Doncaster
2.35 Zeroshadesofgrey
3.45 Sego Success (danger – The Druids Nephew)
Kelso
2.05 Shrewd
Newbury
2.50 Saint Charles
Category: Hall of Fame
Quito
Quito ran his first race for trainer David Chapman in July 2002 as a 5 year old having previously won twice in Dubai. He soon showed himself to be a tough competitor on the all weather and ran up a hat trick within a fortnight that autumn under the jockey who was to be his regular pilot, Tony Culhane.
I began following him at the start of the 2003 season having been impressed by his performances on the polytrack, especially a 6 length win at Wolverhampton where he trounced a reasonable performer called Geronimo. The first time I actually backed him was in a handicap at Doncaster when he looked all over the winner running hard against the stands rail until just caught on the line by Grey Cossack. Despite that narrow defeat Quito was a very profitable horse to follow that season with wins at Thirsk (7/1) and Newcastle (14/1) beating the useful Celtic Mill in the latter handicap. The best was yet to come that season though when, with a late flourish which was becoming his trademark, he got up close home to land the Ayr Gold Cup at 20/1. His first win for David Chapman was gained off a mark of 59 but such was his progress that he won at Ayr off a rating of 92.
Quito’s career took off from there and in total during his career he won 20 times from 121 starts. The son of Machiavellian struck up a fine partnership with Tony Culhane who rode him to 14 of his career victories. More than handicapper later in his career Quito won seven times in listed company notably when accounting for New Seeker in the John O’Gaunt Stakes at Haydock in 2006. Arguably his finest performance was when finishing strongly to when 2nd, beaten a neck by Reverence in Haydock’s Group 1 Betfred Sprint Cup at the age of 9.
David Chapman bought Quito for only 3,500 gns in 2002 and by the end of his career he had won nearly half a million pounds in prize money. In fact his trainer maintained that the horse never really fulfilled his potential as a result of problems with his joints.
A horse with a lot of ability and a great engine, ee was initially retired after suffering from sore shins in the summer of 2007 but after not finding retirement to his liking made a brief comeback running 3 times in 2008 at the age of 11.
Although he always ran in blinkers Quito was 100% genuine and the old warrior was as tough as they come. He is now enjoying a well earned retirement with trainer Ruth Carr, who always looked after him and has now taken over the license from her grandfather David Chapman.
Hussard Collonges
Hussard Collonges (Video Rock – Araine Collonges [Quart de Vin]
25 March 1995
Bought as a 4 year old at the Goffs sales at St Cloud for 120,000 Francs he won his only point to point in Ireland at Inch in April 2000. He was then acquired by Peter Beaumont for 46,000 gns but did not show much in 3 bumpers. However when he tackled hurdles it was a different story as he galloped his rivals into the ground at Wetherby to score at odds of 33/1.
Tackling 3 miles for the first time at Perth he again showed signs that he was an above average performer and finished runner up to Tyneandthyneagain.
The Peter Beaumont-trained gelding, enjoyed his finest moment when winning the 2002 Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Chase under Russ Garritty at 33/1. This was a fine performance and he jumped soundly to account for Iznogoud and Chives.
He went on top finish second to Marlborough in the Charlie Hall Chase and fourth to Gingembre in the Hennessy Gold Cup the following season before being pulled up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
He then suffered a crashing fall at Wetherby in the Rowland Meyrick Chase in December 2003, which left him with a fractured pelvis and sidelined him for 14 months.
Sadly, he never got back to where he was and connections took the decision to retire him after he had trailed home well beaten at Ayr in February 2006.
“For over two miles, he looked as good as ever and was really enjoying it, but then he caught the top of a fence and that was it – it’s as though something is hurting is him when that happens,” explained Beaumont.
He went to his owner, who lives near Gargrave, will the plan that he might do a spot of hunting. A big old fashioned chasing sort, Hussard Collonges will be best remembered for that gutsy win at the Cheltenham Festival.
Soviet Song
Soviet Song 18 February 2000
By Marju out of Kalinka ((Soviet Star)
Soviet Song won 5 Group 1 races at 2, 4 and 5 yaers of age. She recorded back to back impressive wins in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes in 2004 and 2005. She won the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at 4 and was an unlucky runner up in the same race in 2005.
She was kept in training as a 6 year old and repaid that faith by assserting her authority over rivals in the Group 2 Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal AScot.
She will perhaps best be remembered for twice beating Attraction in 2004, the year that filly won the English and Irish 1,000 Guineas. I had Soviet Song on my list to follow in 2003 when she was a three year old and she actually failed to win that season when perhaps the James Fanshawe horses were not 100%. She did finish 4th to Royal Rhythm in the 1,000 Guineas that year though and second to the same horse in the Coronation Stakes.
She was the world's highest rated female horse in 2004 and was eventually retired at the end of the 2006 season.
Azertyuiop
Azertyuiop 3/4/1997 Baby Turk – Tamara (Fr) (Rex Magna (Fr))
Paul Nicholls wrested the champion trainers crown from Martin Pipe in 2006 thus ending a period of complete domination by the team from Castleshayne. One of the key components of the rise in the fortunes of the Nicholl’s yard has been his recruits from France through bloodstock agent Anthony Bromley.
Azertyuiop, the horse with the near unpronounceable name was one to come by this route. A four time winner in France he was a high class hurdler but chasing was always ultimately going to be his game.
