In Memory of (cont.)

Town Crier

A real old favourite, and a desperate start to the new NH-season 2006/07, even before it got into full swing. Trevor Hemmings old stalwart was always plagued with niggling problems, so had very few miles on the clock for an 11-year-old, and he retained all his zest and sparkle until the very end when he fell 3 out in a Hurdle Race at Aintree, Oct. 21st. Town Crier is very sorely missed.

Claymore

Sadly Hennessy-Day 2006 saw the tragic demise of Oliver Sherwoods stable stalwart Claymore, who died when getting the third last fence all wrong, taking a sickening fall from which he would never get up again. Never one for the really big stage, Claymore nonetheless won his fair share of races, clearly indicated by over 100,000 pounds won in prizemoney. He will be sadly missed!

Geos

Nicky Henderson and Geos,
photo courtesy to Racing-Post

Jump Racing lost two proper stars in quick succession when Geos fell fatally in a p2p on sunday, jan.7th, and grand old Hello Dandy had to be put down due to old age monday, jan. 8th.
GEOS was very special to my heart, not only because I backed him when he was 16-1 and a nose better than old star Rooster Booster in the Tote Gold Trophy in Newbury, admittingly receiving lumps of weight though. Born in 1995, he joined Nicky Henderson´s yard in 1999, and wasted no time in proving himself a real stalwart. His first outing for the new yard was a win, and really Geos never looked back after. In all he started 44 times, winning 10 and being placed 13 times, he mixed hurdles and chases, even though he was always better over the smaller obstacles.
It sounds macabre and I am sad to report that the larger one´s did prove his undoing; as said, Geos fell when travelling strongly in p2p, carrying Nicky Henderson´s daughter. While she broke her collarbone, Geos sadly broke his shoulder and had to be destroyed. I will forever recall the final surge of rare speed that carried him from mid-field to the top of affairs in a few strides in Newbury, feb. 14th 2004, almost 3 years ago now. Geos´ star shone bright that day, and that is how we must remember him.
RIP, old boy.
From the Racing-Post:
"NICKY HENDERSON paid a glowing tribute to Geos, the former high-class chaser and hurdler who was destroyed after breaking a shoulder in a fall at the water jump in a point-to-point yesterday at Tweseldown in Hampshire, writes Rodney Masters.
The Lambourn trainer's daughter Camilla, who won a point-to-point on Geos last spring, broke a collarbone in the fall, which happened when they were clear and travelling strongly in the novice riders' race at the Staff College and RMA Sandhurst Draghounds meeting.
The 12-year-old had ended active service under rules in the spring of 2005, but was thoroughly enjoying himself in a second career as a hunter and pointto- pointer. He had qualified with the Beaufort Hunt for this season.
Henderson said yesterday: "Geos was a true friend and this is a very sad day.
It was obvious to everyone who saw him race that he was loving the experience of point-to-pointing, so at least we can say that he died doing something he enjoyed. He was a terrific horse for us over so many years."
Geos will be remembered as one of the most talented to mix hurdling and chasing at the highest level. Apart from wins in the Christmas Hurdle, Bula Hurdle and Castleford Chase, his most striking achievement was a dual success, four years apart, in Newbury's Tote Gold Trophy. The first win in that tough handicap came in 2000 when he overwhelmed Copeland by ten lengths, and in 2004 he nailed Rooster Booster on the line.
When Geos was retired from the racecourse in 2005, Mick Fitzgerald described his as "a legend of a horse".
He added: "Very few manage to achieve so much in Graded races mixing fences and hurdles. Apart from a superb win record he was fourth in both a Champion Hurdle and a Champion Chase. He always gave his best, and such a record is a tribute to both horse and trainer."

