming eight was sent to Arthur Pitt.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Persian War's health jinx struck again when he had to have a tooth removed and lost gallons of blood during the operation. The skilful Pitt got him back on the road and won the 1970 Sweeps Hurdle at Fairyhouse with him. The horse carried top weight to victory. He made a gallant bid for a four timer at Cheltenham but had to give best, by four lengths, to the new young star, Bula. He did put his old rival Major Rose in his place once more, though.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The old horse's last race that season was the Scottish Champion Hurdle, where he was unplaced and clearly on the downgrade. Any caring owner would surely retired him at that point. But Alper changed his home again, sending him to Dennis Rayson's little yard at Exning, outside Newmarket. It was for Rayson, that we won his last and 18th race, the Latecomers Hurdle at Stratford in June 1972 a race worth £374. It was heartbreaking to see the old champion reduced to beating nonentities. His last race was back at Cheltenham when he finished second last in the Broadway Hurdle in January.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The crunch with Rayson came shortly afterwards. Alper hit on the bright idea of schooling the old horse over fences. Rayson refused and Persian War was sent to Jack Gibson near Cheltenham. Mercifully, perhaps, Persian War hurt a leg shortly afterwards, not seriously, but enough to keep him out of training for the rest of that season. He did come back enough to go back into work and was even being prepared for another tilt at the Festival, the County Hurdle being the nominated race, but bruised a leg on the eve of it and at last Alper announced the champions retirement.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Eventually, Alper was talked out of such plans and Persian War went to his final home, with former Royal jockey Harry Carr at the Genesis Green Stud at Wickham Brook, just outside Newmarket. He lived there for ten happy and at last, dignified years. Finally his old legs began to go and he found it difficult to get up and down. He was peacefully put down before the winter began.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In his seven year jumping career he had no fewer than six trainers. He was the ultimate champion and had he been in the ownership of a more knowledgeable racing man, could have achieved even greater heights.[/FONT]

1968 Champion Hurdle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eev5QAkEhF4

1969 Champion Hurdle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nPKjQxn0lg

1970 Champion Hurdle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLKepud6fQQ&feature=related

1971 Champion Hurdle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khCX4QL4k48
 
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Nickname 'Lucky'? Poor dear, he really lived up to part of his name by being in the wars so much. So interesting to hear of recalcitrant owners or bolshie trainers as the back story to these horses' careers, too.
 
Aragorn said:
Indeed. I'm too young to remember him but I made the mistake of watching that race (Unknowingly at the time). Not one I would want to see again.
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It broke my heart, that's for sure... I loved Night Nurse, but Golden Cygnet was spellbinding.
 
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