On his first start in this country he won the Axminster Hurdle at Wincanton in February 2001, beating the subsequent Champion Hurdler Hors La Loi. The following season he won the Elite Hurdle, a Grade 2, at Wincanton but following a disappointing run in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton he was found to be coughing and his form tailed off that season with defeats in his remaining two runs.
He found his true calling when sent over fences and in this sphere he won 8 of his 15 starts, finishing runner up on 4 occasions. The only real blemish on his record was when he unseated his rider at the very first fence in the 2003 Haldon Chase at Exeter but that apart he combined speed with agility and his jumping was fluent.
His impressive victory in the 2003 Arkle where he accounted for Impek and Isio stamped him as a future contender for the Champion Chase, won that season by the great Moscow Flyer. The following season Azrtyuiop won the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury beating his stable companion Armaturk by 12 lengths and his head to head with Moscow Flyer at the Cheltenham Festival was eagerly awaited. The big race was something of an anti climax when the Irish raider unseated 4 out leaving Azertyuiop with a bloodless victory.
By the start of the 2004/5 season another top 2 mile chaser had emerged in the shape of the Martin Pipe trained Well Chief, who had won the 2004 Arkle, beating Kicking king who was to go on to Gold Cup glory the season after. A mouthwatering 3 way battle for the top honours looked on the cards between Nicholl’s star, Moscow Flyer and Well Chief.
Azertyuiop started the season by winning the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter. The first clash between the big 3 was the Tingle Creek at Sandown at the start of December. Moscow Flyer might have ben approaching the veteran stage but he had the measure of the younger pair here, prevailing by a length and a half. Azertyuiop just held off the gutsy Well Chief for third.
Rather surprisingly Azertyuiop then went for the King George, possibly against his trainer’s better judgement. Although he didn’t stay his undoubted class won him third place behind Kicking King and Kingscliffe.
Azertyuiop, back at 2 miles, accounted for the 6 year old Well Chief in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury with an exemplary round of quick and accurate jumping. The “holy trinity” as they were nicknamed headed for Cheltenham and the top prize for 2 mile chasers, the Queen Mother Champion Chase. This proved a disappointment for Azertyuiop. Never gong well, he left his trailing leg in the water and was not able to get competitive. Leaving his old rival Moscow Flyer to come home in front of Well Chief.
Five weeks later, on the last day of the season at Sandown, Azertyuiop was not at his best, and was beaten by Well Chief and that proved to be his last race. He had apparently struck into himself during the Sandown race and injury prevented him from returning to action throughout the 2005/6 season. In the summer of 2006 connections were not happy with his fitness and a decision was taken that the best thing for the horse would be to retire him.
His owner was quoted as saying: "It's sad news but it's also a relief because he would not have been able to perform to the level he showed before his injury."
Azertyuiop won 11 of his 22 starts over fences including the 2003 Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham, as well as the Queen Mother Champion Chase the following season.
My lasting memory of Azertyuiop though is his tremendous battle with another another ex French horse, Isio, in the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot. In a driving finish Azertyuiop only went down by a neck close home, despite conceding 19lbs to his useful rival.
Marakabei
Marakabei [Hernando (Fr) – Kirsten (Kris)]
I followed this mare when she was a 5 year old during the 2003 flat season. She had caught my eye the season before when she improved with every run winning twice. He best performance that season was when she finished 2nd in the mud at Newbury only to be disqualified and placed last after barging her way through a narrow gap 2 furlongs out.
She is by an Arc winner out of a mile and a half winner so she looked one to follow in handicaps where her stamina would come into play. She had also shown a liking for some give in the ground.
Marakabei ran 6 times in 2003 winning twice and ending with form figures for the season of 103001. I remember her first win because I lost money on it! The race was a quite competitive 0-70 handicap at Nottingham over a trip of 1 mile 6. George Duffield had the ride. Marakabei had run well fresh before and with ground and trip likely to suit she seemed worth a small wager. I was pretty sure that I would not be the only one to note the likely progressive profile of this mare and decided to take an early morning price of 10/1 about her. She duly won at twelves!
So why does this fairly modest stayer warrant a place is the exhalted Russellform “legends” list? Well, it was very much down to her 2nd win that season. I was working in London for the day and put a small bet on her at the Ladbrokes shop near Euston station. It was a listed race over the same trip as that Nottingham handicap and the ground was soft. When she won at Nottingham she was rated 65 and by the time of the Yarmouth race she had risen to 74. On the book she had no chance as there were 3 horses in the race with ratings of 100 and she was giving weight to two of them.
I had put a few best on that day and walking up the stairs at that betting shop in London on my way home I had actually forgotten about Marakabei. My other bets all went down that day and I was just about to run off and catch my train back up north when I saw that Maralabei had won at 66/1. That was the one and only time I have backed a 66/1 winner.
A couple of front runners made it a test of stamina and in ground that played to her strengths Marakabei, given an excellent ride by Jamie Mackay, powered clear inside the final furlong to win by 2.5 lengths.
Having won a listed contest her handicap mark would have shot up and I suppose it was no great surprise that she never ran again. I presume that she would have been retired to the paddocks but although I have kept an eye out I have not noticed her offspring so far.
Continue reading “Marakabei”
“Russellform legends”
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In this section I will be featuring some of my favourite horses of the last few years. It is very much a personal selction so you will see classic winners alongside selling platers and all grades in between. They have one thing in common – they have all figured prominently in my ramblings on these pages.
ahorse 