Hello Dandy

Hello Dandy, painted by artist Jaki Houston

Jaki´s homepage

One race in the british calendar is more a spectacle than a mere horse-race, and when I name The Chair, Becher´s Brook or the Canal Turn, you know I am talking about the Grand National. 4 1/2 gruelling miles and 30 demanding fences ask their all from horse and jockey, and even though every horse who successfully negotiates the course is a winner, the one horse that is in front at the finishing line each year is a star, treated as one and rightly so. Every year Aintree Racecourse invites previous winners for their "Parade of Champions", a wonderful and heartwarming experience for all involved, even if one is just looking on from the fence. Hello Dandy, who won the monstre race in 1984 was a regular at that parade, and we were lucky enough to see him at his last appearance in 2005, aged 31. Failing health meant he was unable to attend in 2006, and now the sad news reached us that Hello Dandy had to be put to sleep, as the 33 years of life finally caught up with him. The Racing-Post paid wonderful tribute to him, and here is their text:

" HALLO DANDY, the oldest surviving Grand National winner, who was in a poor condition when rescued and sent to the Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre in November 1994, was put down there on Monday on the advice of vets, having just turned 33 years old.

Over a period of more than 12 years with the Lancashire-based TRC, first at its original home at Nateby, near Preston, and then for 16 months at new premises on the outskirts of Halton, near Lancaster, Hallo Dandy became a flag bearer for the organisation run by Carrie Humble.
The story of his rescue from appalling conditions and near-death raised lasting interest in the Aintree winner, who in 1984, the year the race was reduced to a maximum 40-runner field, beat Greasepaint by four lengths, despite finishing on the stands’ rails, with the 1983 winner Corbiere a length and a half away third.
Trained by Gordon Richards in Cumbria and ridden by stable jockey Neale Doughty, Hallo Dandy was hunted round on the wide outside for a circuit and half, before making up ground from four out. The previous year the partnership had been more prominent and finished fourth.
Doughty said on Monday: “He was a fantastically genuine old horse, as most Grand National winners are, and he was a brilliant jumper. I think the year he won was one of the first when aerial shots of the race were shown on TV, and some of the leaps he put in were absolutely spectacular. He was just a wonderful old lad.”
Hallo Dandy went back to Aintree in 1985, and fell at the first. He returned in 1986 at the age of 12, having won his previous race at Ayr, but the spark had gone and he was tailed off throughout.
Promptly retired by owner Richard Shaw, who described himself as “the luckiest man alive” after the 1984 National, since this was his first horse in training, Hallo Dandy was leased to Tory peer the Earl of Onslow, who hunted him for eight years with the Fernie in Surrey.
It was from Lord Onslow’s estate at Clandon Park, near Guildford, where Hallo Dandy had been turned out, that he was taken in controversial circumstances into the care of Humble and her staff at the TRC. Then 20, he was - in Humble’s words at the time - in “a distressing condition.”
She commented that his back was covered in rain-scald blisters, usually caused by being exposed to heavy rain; he was lacking in condition and appeared undernourished, and his teeth needed urgent treatment.

Lord Onslow, who admitted that Hallo Dandy had become thin but said his condition had deteriorated inexplicably and denied accusations of neglect, had decided the gelding should be put down.

However, when approached with the news, owner Shaw, who was to die only a year later, decided otherwise, and he arranged for Hallo Dandy to be sent to the TRC.
Humble said on Monday: “When I was offered him I didn’t think he’d survive, but he was a tough old character, and the last 12 years of his life have been bliss.
“It’s been a huge privilege to have him around. I never thought I’d deal with a horse like him - a proper chaser, an example of what an old-style chaser should be.
“As we trade bone and stamina for speed, and let temperament take a back seat, these old-fashioned chasers are fast disappearing.
“I’ll never know another horse like Dan, and a bit of my soul has gone with him.”
Gordon Richards’ son Nicky took up Humble’s point, saying, “He was probably one of the last proper, old-fashioned staying chasers that won the National. He was a great jumper with a temperament to match, and a smashing horse to have around the place.
“He has had a very good home at Carrie Humble’s centre, where he has been really well looked after, and he had a lovely retirement.”
Doughty, who visited Hallo Dandy at the TRC last summer with Gordon Richards’ brother Tom, also praised Humble and her staff, saying: “He was a credit to Carrie and her team, and if Gordon had been alive to see him in those latter years, I’m sure he would have said the same.”

