Who is your favourite racehorse ever?

JohnButler

So would just love to hear who everyones favourite racehorse(flat) is!!

Past, present, an up and comer? Not sure if anyone will be interested in posting but what the hell...

00dyel

Authorized on the Flat- not as into flat racing as i am NH, but the combination of Frankie and the horse was a joy to watch.

mdwexford

Ugh flat.

High Chaparral.

starchild

am more of a nh man but on the flat it would have to be Giants Causeway, never gave up

dotsflan

like most lads here im not big into the flat but my favourite flat horse is sergeant cecil!!

punchestown

Mysilv and Lunar Mist kindled my love of the game.

From a betting perspective a horse of barney curleys Pindar

gscully

Where to start!

Back in the 80s, there was a NH horse called Scot Lane that I followed religiously...he even beat Bregawn once. I also liked all the Sangster horses...especially El Gran Senor, Caerleon, Saddlers Wells and Salmon Leap. Oh, and seeing Shergar get beat in the Leger(?) broke my tiny heart.

Recently, horses like Denman, Voy Por Ustedes, Harchibald, Dylan Thomas, Oratorio, George Washington and Zarkava have taken my fancy, but the one horse I follow religiously is King Rama. My dad shared a hospital ward with a friend he hadn't seen in years - John Kiely. Kiely told him he had a horse running for him that evening in Roscommon. Never said he would win or anything. My dad rang me and I put 50 on him at 4/1. As he always does, he got up on the line by a short head. I've backed him everytime since...and I'm ahead of the bookies with him. He would've gone close in the Galway Hurdle but for injury. Funnily enough, Kiely's other horse, Indian Pace, won it. I'm already looking forward to him returning to the track when the ground gets good.

Colonel Sanders

On the flat it would be probably High Chapparal, altho more of a NH man

pro_gnostic_8

For me, there is one horse who stands head and shoulders above all the rest ........... GALILEO.
Seeing him winning his debut race at Leopardstown by all of FOURTEEN lengths was something to stir the soul!
That was his only race as a two-year-old.

The following year he won the Ballysax; the Derrinstown; the Epsom Derby; and the Irish Derby by four lengths while easing down. He then added the King George to his haul. Later in the year he suffered his first defeat in the Irish Champion Stakes -- beaten a head in a race 2 furlongs too short than his optimum trip -- and against a horse two years older than him (Fantastic Light). Galileo had previously beaten Fantastic Light in the King George and was showing the effects of a very busy and arduous 3-Y-O season.

Galileo was a son of the great Sadlers Wells and his dam Urban Sea was a Prix de l'Arc winner. Galileo's own progeny are doing superbly well in the shape of New Approach and many others.
I'm not sure that I'll live to see his like again.

corny

Like nearly everyone so far i prefer NH racing so it has to be Harchibald but on the flat 'Gorgeous' George Washington was a great horse and my fav of recent times. Had my house on him winning the Guineas and it was never in doubt.

A few others Kindlelight Debut, Rakti, Montjeu, Scorpion, Shamardal, Rock of Gibraltar, High Chaparral, Aussie Sprinter 9 or 10 now runs at Ascot every year(Help) and Ouija Board.

I'm very easy to please:)

whirlingdervish

all very recent, best flat racehorse I remember is Dancing Brave and made flat racing for a season!!:)

redzerdrog

corny wrote: »

Aussie Sprinter 9 or 10 now runs at Ascot every year(Help)

I'm very easy to please:)

takeover target or somthing like that????

corny

redzerdrog wrote: »

takeover target or somthing like that????

yep thats the one. nice one

mr.jingle

Only been into horses the last 4-5yrs but have to say Zarkava was a special filly but for me personally i loved Shirrocco dont know why just a horse i admired.
In NH Hardy Eustace what a battler he is along with Brave Inca made it a golden era for irish hurdlers if only Feathard Lady didnt get injured! What might have been. But it has to be the superb Master Minded over the bigger obstacles but his performance last yr at Cheltenham was unreal and is lookin better than ever this yr a sure fire banker for Cheltenham!

maxwell smart

On the flat, High Chaparral i guess

NH , Rhyme and Reason was a great little horse back in the 80's.

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

Shan75

I love both codes but the flat has always been my first love.There are just so many horses one could pick over the years that I would find it hard to name just one.Some of my favourite performances though would be:

Daylami---Irish Champion and Breeders Cup
Montjeu---King George
Dubai Millennium--QE2,Dubai World Cup,Prince of Wales
Giant's Causeway---St James Palace,Sussex,Juddmonte,Eclipse
Sinndar---Derby,Irish Derby(because I was there),Arc
Mozart---July Cup, Nunthorpe
Galileo---Derby and King George
Fantastic Light---Irish Champion
High Chaparral---Derby,Breeders Cup x 2,Irish Champion
Sakhee---Juddmonte,Arc
Tiznow-- Breeders Cup Classic x 2
Oasis Dream--July Cup,Nunthorpe
Barbaro---Scintillating Kentucky Derby performance

There are many more but I could be here for ages.

I think because he came back from injury to become European Champion I would give my vote to Sakhee.He won his Arc by six lengths from a top class field and just failed by a nose to beat Tiznow in the Breeders Cup Classic on his only run on dirt.Pure class.

RichieLawlor

Mubtaker imo

Also R.I.P

Bez32

Has to be St Jovite for me, now that horse was a machine, still holds the record time for an Irish Derby, and of course Istabraq for NH

stretchaq

on the flat HURRICANE RUN god just remember that arc fallon defing all the odds coming from last to first a true great both FALLON and H'RUN cant wait to see the king back in the saddle


NH horse the one and only HARDY EUSTACE i remember (very well) when he bellied odds of 33s at cheltenham what and old slogger love him

corban

couldnt decide between these 3: (all obriens)

high chaparral

rock of gibraltor

scorpion

allthedoyles

Dawn Run was probably the best nare of all time .

