What was or is your favourite horse. Put it into categories
Best championship horse
Best handicapper
Best hurdler
Best chaser
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What was or is your favourite horse. Put it into categories
Best championship horse
Best handicapper
Best hurdler
Best chaser
For me itsQuote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
barathea. Just oozed class and took on the best
Lochsong was brilliant in handicaps. She went onto better things, but so was lightning quick
istabraq. Brilliant horse, but a mention has to go to quevega
desert orchid was such a brilliant horse.
My favourite horse of all time though was sunny bay, he was a nearly horse, but few could match his consistency.
Kauto Star - On his day he was frighteningly good. His sense of vulnerability just added to his brilliance imo.
Desert Orchid - His ability to go from Group 1s to lugging huge weights was outstanding. He won the Clarence House in 1989 giving 22 and 23 pounds to his 2 nearest rivals, won the Racing Post Chase carrying 12st3lbs and the Irish National by 12 lengths whilst carrying 12st. The Gainsborough Chase was won 3 years out of 4 carrying 11-10 once and 12st twice. Probably bending the rules slightly here as he was obviously a great championship horse as well but some of his handicap performances really stand out.
Istabraq - Pure class and but for the foot and mouth outbreak would have got 4 Champion Hurdles in a row. He's still living happily on JPs farm at the grand ages of 25.
I've already named 2 chasers and either of them would be up there but 2 others spring to mind. Firstly Many Clouds. He was a stunning horse to look at. A proper old fashioned Irish bred chaser. Bought for €6000 he more than repaid that. Another who could jump from group races to handicaps with ease. A Hennessey in the bag and a national under the heaviest weight since Red Rum and in the 2nd fastest time ever. He was this years Gold Cup winner in waiting imo as he looked better than ever this season. A sad loss to racing. Secondly Royal Athelete. Quirky as they come but a serious talent when he decided he fancied it. Got his day in the sun in the 95 National.
Interesting question LB, I have/had favourite horses in all those catagories, but they weren't necessarily the best ever. I suppose it's all about opinions.Quote:
Originally Posted by lord bunberry
1. Championship Horse.
There's 2 that I find hard to split. See The Stars was a horse I always liked a lot. To win the premier races over different distances, in different countries, culminating in a brilliant display in the Arc. No Coolmore or Sheikh Mohammed owned horse was able to find a way to beat him. The other would be Secretariat who is IMO one of the greatest horses ever to race on the flat. A majestic winner of the Triple Crown, as he stepped up in distance his form just got better and better. This was exemplified by his performance in the Belmont Stakes, the last leg of the Triple Crown, where his time splits got faster as the race progressed. The record still stands to this day. Awesome horse also known as 'Big Red.'
2. Handicapper.
Like you I was a great fan of Lochsong. A brilliant mare, who was able to carry big weights and still win comfortably. Top class. My personal favourite was Rambo's Hall, who won 2 Cambridgeshires, each time I made a lot of money out of it.
3. Hurdler.
My personal favourite was Alderbrook, a good horse on the flat and a top class hurdler. I still think he should have won more races but Dunwoody made tactical errors in some of his races. Brilliant horse on his day though. Morley Street was another excellent horse on his day but also falls into the catagory of 'enigmatic.'
4.
Chaser.
This depends on what distance. If it's 2 mile chasers, IMO it's difficult to split Moscow Flyer and Sprinter Sacre, both virtually unbeatable on their day. It doesn't get any easier with 3 mile chasers. Dessie was brilliant, always loved watching him. I had a really petty attitude with Kauto Star, I never really forgave him for being beaten as a short price favourite in a novice hurdle on his first visit to the Cheltenham Festival as I'd put loads on him that day. Still a brilliant horse on his day though. Coneygree's right up there as a novice winning the Gold Cup against a good field, but if you had to pin me down I'd say Master Oats, who in that year that he won the Gold Cup was imperious. That Cheltenham festival, 1995, was where I made a large amount of money and had more winners than I've ever had before or after, so I've always had a soft spot for him.
Brilliant question.
Championship Horse.
Dancing Brave. Just phenomenal. Terrible ride in Derby and still nearly done it. Gears over 1m and 1.5m.
Handicapper.
Waajib. Classy high class handicapper who eventually won group races. My favourite horse. Won inaugural running of Schweppes Golen Mile at Glorious Goodwood.
Hurdler.
Limestone Lad. Bit softer and may have won a couple of stayers. 100% genuine and consistent.
Chaser.
Sprinter Sacre. At his peak absolutely unbeatable and flamboyant with it too.
Kauto Star - Albeit I am more of a flat fan, Kauto is the horse that got me properly into horse-racing. Always look back to that first Gold Cup win, and the way he just glided round the outside on the bend. I've referenced that a few times when talking of my love for the horse/sport. The best example you could hope to get of a "class" horse.
Handicapper is a little tougher. I'll throw Arab Dawn in as a favourite of mine - basically because I was on fairly large when it won the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Ascot 2015, was a nice price and one of my best displays of form reading that I recall. (I couldn't claim to be a flat fan and then choose all NH horses :greengrin)
Big Bucks - Machine that made the World Hurdle his own for a few years. Another of Nicholls' superstars whose appearance was timed nicely towards the end of Kauto's cheltenham chasing reign.
Obviously Kauto goes down as my favourite Chaser but have to give a mention to Sprinter Sacre also - possibly the most impressive chasing performance I've ever seen when winning the arkle.
Phew... might be time for a bet on York now :greengrin