Barbaro

2006 Kentucky Derby Winner Barbaro loses his well-publicised battle for life after the horrific injury he sustained to his hind leg in the 2006 Preakness Stakes. After the team around him fought in vain for 8 months for his life, the sensible decision to put Barbaro to sleep had to be made, and was made so he would not have to suffer. RIP, Barbaro!

Venn Ottery

While sadness is the main feeling when having to say a last goodbye to an equine friend, in Venn Ottery´s case there is an overriding feeling of anger and frustration when thinking about the death of this old stalward. I can clearly recall the first time I saw him in a race, albeit on the television screen only, when an unruly brown beast set off at a hundred miles an hour and duly took a crashing sommersault-turned-fall at the first fence. I thought the horse was dead and we would never hear about this one again, but hear and read about him we did: his many luckless performances, always at too high a level, for an owner who clearly had lost all common sense, his highly publicised switch first to trainer Paul Nicholls, in whose knowing hands his rise to fame was quite spectactular, to Martin Pipe and back into obscurity, to a point when poor Venn Ottery was not even able to finish a point-to-point anymore.
I was present for his very last race, and even though it sounds ridiculously melodramatic, for his very last hours in his life, and saw a dead horse in the parade-ring before he even raced. It was a shame that he was asked to compete at that level in Newbury, and the state he was presented in was a disgrace to all involved.
In what is a rough and tough game, horses are cleary just at the mercy of greedy or un-understanding and stubborn owners, and there seems to be no safety-net for some.
Sadly Venn Ottery paid the ultimate price on saturday, and he leaves his fans heartbroken.
RIP, old friend.

Truckers Tavern

It is with a very sad heart that I have to add the lastest name to this thread, a thread I really would love never to add a name at all: Old favourite TRUCKERS TAVERN collapsed and died when contesting the marathon Eider Chase (Newc., Feb 24th) in gruelling conditions, conditions with which his 12-year-old, battlehardened heart could not cope anymore. An old stalwart and huge public favourite, Truckers seemed to have been around forever, and he clearly was a regular in all the high-class staying chases, culminating in a fine 2nd to Best Mate in the 2003 Cheltenham Gold Cup, a course he was not really lucky at otherwise. Truckers was not one for the big wins, but you could rely on him always giving his best, and always running on at the end.
From 34 lifetime starts, Truckers Tavern won 6 races and was placed an additional 10 times, earning a huge 248,678 GBP in total prize money.
Truckers jumped with much zest and enthusiam in his very last race on earth, in fact I said to myself:"Look at the old boy, he is still enjoying it so much!" Truckers vanished from the screen quickly once the horses turned for home after about 30 long furlongs in Newcastle´s mud, and news that he collapsed from a suspected heart-attack were subsequently published.
A very sad day for racing indeed, and Truckers Tavern will be much missed.

From the Racingpost:
TRUCKERS TAVERN, one of the most popular and best known staying chasers in Britain, and runner-up to Best Mate in the 2003 Cheltenham Gold Cup, collapsed and died in the Eider Chase.
After racing with relish up among the leaders, the 12-year-old lost his place roundingthe final turn until being pulled up by David O’Meara before the third-last fence. Within seconds, the popular chase had collapsed and died.
“I realised something was wrong and got off him at the trot,” said O’Meara.
“It’s a great shame for something like that to happen to such an old gent. He was such an enthusiastic horse, it was probably his enthusiasm which proved his downfall.”
Truckers Tavern, who was owned by Mr and Mrs Ray Scholey, was trained by Sue Smith, and had previously been with Ferdy Murphy.
“I’d never seen him race any better or jump any better,” said Smith.
“He’s been a good horse all his life, from day one, and he was a racehorse right to the end. It’s very sad.”
Winner of six of his 34 races, Truckers Tavern gained his biggest successes in the 2003 Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock, and the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby the following year.
Truckers Tavern was not the only fatality in Saturday’s feature race at Newcastle.
Top weight Lordofourown, fourth in the Welsh Grand National on his latest outing for Shane Donohoe, who trains in County Cavan, broke a leg on the home turn.

