Kings, Sport Of
A-Z of Horse Racing
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Montrose, Duchess of (1818-1894) - owner/breeder with an insatiable appetite for racing.
She reportedly once gave the vicar a severe bollocking and stormed out of her local church in a huff. The poor man had prayed for fine weather at harvest time whereas the Duchess had a horse running in the St Leger that wanted soft ground.
She reportedly once gave the vicar a severe bollocking and stormed out of her local church in a huff. The poor man had prayed for fine weather at harvest time whereas the Duchess had a horse running in the St Leger that wanted soft ground.
Quinlan, Michael & Noel - racing horses to get their handicap mark down is pretty common practice but the Quinlans make it so obvious.
It's a long piece but it might deter people from betting on low grade handicaps.
It's a long piece but it might deter people from betting on low grade handicaps.
Vallance, Lieutenant-Colonel ‘Ricky’ - eccentric trainer of about 40 years ago who gets a mention in David Ashforth's book Hitting The Turf, A Punting Life, like so:
When not arguing with Mrs Vallance or washing his dogs, 'Ricky' trained a few good winners, such as Red Candle, successful in the 1972 Mackeson Gold Cup and the 1973 Hennessy.
Quote:
“Apparently, Vallance “used to step out in his underpants and slippers at a frosty six o’clock in the morning and wash his hair in a tank of rainwater. Later, he might dip his nine Maltese terriers in a washing machine”. His marital disputes with Mrs Vallance were the stuff of local legend; one began with an oil-filled radiator flying out of a bedroom window.”
“Apparently, Vallance “used to step out in his underpants and slippers at a frosty six o’clock in the morning and wash his hair in a tank of rainwater. Later, he might dip his nine Maltese terriers in a washing machine”. His marital disputes with Mrs Vallance were the stuff of local legend; one began with an oil-filled radiator flying out of a bedroom window.”
When not arguing with Mrs Vallance or washing his dogs, 'Ricky' trained a few good winners, such as Red Candle, successful in the 1972 Mackeson Gold Cup and the 1973 Hennessy.
Thought I'd better not skip it this time so Zarathustra. NI born colt, 1954 Irish Derby and Leger winner and Lester's first Ascot Gold winner in 1957 when trained by Sir H. Cecil's stepfather.
Originally Posted by jmclaugh:
“Thought I'd better not skip it this time so Zarathustra.”
“Thought I'd better not skip it this time so Zarathustra.”
When the Greek colonels were in power in the 60s and 70s they banned the letter Z. That's about the only thing they got right.
Blacker, Philip - former jumps jockey who rode 340 winners between 1968 and 1981 when he retired to concentrate on his talent for sculpture.
His bronzes can be seen at various racecourses including, but not limited to, Aintree (Red Rum) Kempton Park (Desert Orchid) Woodbine (Northern Dancer) Epsom (Generous) Longchamps (Suave Dancer) and Newmarket (Persian Punch) plus various private commissions standing elsewhere.
Duke of Cumberland - known as Butcher Cumberland following his massacre of the Jacobites at Culloden, he was the first owner of Eclipse.
(Considering the horse's last owner was the previously mentioned fraudster Dennis O'Kelly it might be argued that Eclipse kept highly dubious human company).
(Considering the horse's last owner was the previously mentioned fraudster Dennis O'Kelly it might be argued that Eclipse kept highly dubious human company).
Humorist - dug deep to win the 1921 Derby by a neck, arguably the most courageous performance in the history of this or any other race.
The horse died about two weeks later. A post-mortem revealed that the massive haemorrhage which killed the colt had resulted from advanced and long-standing tuberculosis. The tissue of one lung was completely degenerated and that of the other had been severely affected by the disease.
Humorist gave his rider everything in that Derby despite racing in what must have been the greatest agony. What a horse.
The horse died about two weeks later. A post-mortem revealed that the massive haemorrhage which killed the colt had resulted from advanced and long-standing tuberculosis. The tissue of one lung was completely degenerated and that of the other had been severely affected by the disease.
Humorist gave his rider everything in that Derby despite racing in what must have been the greatest agony. What a horse.
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