All time favorite?

Bartonprince

who is yours?

I'd have to say High Chaparral for me.

I think he was underrated by most.

He lost by a nose to a more experienced horse on he's debute.

He came 3rd in Both he's Arc runs. (He couldn't get a right handed track apparently).

But he was a Dual Breeders cup and dual Derby winner, Plus the Royal Whip stakes and the Irish champion stages... oh and the Racingpost trophy at 2

He beat falbrav twice, Alamshar, Hawk wing by 2 lengths in the derby (who was 14 lengths ahead of Moon Ballad in the race) Vintage tipple (oaks winners), Islington (dual yorkshire oaks and breeders cup winner), and he won he's derby trial, and the ballysax stakes.. haha


i love him.

fade2black

I love Seabiscuit to be honest. I remember when my father watched that film he said he didn't like it cause it was too far fetched. haha....

Anyway...horses that I've seen...i loved Dubai Millennium and Rock of Gibralter but, and this will surprise and shock...the horse that gave me most excitement, without a doubt would be a certain Misternando. The phrase "ran in snatches" was probably invented for misternando but boy was it exciting watching him come from a different race course to grab victory on the line. It wasn't unusual for young Sam Hitchcott to have to step down for the day after exhausting efforts aboard 'nando. He'd have ya shiting a brick if ya backed him though.

Bartonprince

haha i remember him. isn't he still running now?

I watched him in 1 race. He was clear favorite, and he was being pushed along and looked like he had no chance... of course he won on the lin. THink it was he's 6th straight victory lol

Rock of gibraltar was amazing. Although nothing that would stand out as pure quality opposed him really.

Apart from Landseer, Who looked to be the winner as he was still on the bridle when all the rest were off it... thats before he's leg got destroyed ina pot hole.

If you watch the race, Rock had to check just as he started he's run. he had to swerve. probably costing him the half length he lost the race by....

iloveireland

red rum and best mate are the best horses ever but my personal favourate is islington because he has won me so much money.

Bartonprince

I think islington would be very offended byt the way you are calling her a HE. hehe

Very good horse, good call. see how close she was to beating all the big boys in the irish champion stakes??

Robin1982

Montjeu was a real favourite of mine, watching him stroll home on the bridle in the King George was a treat.

Galileo was a terrific horse too, and Rock of Gibraltar was a superb miler although I thought regardless of being checked in the BC Mile wouldn't have won. Not an intelligent ride from M.Kinane that day, if he was closer to the pace, it would have been all over...

Morgans

Moscow Flyer is my favourite.

Rock of Gibraltar although a favourite of many was overrated, and while Hawk Wing was poorly campaigned he was a better horse IMO, and is by far and away the best horse ROG faced. HW very unlucky not to beat him. ROG returned the same rating as Keltos that year.

Montjeu was pure class, pity he wasnt at his best when Sinndar won the arc. That would be fascinating.

Bartonprince

Dome driver winning it was a dissapointment. But i think rock loosing that race made it even more memorable. The landseer thing sickened me. as i had 100 on the nose at 6/1. i thought he had it.

Bartonprince

Morgans wrote:

Moscow Flyer is my favourite.

Rock of Gibraltar although a favourite of many was overrated, and while Hawk Wing was poorly campaigned he was a better horse IMO, and is by far and away the best horse ROG faced. HW very unlucky not to beat him. ROG returned the same rating as Keltos that year.

Montjeu was pure class, pity he wasnt at his best when Sinndar won the arc. That would be fascinating.

Very true. Hawk Wing was picked up, and was totally not the kind of horse that the magniers go for. But he was such a stunning, imposing looking horse. Someone said he had movie star good looks. Didn't he actually get the track record for 7 furlongs at the curragh? like 1:20:35 i think it was... amazing

And when he was only a second outside the track record in the Lockinge when it was lashing rain and the ground was softening up. That was one of the most impressive displays i've ever seen.

Does la lorgnete have any younger foals on the ground?

fade2black

I remember before he ever ran the vibes from Ballydoyle were that a machine was on the way. Such a pity the way his career went. To many he was a machine, to many others he was the most over-hyped horse there's ever been.

Bartonprince

You have to admin tho.. he was good.

If it wasn't for Rock and High Chaparral he would have been the champ.

He was beaten into second in the Vodafone derby by High Chaparral. But he was 14 lengths ahead of 3rd.