Nil Desperandum

The tough, gutsy and classy Nil Desperandum died on the battlefield of racing, on march 17th, just one day after the Gold Cup, in Uttoxeter´s gruelling Midlands Grand National, to be honest a rather unsuitable Grand National trial. Nil Des was favourite for the Aintree Showpiece at the time of his accident; a broken pastern meant a cruel blow for all connections.

__________________________________________________

After a relativly "quiet" Cheltenham that luckily saw "only" two horses losing their lives, National Hunt Racing was hit at his hardest when 4 horses died on one day´s racing in Wincanton, on march the 19th, and the same number lost their live in Plumpton, on an ordinary´s day racing march 26th. AnimalRights activists are quick to blame racing in total, rubbish of course, but one must never forget that we do deal with a living creature, and every death is clearly one too many.

From the Racing Post:
Horse Racing: Four horses killed and rider in hospital after day of carnage
WINCANTON
Published: 20/03/2007 (Sport) by Andrew King
THREE trainers left the Somerset course with winners but finished the day mourning the tragic loss of horses on a day marred by four equine fatalities.
Bob Buckler saddled He's The Gaffer to comfortably land the 2m5f handicap chase under Robert Thornton, but the victory was spoilt by the news that Warlord had lost his battle to recover after a heavy fall three out in the earlier novice hurdle.
The Dorset trainer said: "We had to have Warlord put down as we had given him as much time as possible under sedation but there was nothing else to be done - he had broken a bone in his neck and could not get up."
Also injured in the melee was Stars In His Eyes, who sustained a dislocated hind fetlock and had to be put down.
His rider, Jay Harris, was treated by racecourse medics and was later taken to Yeovil General Hospital for further examination as he was found to have an injured abdomen and facial injuries.
Nigel Hawke, trainer of Stars In His Eyes, reported Harris to be battered and bruised but otherwise okay. A spokeswoman later reported Harris to be conscious and in a stable condition.
Nougat De L'Isle missed all the mayhem as he was in front at the time and came home in front from Nudge And Nurdle.
Nigel Twiston-Davies had started the afternoon in grand style when Rowdy Yeats and Tom Scudamore made every yard of the running to lift the 2m handicap chase. Things turned sour for trainer and jockey, though, when Priests Bridge, having her first outing for 1,283 days, came down at the second fence of the novice chase and died instantly from a broken neck.
The race went to the Jim Oldtrained Thedreamstillalive, for whom the winning handler said: "He has had problems with his breathing but underwent an operation, and our recent run has been very good but it's probably too little too late even by my standards as the season ends in a few weeks."
Charlie Longsdon's Neysauteur was 9-2 favourite for the race won by He's The Gaffer, but he fractured a fetlock on the far side of the track and had to be destroyed.
Earlier, the trainer's fortunes had been better as Royal Katidoki switched back to hurdles for the 2m6f handicap and ran out the winner from Norton Sapphire.

Ladalko

(taken from the Famous Racehorses-homepage-
words + Photo: Carol Marrison)

Sire:Kadalko
Dam:Debandade
Foaled:21 st April 1999 Trainer:Paul Nicholls
Owners : Mrs M Findlay & Mr Paul Barber

Ladalko (or Laddie to those who loved & cared for him) spent his career in a stable of superstars, but he managed to stand out because of his dark good looks & great personality.

Whilst undoubtedly talented, he was also quirky & even his most devoted of fans would have to admit he could not compete with stable companions of the likes of Denman & Kauto Star in the jumping stakes.
However, Laddie stole many a heart with his distinctive long face & big donkey ears, whether peering over the door of his stable, looking slightly bemused or bobbing happily away at the racecourse.

