Who is your favourite racehorse of all time?

[emmah1979]

Following my other post about Frankel I thought that it would be nice to hear about the racehorses that stick in people's minds as being special.

In no particular order for me the ones that were not neccessarily the best but are special to me are:

Direct Route - For no better reason than the way he battled with Edredon Bleu in the 2000 QMC. He came second but the way he stuck his head out all the way to the line will always stick in my mind.

Best Mate - Saw him at Cheltenham winning his third Gold Cup. The atmosphere that day was amazing. Sir Rembrandt almost spoilt the party. So sad that he didn't live to enjoy a well deserved retirement.

Hawk Wing - The way he shrugged off his critics by an emphatic victory in the Lockinge in driving rain in 2003 against some pretty amazing oppostion.

Giant's Causeway for his tenacity in his 5 successive victories in 2000

Galileo for all his great battles with Fantastic Light

Kauto Star - Just because he's great. Last year's victory in the King George was very special

Finally, the horse that really got me interested in racing, which was One Man. Loved watching him jump - he jumped like he had wings. Always though that he'd have been a Queen Mother Champion Chase legend if he'd been entered in that in 1996 and 1997 rather than the Gold Cup. Cried when I heard that he'd died at Aintree.

 

[LizzieJ]

Lochsong, Persian Punch, Lady Rebecca, User Friendly, Panto Prince, Double Silk.

 

[ivandenisovich10]

According to pete. For some reason I fell in love with him and follwed every race in his career. Don't think I've ever cried so much for a horse than when I found he had had suffered fatal injuries in the national.

 

[Hollywood]

Dawn Run - the sight of her fighting back up the hill to win the Gold Cup at Cheltenham with Jonjo aboard was something very very special.

 

[Zerotolerance]

Simples - Red Rum

 

[Carrots&Mints]

Kauto star <3 i have been following him ever since I've been allowed to gamble! Lol (only 21 so not that long)

 

[skint1]

I think I'd have to say Spectacular Bid, he was a hero to me when I watched the racing with my dad as a child in the very early 80s.

I also recall the Alydar/Affirmed duels in the late 70s were very exciting.

 

[Equilibrium Ireland]

Ruffian. She's why I had a career in racing to begin with.

Teeri

 

[mon]

Red rum simply the best.

 

[Spiritedly]

Red Rum ......he was the first horse I 'bet' on and when he won I thought I'd won him.....I was only 3 ....I was so upset that he wasn't coming home to me. My parents suggested I wrote to him, which I did and got a lovely reply from Ginger McCain as well as a photo which was signed my Ginger and Brian Fletcher. Nearly 40 years on I still have both the letter and the photo.

 

[merrymeasure]

I go back to my childhood - Arkle.

 

[unicorndreams]

Mine!! Dancing Melody - absolutely rubbish as a racehorse, but she's my absolute sweetheart of a happy hacker

 

[Littlelegs]

Sunny bay. Followed by best mate.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

Red Rum, followed by Sea Pigeon and Kauto Star.

 

[LuvRacing]

Lochsong, Persian Punch, Dubai Millennium, Singspiel, Soviet Song One Man, Cool Roxy, Best Mate, Kauto Star, the list is endless - I love them all!

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

My all time favourite is One Man. I have posters of him jumping on my bedroom wall and I even bought the video of his 'story' from Cheltenham. Cried for days when he died

As a result of John Hales' colours on a grey horse, I fell in love with Neptune Collonges when he ran third in the gold cup to Kauto and Denman, so he also makes the 'team' (cried when he won the National, as much for John as for the horse!).

There's also Suny Bay, Or Royal, Teeton Mill and Senor El Betrutti (you will notice all greys, but I'm not one of those people who always bets greys - OH is a bookie and he'd crucify me if I did that!) and last but not least the only bay in the team, See More Business won plenty of money on him at Cheltenham as a child when my old man used to give me £1 to bet with!

Nobody beats One Man though

 

[MurphysMinder]

Red Rum without a doubt. As well as winning money on him I saw him after his retirement at some of his personal appearances and he was such a character. I still remember him on Sports Personality of the Year when he reacted to Tommy Stack's voice, amazing!

 

[pansymouse]

Another one for Red Rum.

My pony bit him once, she also ate Princess Annes bouquet; she wasn't a very nice pony.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

And I forgot Silver By Nature! Oh I'm a bad fan he's a horse for a bog, if there's a wet National next April, he's the horse for the job!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Phar Lap - Red Rum - Dessie - Shergar - Arkle -

Mill Reef

was amazing too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MubcmTVJr0

One of my sadest memories was the grey DARK IVY favourite in the race and amazing grey won best turned out at the National Only to fall a few jumps later and broke his neck http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QXDcwOaj3Q

 

[AdorableAlice]

For me it's not so much based on what the horse has won, but more how brave they were in trying to win.

So Desert Orchid, Persian Punch, Dawn Run, Lady Rebecca, Lochsong, Monet's Garden and of course, Red Rum.

I could spend all day watching good brave racehorses !

 

[Bramble74]

My top three would be Red Rum (I met while I was at college and I was completely star struck); Desert Orchid and Nashwan I loved to watch him run...

 

[AmyMay]

Peintre Celebre. The greatest racehorse ever in my opinion.

http://www.coolmore.com/stallions-view.php?id=17&list=ireland

 

[wench]

Mine - although was a rubbish racehorse!

 

[HBM1]

Red Rum

 

[Sharer123]

Dubai Millennium - I never get bored of You Tube-ing his win in the Dubai Gold Cup - OMG!!!

 

[Turitea]

Silvano, Caitano, Well Chief and Sunline

 

[millikins]

My all time favourite is One Man. I have posters of him jumping on my bedroom wall and I even bought the video of his 'story' from Cheltenham. Cried for days when he died

As a result of John Hales' colours on a grey horse, I fell in love with Neptune Collonges when he ran third in the gold cup to Kauto and Denman, so he also makes the 'team' (cried when he won the National, as much for John as for the horse!).

There's also Suny Bay, Or Royal, Teeton Mill and Senor El Betrutti (you will notice all greys, but I'm not one of those people who always bets greys - OH is a bookie and he'd crucify me if I did that!) and last but not least the only bay in the team, See More Business won plenty of money on him at Cheltenham as a child when my old man used to give me £1 to bet with!

Nobody beats One Man though

I agree with you about all of them! And have One Man's video and his picture in my sitting room. Was watching the telly the day he was killed, never seen so many grown men in tears. Would like to add Double Trigger, Silver Patriach and Barton Bank

 

[missroses nanna]

Grundy, nightnurse from my days in racing

 

[Fools Motto]

Red Rum

Lots of racehorses are good, some great but, to me, Rummy is was and will remain in a league above all others.