He was beaten by the Rock. big gap back to 3rd again.

He won the lockinge in amazing style by 11 lengths.

He won at the Curragh in a track record time.

He lost out on he's last run due to being lame.

I liked him alot!

Crumbs

Bartonprince wrote:

Does la lorgnete have any younger foals on the ground?

Race For The Stars by Fusaichi Pegasus. She won nicely at the Curragh last Saturday and O'Brien says she'll be a good 3yo.

Bartonprince

How did i not know that???

I should be shot.

She will progress well. She is already bug which is good.

fr wishy washy

Danoli,for monetary and sentimental reasons.

phantom_lord

has to Galileo, what an impressive wins in the derbys, a class above the rest. I have to say Hawk Wing as well.

Baggio

Hey folks,
for me Montjeu on the flat,,,he really upped the bar in his career what a champion and the arabs were duking and swirving in an effort to not take him on with dubai millenium..who for me was sooooo overated,,,his big win in royal ascot was in front of a horse who was a miler maximum and all the raving after it by carson and co?....Montjeu proved HE was the top dog when laughing away with the king george different class.
Over the jumps...well Arkle obviously,,,again different league, his wins have stood like an anvil in racing and the form just is un breakable,,,his win in the Gallagher was simply THE most important time performance of any jumps race in NH history...(I never knew it was even filmed till Channel 4 showed it last year when analysing great weight performances...and there it was at least the last 5 or 6 fences!!!,,dived on the video and taped it...amazing to watch...his first run of the season, 12/7 on his back against a good quality field, with a rejuvinated Mill House who'd won 2 already that season who he was now conceding 16lbs to.
.....The race was an amazing event according to commentators and people who were there packed Sandown in november , and oddly the horses were aplauded down to the start?...and every jump Mill House threw and Arkle followed were cheered throughout the race..*I kid yu not,,this is true!*......Mill House was sent on on early second circuit by David Nicholson who was in for injured Robinson, and his orders were to make every post a winning one...apparantly the Big Horse launched himself over every fence on 2nd circuit...basically breaking the other horses ,,,then at the pond fence Nicholson never even looked back and just sailed on thinking if thats not stuffed ARKLE,well hed give up!!,,next thing Arkle galloped passed him...tore up the run in winnning by 20 lengths without even coming off the bridle!...the biggest job Taafe had was to pull him up......breaking the track record by 17 seconds, and that record time still stands today,,it has never been broken by any horse , even off a light weight...so where's biddlecom and co when their mouthing @Arkle only beat slow boats?@..what a joke.
Poeple can talk about any race or horse they like,,,that was THE defining moment in NH racing it proved he WAS/IS the best ever...and it was the race that broke poor ol Mill House too..he was never the same after it.
Arkle a ruthless but luvable champion....more recent ones?..Imperial Call to me was the best Id seen from here since Captain Christy different class..pity he had back problems the year after his gold cup year class act...good ol Moscow - damm hope he wins again this year I think he will!

ciao' amigos...Baggio....

Dr. Dre

Dubai Millenium

Morgans

great post Baggio.

I woudnt think that Arkle's Gallagher Gold Cup win was the defining moment in NH history. That to me would be his 64 Gold Cup. Its moved the Gold Cup into the promenence it holds now in the sport, and moved the Cheltenham festival to a new level. Im not mad about his later commentaries, but Peter O'Sullevan's - this is the best weve seen for a very long time - was just about the most prophetic piece of commentating ever.

Mill House was a broken horse before he got to Sandown - as you mention in your post, he was a rejuvenated horse before the event. I would say that Arkle's performance that day in the Gallagher was equivalent to Mohammad Ali's defeat of Cleveland Williams (reputed to be the greatest boxing performance of all time) but the day he beat Mill House in 64 was the day Arkle shook the world.

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

whatsgoin'on

on the flat i would definitely have to say its a toss up between High Chapperal and Montjeu. Two of the best ever.

over jumps, in recent times it would have to be Istabraq and Moscow Flyer.

Bartonprince

Good call on istabraq....

him and high chaparral were trained by the same fella... jesus o'brien knows how to train a horse eh!

Nea

Sinndar without a doubt.
English and Irish derby plus the Arc.

Bartonprince

Sinndar? He drops dud foals for the most part.. and he's times for those races were be low average....