He was placed in 16 of his 24 starts, winning 5 & probably his greatest hour was being beaten a short head by Run for Paddy in the 2006 Scottish National.

Ladalko's last win was at Warwick on 13 th January 2007 , when he beat Mon Mome by a convincing 4 lengths. He had a preference for left handed tracks & that day everything just seemed to fall into place. His jumping was a joy to behold & he was cheered all the way into the winners' enclosure.

Sadly, he suffered a pelvic injury during his next race at Uttoxeter on 17 th March 2007 . Although originally thought to be not too serious, he did not recover & died a few weeks later.
His was a career cut tragically short, a horse lost in his prime. Although not one of jump racings' superstars, Ladalko was a much loved character who had many fans. We will all miss you.
Sleep well sweet Laddie.

Rasharrow

The new season -and the dreaded Summer-Jumping- has just started and yet we already lost a real Star of the game: The wonderful RASHARROW from Lenny Lungo´s yard fell and died in action in Kelso, May 8th 2007. Potentially the best horse Lungo ever trained (his words), Rasharrow was always looked after and never over-done - he arrived on the scene with a breathtaking Bumper-performance when running a certain Lennon ragged in his very first race back in Nov. 04, then finishing a fine 3rd in the Champion-Bumper in Cheltenham, behind the equally ill-fated Missed That, who died on the Galopps last year. 15 lifetime starts resulted in 6 wins, and as Rasharrow was only 8 when he died one is left rueing what more there would have been to come.
Rasharrow is much missed by his connections - and us.

George Washington

Its hard to find the right words for "Gorgeous George" tragic and very sad demise in the Breeders Cup Classic, held in Monmouth Park on Oct. 27th. Never out of the media spotlight George Washingtons extraordinary career on and off the racetrack, incl. his unsuccessful stint to the breeding-shed, made one thing clear: George had a larger-than-life personality and did things his own way. His brilliance came in a package with his quirks, and we, the public, loved him dearly for it; he clearly was not every punters dream though. His death on one of the biggest days in worldwide racing (held on one of the worst tracks we have seen so far - it was a disgrace that racing went ahead on such a bog) was naturally front-news too, and it is with a very sad heart that we have to add him to this page. George touched us like rarely a horse has touched us before, and he will be very much missed and never forgotten. George leaves behind a reported 6 foals, and we pray dearly that one or two will make it to the track - but they will never ever replace their glorious father.
Rest in peace, George; we might never have been able to fully understand you.

Granit Jack

The sky would have been the limit for this immensely talented young grey chaser in the colours of One Man; and while One Man chose Cheltenham for his finest ever hour on a racetrack, Granit Jack, on his second visit to the Cotswolds track, met his tragic fate there. Jumping with perfection and zest in the Paddy Power Gold Cup (17th of nov 07), for which he started favourite, he fell on landing at the third last fence and was killed instantly.
A black day for Paul Nicholls, who had already lost Willyanwoody in an earlier race.
Another flying grey gone, and he will be terribly missed.

Detroit City

Another young and talented grey died in the battlefield of racing when the 5-year-old Detroit City fell for the first time in his life, on his comeback mission from some below-par performances last season. After an amazing sequence of 8 wins from Jan 06 - Feb 07 when among others he slaughtered a good field in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham and added a Ceasarewich in Newmarkets Headquarters of racing, things went slightly detoriated at the end of the 06/07 season. Detroit City contested todays (24/11/07) Ascot Hurlde against Afsoun and Hardy Eustace where he fell at the second flight. A wonderful tough and durable performer, many took Detroit, who shared coat-colour and his silks with the equally unforgettable Rooster Booster, to their heart, and Racing can ill afford to lose one like him. He will be sorley missed.
Rest in peace, Detroit!

from www.racingpost.co.uk:
DETROIT CITY became the second high-profile fatality within a week when the Philip Hobbs-trained grey tragically suffered a bad fall at Ascot.

