Grundy V Bustino

[waqarkhan25]

the greatest battle ever told

[mickigoe]

If any one mentions close races to me , this is always the first one that comes to mind - two great horses - the losing presence of the wonderful Dahlia makes the form unimpeachable.

[LeWiS2K9SMUDGEMOONED]

FUCK OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOFFFFFFFFFF­FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF­

[tigerarmyrule]

Great race though to be honest for mano a mano two on two combat I think The Minstrel VS Hot Grove in the '77 Derby is better.

[uhegbu]

I witnessed it and it was a great race even though I was not born.

[jnmklo9]

Don't forget Joe Mercer was old and Eddery young

[MANUTD4LIFE171]

this realy was a great race by 2 great champions, although grundy narrowly won i dont think we can draw too many conclusions that he was the better horse as there realy was nothing in it, on another day bustino could have quite easilt won, they realy were that evenly matched, realy was some spectacle

[jnmklo9]

Thank you for that - I remember Ki

Berley had a penchant for late finishes, especially on the uphill run ins Leicester Pintefract Epsom and others.

[palebluetulip]

To put in a word for Dahlia, although well beaten, she won this race the previous two years but came into the race very much out of form. Despite having a hard race in third ( also breaking the course record) it did not finish her career, she came out and won a Group One next time.

[DancingBrave15]

star appeal definately paid the price for chasing those 2 pacemakers... surely the jockey should have realised that they weren't serious contenders.

the horse was ridden totally differently later on in the arc and delivered a telling turn of foot towards the end of that race...

i love this race too.

[jnmklo9]

Thanks for that Shaafi I remember Joe Mercer for Dick Hern used pace setters often and now we see Aidan O'Brien doing it today. I Remenber that P Walwyn and Pat Ederry had a very successful partnership at the time. I recall A Kimberley being the great in the fast finish, but I can't remember who he rode for, wad it Johnson Hougton?

Paul Cook for P Cundell was also a good combination.

[malcolmp1953]

tony kimberley rode mainly for jeremy hindley

[jnmklo9]

Shaffi - didn't Bustino win the St Ledger the same year - after this race?

[shaffi1]

No! he didn't, Bustino won the St Leger the previous year!

Bustino never ran after this race. He broke down.

[shaffi1]

Joe Mercer is of the opinion that Bustino did in fact break down half a furlong out ! Bustino cantered only once after this race, was then retired. Grundy was very lacklustre after this too.

How many horses could give Grundy a stone, and run him so close?

Even when Grundy gets by him, Bustino fought back, and to think that he's breaking down as well, just say's it all for me.

A fantastic performance by both horses, but for me brave Bustino was the moral winner!

[quinnsy]

Whats so great about it!!!

[shaffi1]

quinnsy! I'll tell you what was so great about it!

First, look at the time this race was run in, then consider the fact that of all the great horses that have ran in this race before and since...not one of them has come within half second of it, most not even within a second, which in racing terms equates to about 4 lengths unless i'm mistaken.

Not to mention the gallant effort put up by both horses.

Great race!

[MrHooley21]

Another consideration was that Joe mercer was never allowed to use the whip.

[shaffi1]

corection ! Joe Mercer was a sympathetic jockey, whom knew when a horse was giving his best, and therfore was reluctant to use the whip, prefering to keep his horse balanced whilst under pressure.

Brillant jockey! there should be more like him.

[MrHooley21]

I stand corrected Shaffi 1, but I did read that all Lady Beaverbrooks horses names had 7 letters, and that she did not approve of her jockeys using the whip.

[shaffi1]

You are also right mrhooley.

The Lady B did not approve of her jockeys using the whip, however ! if Joe Mercer thought that using it would have made a difference to the result, i'm sure he would have done so. The great jockey obviously knew Bustino had ran his heart out, and was not about to use his whip on a horse as honest as Bustino.

[pel1can]

fabulous race, both horses trained to the minute and giving everything. neither ever won another race. horses like the great mare dahlia and arc winner star appeal were merely extras in this scene.

[ComteLafon]

I think Mercer said that Bustino injured himself slightly (see him at the furlong pole) but was brave enough to keep going. The ground was pretty unforgiving. When people complain about artificial watering now, I think they are forgetting about the consequences of running on firm.

[rhsy2007]

The race of the century. I remember arriving in the UK two years later, they were showing the video recording occasionally on TV. I bought a beautiful porcelain figure of Grundy by Beswick which I have kept to this date.

Ten years later, I encountered Grundy at his stud in Fukushima, Japan. He was calm and relaxed, but still had that sparkle in his eyes which told you that he knew he was being visited by an ardent fan.

[Stereophile11]

I have the same figure!!!!!

[21shergar]

Only the 1977 Derby and more particularly, the 1987 Eclipse rival this as the best race ever. Personally, I plump for Mtoto v Reference Point....but this is just great!

[TidouDou3]

Bustino is the grand pa of my Horse ! Is Really :P

[shaffi1]

In all the years since, only three winners of this race have come within a second of the time put up by these two gallant horses. A remarkable testimony to the fantastic effort displayed here! Grundy the gallant winner! brave Bustino! was giving Grundy a stone here! what an effort, he gave his all and more! I shed tears for Bustino, and i'm sure i was not alone in doing so.

Words in any vocabulary seem inadequate whenever i watch this race!

