As a further note; Pendil found himself in front too soon in 1973 when The Dikler was driven up his inner to win on the line. Dick Pitman was trying to keep Pendil tucked in for a late challenge. We will never know, but I always believe that Pendil didn't get up the hill, a bit like One Man. Indeed a lot of Pendil's victories were at shorter distances than 3 1/4 miles.
I know it's easy to sit here and make comments with the benefit of hindsight, but surely when you are riding a red hot favourite in a Gold Cup you do not track a horse which you know to be a dodgy jumper going into the most difficult fence on the course!! Richard Pitman says Captain Christy and The Dikler blocked his escape route, but they were always likely to alongside him at that stage of the race. At the end of the day he should have positioned himself away from High Ken from the outset.
I remember taking the afternoon off of school to watch Pendil in the Gold Cup, Gutted when he was brought down I am sure he would have won. Great horse to watch, Fred Winters finest.
High Ken was actually notorious for doing this; he would be leading, going well, then one fence would get in the way. What you don't see in this clip is that Beasley sent CC up Pendil's outside to keep him hemmed in, having to follow High Ken into that fence. Beasley knew Pendil would be ridden differently to the previous year and was his main danger. A similar incident occurred with Best Mate and Harbour Pilot in 2004 but Culloty managed to sit tight and Best Mate scored his third victory.
Tough one to call, Both pendil and the captain were Exceptional horses, Pendil always had a high cruising speed, but what a great jumper he was, not sure the captain would have got Away with that mistake if pendil was bang there.
I think Pendil would have won. He stayed the distance perfectly well - it's just a matter of timing the challenge. He would have had two to aim for in this race and I think he would have taken them both, particularly with Captain Christy's mistake at the last. This isn't to have a go at the captain - one of the greats, without a doubt - but he had his flaws and if Pendil hadn't been brought down I think those flaws might have cost him victory. Anyhow, it didn't happen, we'll never know.
looked to me like christy finished with any amount in hand, pendil as good as he was would have had to go some to beat him, mistake included...as you say though it didn't happen, so....
please do you have any footage of captain christie, mandarin and dawn run at Auteuil Paris? Dawn Run's win in the French Champion Hurdle was shown on British tv. CC would have won the GSt de Paris but for a serious blunder not far from home, and Mandarin's victory in the GSt Paris is the greatest ever 'chase because Fred Winter had to waste terribly, the bit broke at the second jump no steering, the course is a complex figure of eight, against the French best and Mandarin broke down 2 from home
Great race, Bobby Beasley did well to stay on and pull the Captain back up and win the race. Bobby sadly died last year in 2008 (RIP). I lived in the same village in Ireland as Bobby, when he won this race. It was my first bet, I bet 50 pence on the Captain to win. I was 11 years old. Every man, woman and child in the village of Camolin backed Bobby for that race and nearly put the bookies shop in the neighbouring village out of business.
if i remember rightly high ken raced in the grand national and ran beautifully crusing until the fence before beachers before falling who knows what could have happened
I think the bean-counters at Racing UK are nuts. If they want to attract more people to their service, it won't be those already interested in racing, but people who may develop an interest through public access - either terrestrial tv or YouTube.
Anyway, thank you everyone who puts races up: they bring back some very hazy memories. I was 9 when I first started watching racing in 1971 and became hooked - odd sort of hobby for a young boy!
Indeed. Pendil was desperately unlucky in '73 and '74, but I think Captain Christy is - partially as a result - rather underrated in Britain (I suspect things are different in Ireland). His best performance was the staggering 1975 King George.
I think these races are taken from an old VHS which only included the finishes. The Gold Cups of the 1980s were rerun on Racing UK and were all uploaded in full, but several whole channels were taken down at RUK's behest (unfortunately).
Bang on with your assumption there Robin. From an old VHS which only showed the finishes. Would love to see them in their entirety myself but thats all I've got. Still it has hopefully brought back some memories for those like me (and you?) who loved the 70's racing - and especially for those who have heard about but never saw these races.
@RobinCarmody I love your comment about CC's "staggering" 1975 Kempton performance. If I were asked to name a performance at level weights over 3 miles of fences that would have challenged the great Arkle the most I would name that. The unpredictable Captain Christy was probably almost as good as Arkle when he felt bothered. His trainer Pat Taaffe even said that he would have been damn nearly as good as him except for what went on in his head. Wasn't he in some position to judge?
@alipitogen I also love the quote from Dick Pitman about the same race(75 King George). He said that at the start he(on Pendil) and another jockey (I forget who) agreed that Captain Christy's jumping was dodgy so they shouldn't tail him, but that their worries evaporated because CC and Gerry Newman took off and "we never saw them again!" Captain Christy was that Timeform squiggle incarnate! Could Pendil have beaten CC in that Gold Cup because he won it so begrudgingly?... I'd back CC!
what memoires!! i'd never seen a horse jump fences as well as pendil did.
blkbruv 2 months ago
As a further note; Pendil found himself in front too soon in 1973 when The Dikler was driven up his inner to win on the line. Dick Pitman was trying to keep Pendil tucked in for a late challenge. We will never know, but I always believe that Pendil didn't get up the hill, a bit like One Man. Indeed a lot of Pendil's victories were at shorter distances than 3 1/4 miles.
malcs0 3 months ago
I know it's easy to sit here and make comments with the benefit of hindsight, but surely when you are riding a red hot favourite in a Gold Cup you do not track a horse which you know to be a dodgy jumper going into the most difficult fence on the course!! Richard Pitman says Captain Christy and The Dikler blocked his escape route, but they were always likely to alongside him at that stage of the race. At the end of the day he should have positioned himself away from High Ken from the outset.