Owned by Terry Warner, the five-year-old was bidding to redeem a tarnished reputation after disappointing in the Champion Hurdle and at Aintree at the end of last season.

Detroit City had previously won eight straight races, including the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle and Boylesports International, as well as the Cesarewitch on the Flat.
Partnered by Richard Johnson, he made a slight error at the first flight of hurdles before taking a crashing fall at the second.

Detroit City's untimely end meant racegoers endured another bad loss for the second consecutive weekend after Granit Jack died in the Paddy Power Gold Cup seven days ago.

Macs Joy

from www.sportinglife.co.uk - 16/12/07

Barry Geraghty paid tribute to a "great servant" after Macs Joy lost his life when breaking down in the Boylesports.com International Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Jessica Harrington's eight-year-old formed part a holy trinity of hurdlers alongside Irish compatriots Brave Inca and Hardy Eustace, and fought out many memorable finishes with the duo.
Only a short head and a head separated the trio in the 2005 Irish Champion Hurdle, with Macs Joy gaining the upper hand - forming one of his nine career wins from 30 starts. He also finished runner-up to Brave Inca in the 2006 Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle with Hardy Eustace third.
The three-times Grade One winner had been a popular choice for what proved to be his final outing and he was backed into 7-2 favouritism alongside last season's Champion Hurdle hero Sublimity.
But having travelled sweetly he broke down badly before the third-last flight and was pulled up by Geraghty, before being put down after a broken tibia was diagnosed.
Geraghty said: "It is a desperate pity as he was a great servant and a great horse in his own right.
"He had felt fine all of the way, but I then felt him lose his action behind.
"Jessie is upset at losing such a good horse. He has been with her for the past five seasons and has won plenty of top-class races.
"Winning the AIG Champion Hurdle in Leopardstown when he beat Brave Inca and Hardy Eustace, and when he was second to Brave Inca in the 2006 Champion Hurdle were probably my two favourite memories.
"He was a pleasure to ride. He was easy to settle, jumped brilliantly and I always enjoyed riding him."
Clerk of the course Simon Claisse confirmed: "He broke a tibia, which is a bone above the hock, and was put down immediately."

Iktitaf

from www.racingpost.co.uk 17/12/07:

IKTITAF, who started the season as a leading contender for Champion Hurdle honours before his career was ended by a serious tendon injury last month, has had to be put down after complications set in and his injured near-fore leg became infected.
Trainer Noel Meade said yesterday: "Unfortunately, we had to have Iktitaf put down today. He had surgery for his badly injured tendon last month and it was touch and go whether he could be saved.
"We knew his racing career was over and it was a case of just hoping he would recover enough to enjoy his retirement.
However, the wound became infected and we had no option but to have him put down.
"It's most unfortunate as he was a very good horse and a great servant to the yard. We were really looking forward to this season with him."
The six-year-old won seven of his 15 races over hurdles for owner Pat Sloan and achieved three successes at Grade 1 level.
He won the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairy house in December 2005 and, after being forced by a setback to miss the Cheltenham Festival, wound up that season by landing the VC Bet Champion Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival.
His third Grade 1 victory came in the Maplewood Developments Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown in November 2006 and he was being prepared for last month's renewal of that race when he sustained a bad injury after schooling over four hurdles at Meade's training base near Navan.
On his only run in the Champion Hurdle, Iktitaf was still in contention when falling three out at Cheltenham in March.
Bred by Shadwell Estates, he won a 1m2f three-year-old maiden at Chester in 2004 for Sheikh Mohammed and John Gosden and, after being sold for 85,000gns at the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sales later that year, joined Meade.
He won last year's Irish Cesarewitch under Pat Smullen before reverting to hurdles and running up a hat-trick of wins.
He then finished second to Brave Inca in the Bewleys hotels.com December Festival Hurdle at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting.
On what proved to be his final start, Iktitaf finished sixth behind Silent Oscar in the ACC Bank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown in April and subsequently underwent a wind operation.