[shaffi1]

Do you think in hindsight Joe may have set Bustino alight a shade too early terbs? I know he was a Leger winner but the pace here must have left scorch marks on the turf for months! he was at full steam from the backstraight, or maybe the WFA difference told in the end! Either way credit to both horses, a true run race if ever there was one !

[terbine13]

to be honest shaffi, I don't know. I think you may be bang on and Joe put into practice the plan to take Grundy's finish out of him by going for it early, but went too early (and I think this succeeded as far as Dahlia and Star Appeal were concerned) I don't know what would have happened if they had gone at a steadier pace, I have a sneaking suspicion that it might have suited Dahlia and she might have got home in front!

[december2364]

I believe that was the plan. Knowing that Bustino would easily see out the trip, they decided to try and burn Grundy and Dahlia out so that they would have nothing left by the final couple of furlongs and rely on Bustino's staying power to see him home. It nearly worked. Bustino did see out the trip and was still flying at the end. If he had left his run a bit later I think Grundy would have won easier. Perhaps Mercer should have went even earlier?

[terbine13]

A Mill Reef, Nijinsky and Sea Bird walloping performance! :-(

[darwinbhoy]

if the hern stable had carson at the time of the race bustino would of won by at least a lenth

[terbine13]

darwinbhoy, they didn't and he wouldn't have! There was nothing wrong with Joe Mercer in a finish, look at the 1972 King George. A better argument might be 'Had Pat Eddery not been on Grundy, Bustino may have prevailed'!

[darwinbhoy]

sorry mate,just cant agree here,carson in a driving finish was far superior than mercer

[december2364]

I don't think your being fair on Mercer here. Bustino was giving everything he had and I'm not sure that even Piggott himself could have forced another half a length out of Bustino by the finish.

[terbine13]

still the 'race of the century' in my estimation..left the likes of Dahlia and Star Appeal for dead... and the time!

[IwillKillMevzer]

I have a horse named Bustino  :D

[shaffi1]

Fair enough terbine, i just think it,s unfair to suggest mile races are easier on a horse than middle distance races. As you know horses have different limits of stamina usually determined by their breeding. I doubt any race is a 'doddle' to a any horse unless of course it simply outclasses it,s opposition. Apologies rendered terbine.

[terbine13]

No worries, but horses lose phenomenal amounts of weight in tough middle/longer distance races don't they? I'm sure I read somewhere that Nijinsky lost a shed load after the St Leger and took an age to regain his 'normal' weight? A hard mile race could also take it out of a horse..the Brigadier was rested for a long time after the Guineas..

[shaffi1]

considering the quality of his opposition, it's not surprising really!

[shaffi1]

This race is proof of what an effect a hard race can have on a horse. Bustino broke down during this race ! and Grundy never recovered!p.s Terbine! the Brigadier did run in mile races and they were all a doddle! especially the guineas!That's what milers do ! Idiot!!!

[terbine13]

as usual Shaffi, you've taken my comments out of context and more disappointingly you resort to calling me an idiot when you don't understand the argument and have run out of anything intelligent to say..poor show!

[december2364]

I don't think I said she was a colt did I? She actually won the Benson & Hedges that year. I get what your saying, but Brigadier Gerard won Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, St. James's Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes, Goodwood Mile,

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and the Champion Stakes in his 3 year old year. However, you may be right and Grundy just didn't have the constitution to allow him to tackle that many Gr 1 races. Still a great animal though. No question and that race is a testament to that.

[terbine13]

december, how can you compare Grundy's races with the Brigadier's? the English and Irish 2000 Guineas are a couple of weeks apart in late April/May then the same for the Derbies in June which themselves combine to equal 3 one mile events! then in addition Grundy contested this record breaking King George..the Brigadier had races much more spaced apart and all at a mile..a doddle!! how many horses have contested both lots of Guineas and Derbies recently?

[shaffi1]

That's right terbine !all at a mile ! thats because Milers tend to run in mile races you idiot!! only the exceptional ones run beyond their best distance ! oh and win!

[shaffi1]

That's right terbine the brigadier's races were well spaced and at a mile, thats because his owner always had his four year old campaign in mind and milers usually run in mile races !! don't they ????

[terbine13]

For some reason this posting only came up on my screen this evening? Damn right Shaffi, some great horses have been ruined by over ambitious owners/trainers/jockeys the Brigadier had a first class team behind him which coupled with his talent, contributed to his amazing career..Grundy however..

[terbine13]

Don't forget that Grundy had run in the Greenham Stakes, the English and Irish 2000 Guineas and the Epsom and Irish Derbies prior to this race so after this King George he had won four out of five group one races in a very short period of time, little wonder the Benson and Hedges was too big an ask..cracking colt though

[december2364]

He was that. So was Bustino, Dahlia and Star Appeal. All stars in their own right.

[terbine13]

er, Dahlia was a 'she' but yes, they were stars! but the point I'm making is that I believe it wasn't just the King George that broke Grundy, it was a culmination of tough races in a short time that in his case proved too much

[december2364]

Did I say Dahlia was a colt? However you could be right about Grundy. Could be that he just didn't have the constitution for a long campaign season.

[december2364]

Sorry for the double posting - it seems to have taken about 2 hours for my first comment to show up.

[december2364]

Thanks a lot. Fantastic race run at a devastating pace. The record for this race still stands today. Bustino never ran again and Grundy only had one more race in the Benson & Hedges at York when he was a poor 4th. This race broke both horses.

[ianzanshin]

Thanks for adding this, have been looking for it for ages!