For me it has to be Danoli ........

seanl77

Has to be istabraq, a true legend. Won four times in a row at the festival and only foot and mouth prevented him for four champion hurdles in a row. Got me through college did that horse!

dodgyme

maxwell smart wrote: »

NH , Rhyme and Reason was a great little horse back in the 80's.

he was indeed. Remember 'playschool' and 'westtip'

WLPD

I see alot of great horses in my time but Salsibil stands out for me.can't remember the other Filly who finished second nearly everytime they met which added to the whole thing. Watching her win the Irish Derby was a bit special.
Minded Kribensis and Royal Gait for a summer each b4 their Champ Hurdle wins and that makes them favourites for sentimental reasons.
Have to agree Dancing brave was a hell of a horse.

WHIP IT!

Flat: High Chaparral

NH: Brave Inca

Overall?: Has to be - Burgomeister

MrDap

Arazi was the best two year old I've ever seen,his performance in Breeders Cup was the greatest flat performance I've ever seen, still get goose bumps even watching it now.

Warper

Totally agree with the Arazi thing - that Juvenile Dirt race was up there with the best performance i have ever seen. There is something special seeing a horse so superior to everthing else, especially in a Group 1. Another great one was Toulon in the Leger way back.

But favourite racehorse is either Montjeu or Zarkava, just the way they travelled and accelerated was unmatched - i dont think Zarkava will ever get the full credit she deserves simply because she never raced outside of France but her performances were jaw-dropping - seeing her fall out of the stalls in the Prix Vermeilles and simply sluice through the field it was obvious she was gonna win the Arc - and she duly obliged - best filly i will ever see.

In the NH i always loved The Fellow and Moscow Flyer for the way they could be written off and still come back and prove they were No. 1. That Tingle Creek that Moscow won when Azer was favourite was a fantastic spectacle of "Whos the man".

jayroyal

Flat: Montjeu
Sprint: Mozart
Hurdles: cardinal Hill
Chase: Denman
Bumper: Cousin Vinny

staker

istrabraq for me.. no links but jp mcmanus is a great limerickman and i love seeing him doing well. he gave me my first job cresoting posts:o any time that horse won, he'd throw a party.
after that, i know shag all about horses:o

WHIP IT!

staker wrote: »

istrabraq for me.. no links but jp mcmanus is a great limerickman and i love seeing him doing well. he gave me my first job cresoting posts:o any time that horse won, he'd throw a party.
after that, i know shag all about horses:o

- As good a reason to pick him as your favourite horse as any!

And the smell of cresot - ahhh that takes me back to my youth!

Browney7

Has to be Best Mate for me. Loved that horse so I did.

Yeats aswell. Nothing could come close to him over his distance. A true Legend

kincsem

Sea-Bird. I saw him win the 1965 Derby on television (black and white). Nothing I've seen since was close.

seanybiker

shergar. Lovely with a little salt

byhookorbycrook

stretchaq wrote: »

on the flat HURRICANE RUN god just remember that arc fallon defing all the odds coming from last to first a true great both FALLON and H'RUN cant wait to see the king back in the saddle


NH horse the one and only HARDY EUSTACE i remember (very well) when he bellied odds of 33s at cheltenham what and old slogger love him

Entire town of Tullow had him backed, little grannies who normally only stuck a pin in the paper for the Grand National cleaned up. Bookies actually ran out of cash to pay out! Great parade around the town when he came home.


I'd second Dawn Run, broke my heart to see that fall.

For sheer fun and grittiness, old Spot the Difference and Risk of Thunder, both trained by Enda Bolger for the banks races. I remember one Punchestown when Risk of Thunder was in post race distress ,short of oxygen and the bould Ted Walshe commented that Enda's wife would sort it "sure she's had more fun outta that horse down the years than she's had outta Enda!"

NewApproach

<<<<<<<<<

Love Inglis Drever and Brave Inca too!

mdwexford

The guy asked for fav flat horses, do people not bother reading the OP?

goonruby

Brave Inca and LUSKA LAD(will win the champion bumper):D

NewApproach

goonruby wrote: »

LUSKA LAD(will win the champion bumper):D

:rolleyes: Just give up

geurrp the yard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpR-zfwUJVQ

Istabraq what a horse.


Although not the greatest horses ever, I have a soft spot for tough horses like hardy eustace and limestone lad who managed to beat istabraq once.

Baggio

Has to be Arkle for me,,,different class... such presence too - he'd near talk to you when parading!!,,PTaaffe always said he was more or less human he seemed to understand everything!....imagine how much more HE would have won but for injury.....no horse even comes close...

liked Lescargot and The Dickler too
on the flat luuuved Monjeu and The Minstrel

ciao galloping buddies....Baggio....

jester1980

Has to be Desert Orchid for me. This horse is how an d why i became fascinated with racing. Saw him race when i was 10 at the Irish national.

Gutsy performer who is one of the best ever produced.

I also love watching the hurdle races between night nurse, sea pigeon and monksfield, classic races.

handsomecake

inglis drever
denman
king of leon
intersky falcon

Lobelia Overhill

Heeheee, I think the OP should have offered the option of flat or NH!

I don't follow the flat at all, but I remember a horse called Glint Of Gold who was 2nd behind Shergar in the Derby, IIRC his worst result was a 3rd somewhere - he was always either 1st or 2nd ... Handsome looking animal too!

indenial

Kauto star is a class act

znv6i3h7kqf9ys

Hoof Hearted

indenial

I'm going to pretend to be totally naive here what did hoof hearted ever win???