Our Ben

Our Ben in Cheltenham, 2006
photo: Tracy Roberts, Turfpix
with many thanks

Gentle giant Our Ben tragically was the first equine fatallity in 2008. A thoroughly reliable horse, just short of top class but all heart and always giving is all, Ben had won 7 races for his owner Trevor Hemmings, in fact he was looking for a hattrick of wins when attending a Listed Race in Tramore on the 1st of jan. Still in contention, but under pressure, Ben fell at the second-last, and was killed instantly. We will not forget him.

Flying Instructor

grey gelding, *26/04/90 Neltino-Flying Mistress

from his trainers website (www.paulwebberracing.com):

"...All these lovely prospects used to be carefully watched on the gallops by not only the trainer but his truely remarkable hack, FLYING INSTRUCTOR OR "BUGSY" as he was known to many.
This horse ran 64 times, won 14 and was placed on about another 35 times, but the most important statistic was that he tried his heart out 64 times. He may not have been the very best, but he was the bravest, kindest and most honest horse to look through a bridle. He won at the age of fourteen and loved every minute of every day whether racing, training, in the field or just being ridden around the farm by the tens of people who were lucky enough to sit on him. "BUGSY" suddenly didn't look himself about two months ago and cancers quickly spread. He still greeted everybody lovingly but his physical vigour diminished too quickly. He ment so much, the last horse that both my father and i trained. Watching him gallop towards the third last, looking flat out, then magically 'pricking' his black-looking ears was a wonderful sight, because you knew 'BUGSY' had something left and was about to deliver it. 'BUGSY' and Jimmy McCarthy were the first combination to carry the 'jockeycam' to victory at Aintree in 1999 and that recording should be part of every racing academy syllabus. His last thought was gazing across the farm he loved, munching grass and being held by his trainer, who was completely in awe of him."

I will never forget this wonderful grey, one of my first real loves in the game. Sleep well, old boy.

Green Belt Flyer

Another name we add with a very sad heart; Green Belt Flyer died instantly in Fontwell, sunday 24th of Febb. 08, when still in the lead at the final fence in the Hunter Chase. A fine servant for Venetia Williams´ yard Flyer alway tried his hardest, and only on his previous run had given his young rider Mr. Biddick a fairytale win against Cornish Rebel.
Green Belt Flyer was another horse who paid the ultimate price for our game, and he will be sadly missed.

The Grey Berry

We mourn the death of The Grey Berry, who, only four, has been put down at Philip Hobbs yard yesterday (04.03.08). We noted this tough little lanky fellow in one of his flat races in 2007; he won four that season and always fought for every meter. His physics wouldn´t make him a natural jumper, so we were amazed when The Grey Berry made headlines for changing hands for 340,000 gns at the Newmarket Autumn Sales last season, to join Philip Hobbs yard as just that, a jumping prospect. It was class and courage rather than talent that saw this fine horse through the three races he was to contest in this sphere. He won on his hurdling debut, and as a "thank you" had to run again very shortly after, and failed badly. He performed much better in his last race (sunday 02.03.08, the Racing Post noted:
"The Grey Berry had found the ground too soft here on his last visit to the course and put in a much better effort on his return. However, having come through to lead after two out he was soon reeled in by the winner and it transpired he had suffered a significant injury."),
and sadly the "significant injury" claimed his young life just two days later.

McKelvey

McKelvey going down to the start, only minutes befor his fatal accident

McKelveys death, the sole fatality in the 2008 Grand National, added a very sad note to the race. So brave when runner-up for Peter Bowen´s stable the previous year, when he might well have won but for breaking down inside the final furlong, connections were adamant McKelvey would be back straight after the race. To add more pressure to his comeback McKelvey was part of a BBC series in the weeks preceeding the 2008 Grand National, and many TV-viewers and the Telly-crew took him into their hearts. Two small races this season were meant to bring McKelvey back to race-fitness, but he unseated his ride at the 20th fence and, running loose, crashed into a running rail and couldn´t be saved. Only 9, his death is a cruel blow to connections. Our heart goes out his devoted lass and all the people who looked after him so well.
RIP, old boy.