Morgans

Sinndar was a phenomenal animal and probably the best Derby winner in the past 10 years including Motivator and High Chapparal. Pity we didnt get to see him at 4, and it was a shame that Montjeu wasnt at his best when he faced him in the arc. He wasnt a flashy animal with a huge turn of foot but a big bruising galloper that would make all but the very best horses hurt with his sustained half mile gallop. Sinndar was the Tyrone of the horse racing world. Other horses looked classier but he left the opposotion no hiding place when taking them on and most would cry enough when he was only getting going. I personally place little faith in times, there are too many poor handicappers with course records for it to be a true reflection of ability.

Crumbs

Bartonprince wrote:

Sinndar? He drops dud foals for the most part

I thought it was the dam that dropped the foal? I'm going to have to go back and consult my pop-up book again.

And while I agree that his progeny haven't been great overall, I expect his Shawanda to kick some ass against the three Montjeu kiddies on Sunday.

Bartonprince

Morgans wrote:

Sinndar was a phenomenal animal and probably the best Derby winner in the past 10 years including Motivator and High Chapparal. Pity we didnt get to see him at 4, and it was a shame that Montjeu wasnt at his best when he faced him in the arc. He wasnt a flashy animal with a huge turn of foot but a big bruising galloper that would make all but the very best horses hurt with his sustained half mile gallop. Sinndar was the Tyrone of the horse racing world. Other horses looked classier but he left the opposotion no hiding place when taking them on and most would cry enough when he was only getting going. I personally place little faith in times, there are too many poor handicappers with course records for it to be a true reflection of ability.

Best Derby winner in the last 10 years? Thats interesting!..

High Chaparral was 16 lengths ahead of the 3rd Horse home (who went onto destroy the field in the Dubai World Cup) He was also 2 lengths ahead of Hawk Wing... Who holds the record for 7Furlongs at the curragh and almost beat the track record for a mile in the lockinge (beating a breeders cup mile winner into submission) and having the second, 11 lngths behind.

So i'd class that as a decent enough derby win.

What about Galileo? 2nd fastest Derby time on record... 3 and a half length victory beating Golan a classic winner, tobougg a group 1 winner, storming home as well who is a 3 time (almost 4 time group 1 winner).

Sinndar was good.. he beat Sakhee and Beat Hollow... But i don't think it was the best in 10 years.. not even the best in the last 4 years!

Bartonprince

Crumbs wrote:

I thought it was the dam that dropped the foal? I'm going to have to go back and consult my pop-up book again.

And while I agree that his progeny haven't been great overall, I expect his Shawanda to kick some ass against the three Montjeu kiddies on Sunday.

Ya she's nice alright, very impressive to see in the flesh... If she was a Colt... jeez!

If she wins. She will be the outright champion i think.

Montjeu has to many class horses though. Classic winners Multiple groups 1 winners etc...

Morgans

Bartonprince. I didnt say that High Chappral wasnt a good derby winner. Yes HAwk WIng holds the all aged 7f record at the Curragh, and showed his best performance to be over a mile. Problem is that the derby was over a mile and a half. I still dont think that you appreciate enough the difference that horses running over their optimum trips makes. Hawk Wing was running over a distance at least 2f beyond his optimum - he was legless in the final quarter mile and didnt fully recover from his efforts and was never to show anything like the form of which he was capable until the following April. O'Brien campaigned the horse extremely poorly as a 3yo. Moon Ballad was so far behind in third that she has to be classed as a poor Dubai Cup winner - plenty of average horses have won the race - Almutawekel being another, and apart from teh hype it gets at a time when the flat racing in Britian hasnt begun, it is far from being a meaningul indicator of form, and is not a World Cup. Coshocton would have placed third in that Derby but for breaking down in the final furlong in that Derby.


Galileo beat Golan in what was a brilliant performance, and there wouldnt be much between him and Sinndar, who did beat an Arc winner and a Grade 1 winner in the states (Beat Hollow) It is close between the pair, but for me Sinndar shades it. If he was trained by O'Brien, he would have been hyped more. Galileo was another poorly campaigned animal, dropping him back in trip when he appeared to be the archetypeal 12f animal.

For the record, just checked and the racing post rate Galileo and Sinndar's the same at 132, with High Chaparals at 130.

Bartonprince

Ok... Maybe.

WHat did you think of the Irish Derby with Alamshar and Dalakhani?