Annon1100 6 months ago
I remember taking the afternoon off of school to watch Pendil in the Gold Cup, Gutted when he was brought down I am sure he would have won. Great horse to watch, Fred Winters finest.
sirlagerlot 8 months ago
High Ken was actually notorious for doing this; he would be leading, going well, then one fence would get in the way. What you don't see in this clip is that Beasley sent CC up Pendil's outside to keep him hemmed in, having to follow High Ken into that fence. Beasley knew Pendil would be ridden differently to the previous year and was his main danger. A similar incident occurred with Best Mate and Harbour Pilot in 2004 but Culloty managed to sit tight and Best Mate scored his third victory.
malcs0 1 year ago
Tough one to call, Both pendil and the captain were Exceptional horses, Pendil always had a high cruising speed, but what a great jumper he was, not sure the captain would have got Away with that mistake if pendil was bang there.
olebarca99 1 year ago
I often have wondered what would have happened if Pendil had stayed on his feet.
december2364 2 years ago
He would have lost.
bluemanc43 2 years ago
I think Pendil would have won. He stayed the distance perfectly well - it's just a matter of timing the challenge. He would have had two to aim for in this race and I think he would have taken them both, particularly with Captain Christy's mistake at the last. This isn't to have a go at the captain - one of the greats, without a doubt - but he had his flaws and if Pendil hadn't been brought down I think those flaws might have cost him victory. Anyhow, it didn't happen, we'll never know.
ComteLafon 2 years ago
looked to me like christy finished with any amount in hand, pendil as good as he was would have had to go some to beat him, mistake included...as you say though it didn't happen, so....
boysull 1 year ago
please do you have any footage of captain christie, mandarin and dawn run at Auteuil Paris? Dawn Run's win in the French Champion Hurdle was shown on British tv. CC would have won the GSt de Paris but for a serious blunder not far from home, and Mandarin's victory in the GSt Paris is the greatest ever 'chase because Fred Winter had to waste terribly, the bit broke at the second jump no steering, the course is a complex figure of eight, against the French best and Mandarin broke down 2 from home
coulson234 2 years ago
Great race, Bobby Beasley did well to stay on and pull the Captain back up and win the race. Bobby sadly died last year in 2008 (RIP). I lived in the same village in Ireland as Bobby, when he won this race. It was my first bet, I bet 50 pence on the Captain to win. I was 11 years old. Every man, woman and child in the village of Camolin backed Bobby for that race and nearly put the bookies shop in the neighbouring village out of business.
ANWL 2 years ago
my grandfather had a winner in the steeple chase hunt in 74, horses name Mr.Midland, is there anyway of getting footage???
peadareen 3 years ago
Is your grandad the owner or was he the jockey/trainer ? Mouse Morris rode it.
Hope you find a clip.
punditpete 3 years ago
if i remember rightly high ken raced in the grand national and ran beautifully crusing until the fence before beachers before falling who knows what could have happened
thestrangeenigma 3 years ago
I think the bean-counters at Racing UK are nuts. If they want to attract more people to their service, it won't be those already interested in racing, but people who may develop an interest through public access - either terrestrial tv or YouTube.
Anyway, thank you everyone who puts races up: they bring back some very hazy memories. I was 9 when I first started watching racing in 1971 and became hooked - odd sort of hobby for a young boy!
ComteLafon 3 years ago
great to see thsi, captain christy at his best was second only to arkle;
it would be great to see thye whole of these races arther than just the last few furlongs
farrelizer 3 years ago
Indeed. Pendil was desperately unlucky in '73 and '74, but I think Captain Christy is - partially as a result - rather underrated in Britain (I suspect things are different in Ireland). His best performance was the staggering 1975 King George.
I think these races are taken from an old VHS which only included the finishes. The Gold Cups of the 1980s were rerun on Racing UK and were all uploaded in full, but several whole channels were taken down at RUK's behest (unfortunately).
RobinCarmody 3 years ago
Bang on with your assumption there Robin. From an old VHS which only showed the finishes. Would love to see them in their entirety myself but thats all I've got. Still it has hopefully brought back some memories for those like me (and you?) who loved the 70's racing - and especially for those who have heard about but never saw these races.
jessejames3507 3 years ago
@RobinCarmody I love your comment about CC's "staggering" 1975 Kempton performance. If I were asked to name a performance at level weights over 3 miles of fences that would have challenged the great Arkle the most I would name that. The unpredictable Captain Christy was probably almost as good as Arkle when he felt bothered. His trainer Pat Taaffe even said that he would have been damn nearly as good as him except for what went on in his head. Wasn't he in some position to judge?
alipitogen 1 year ago
@alipitogen I also love the quote from Dick Pitman about the same race(75 King George). He said that at the start he(on Pendil) and another jockey (I forget who) agreed that Captain Christy's jumping was dodgy so they shouldn't tail him, but that their worries evaporated because CC and Gerry Newman took off and "we never saw them again!" Captain Christy was that Timeform squiggle incarnate! Could Pendil have beaten CC in that Gold Cup because he won it so begrudgingly?... I'd back CC!
alipitogen 1 year ago