from the Racing-Post:
Horse Racing: BBC1 show pays tribute to McKelvey after fatal run

Published: 08/04/2008 (Sport) David Carr
McKELVEY, who was put down as a result of injuries suffered in the Grand National last Saturday, received a tribute on BBC1 last night, writes David Carr.
The 2007 runner-up was adopted by The One Show, who focused on his comeback in the build-up to the race and were "not at all" tempted to brush his subsequent death under the carpet.
Before the live show, programme editor Doug Carnegie said: "We will do the honest thing and express our intense regret that he met such a terrible end.
"We nailed our colours to McKelvey and were proud to do that. He has met the unhappiest end at Aintree and all we can do, and will properly do, is pay respects to a horse and to the people who looked after him."
Thousands of viewers had accessed the programme's 24-hour webcam which allowed them to watch McKelvey in his stable leading up to the race.
"We had kind of adopted the horse and got very close to everybody, from the groom to the owner," Carnegie added. "We had a lot of enjoyment with the McKelvey strand and it put a kind of fairly human face to a horse in a great British institution.
"We hoped to be running a story today about how McKelvey had got round the course and hopefully done very well. We are not going to be replaying it as it would be in poor taste, we will be saying 'not a great weekend for The One Show'.
"On Friday presenter Adrian Chiles was wishing the Baggies the best at Wembley and McKelvey the best at Aintree - what happened to Adrian's beloved West Brom is put into some perspective by the fact a great horse lost his life."

Fayr Jag

While horses like Persian Punch and Sergeant Cecil, dour stayers for sure, have a special place in our affection, nothing can beat the pure excitement of Sprint-races. Over in the blink of an eye, the tough and durable horses who contest these races, often geldings and often around for an oh-so-long time, are horses we look out for and love to see running. Winning is never easy in these competetive races, everything must fall right for each contender, and 5 and 6 furlongs leave not much room for mistakes as slow starts and blocked passages mean often the end to any chance of winning dreams. A huge favorite of ours was Fayr Jag, who, at 9 years of age, had run a cool 64 races, winning 11 incl. a Gr. I at Ascot in 2004. Even though his last win was in 2006, he was present in many a battle, and always gave his all. Jag was supposed to give his seasonal debut for 2008 in Pontefract yesterday (21/04/08), when, blind-folded, he was going backwards behind the stalls when he died in a freak-accident. Fayr Jag will be very much missed. RIP, old boy.

Fayr Jag suffers tragic end to his career at Pontefract

by Ray Gilpin

GROUP 1 winner Fayr Jag suffered a tragic end to his career when he broke a shoulder in a freak accident at Pontefract on Monday before the RIU Palace Meloneras Handicap.

The Tim Easterby-trained nine-year-old, ridden by David Allan, was blindfolded and being led into the stalls when he backed out before lurching violently forward and crashed back into the structure of the stalls.

Allan said: "He had the blinds on but then went in reverse and backed out of the stalls. Then, still blindfolded, he launched himself forward into the iron bars and I went over his head into the stalls.

"I was very lucky but it has a terrible way for Fayr Jag to die, he did not deserve that. He gave me my two biggest wins in Group 3s and I feel very sorry for his owner (Jonathan Gill)."
Easterby's father Peter said: "It was a terrible way for Fayr Jag to go, he was up there with the best sprinters we have had, he must have been, he was a Group 1 winner!

"He even met The Queen after he had won the Golden Jubilee and he has been a great servant to the stable and to his owner Jonathan Gill.

"We were going to get him ready for the Steward's Cup, that was the plan for him and we are really going to miss him."

In all Fayr Jag won eleven races, his Group 1 success coming in the 2004 Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. He had previously won the Wokingham Stakes there in 2003, while three years later he won the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle and the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes at Newbury.

He earned over £423,000 in win and place prize money.