Rock Of Gibraltar

Owned by Sir Alex Ferguson and Susan Magnier and trained by Aidan O’Brien, Rock Of Gibraltar had the distinction of winning seven consecutive Group 1 races in 2001/02, in so doing breaking the record set by Mill Reef 30 years earlier.

Rock Of Gibraltar raced seven times as a juvenile, winning five times, including back-to-back Group 1 victories in the Grand Crierium - Lucien Barriere at Longchamp and the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, both over 7 furlongs, in October. Stepped up to a mile for the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on his three-year-old debut, the Danehill colt led the group on the far side over a furlong out and was ridden out to beat stable companion Hawk Wing, who raced on the near side, by a neck.

Rock Of Gibraltar subsequently bolted up in the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh three weeks later and readily beat old rival Landseer – whom he’d denied by a short head in the Dewhurst Stakes – in the St. James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot the following month. Two more Group 1 wins, in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in July and the Prix de Moulin de Longchamp in September, followed before a trip across the Atlantic to contest the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Arlington Park, Chicago. Sent off at odds-on, for the fifth time in a row, Rock Of Gibraltar finished a never-nearer second, beaten three-quarters of a length, behind 26/1 outsider Domedriver.

Understandably, Rock Of Gibraltar was named Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt and Cartier Horse of the Year in 2002.

In 2004, Ferguson threatened John Magnier, owner of Coolmore Stud, with court action in an extraordinary dispute over stud fees for Rock Of Gibraltar, before settling out of court in a compromise deal worth £2.5 million. In his autobiography, Ferguson dismissed the episode in a paragraph or two, but later told a press conference, “It was straightforward. I had an agreement with John Magnier that, after the settlement, nothing will [sic] be said about it at all. I’ve said nothing and they’ve said nothing. That’s how it is and that’s how it should be.”

Needle In a Haystack

This is often what picking winners can feel like :-D

Tim Vaughan

Former Welsh Champion point-to-point jockey Tim Vaughan is a National Hunt trainer, who in 2012 became the youngest ever to record 100 winners in a season. 

 

Since 2008 he has trained over 700 winners including Grade 1 victors, Saint Are in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle and Spirit of Adjisa in the Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown. In 2017 he saddled his first ever Cheltenham winner when Master Dancer won in the Brandon Hill Capital Handicap Hurdle. Another career highlight came with Beshabar’s victory in the Scottish Grand National in 2011. 

 

Hailing from the Vale of Glamorgan, Vaughan rode 117 winners and was named Champion Welsh point-to-point jockey during his amateur days. He initially began training as a chartered surveyor, while competing, but despite warnings about the career path, opted to instead become a trainer. 

 

Vaughan obtained his training licence in 2006 and quickly became on the most talented, young trainers in the country. After setting up his stable at Pant Wilkin Stables in Aberthin, Cowbridge in 2008, Vaughan saw his fortunes rise and stable expand. Within eighteen months of starting he had made it into the top 10 trainers list in the country. 

 

Vaughan had 55 winners in the 2008/9 season and went on to break the 100 barrier in the 2011/12. A year earlier he had surpassed another milestone, crossing the £500,000 prize money mark for the first time. He works closely with stable jockey Alan Johns, who rode 45 winners in the 2016/17, all coming from Vaughan.

Desert Orchid

Assessing the popularity of racehorses from different generations is never easy, but Desert Orchid must surely rank alongside Arkle and Red Rum as one of the most iconic steeplechasers in the history of National Hunt racing. Although officially a grey, Desert Orchid gradually lost his birth colour with age, becoming almost white. As such, he was easy to pick out in a race which, coupled with his bold, front-running style and flamboyant, albeit occasionally erratic, jumping added to his appeal to the general public.

Owned by Richard and Midge Burridge and trained by David Elsworth, the aptly-named son of Grey Mirage I made 70 starts over hurdles and fences, winning 34 of them. His major victories included the King George VI Chase at Kempton (four times), the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Irish Grand National.

His finest hour, particularly for a horse famously better going right-handed, came at Cheltenham on March 16, 1989. On heavy, almost unraceable, ground, Desert Orchid started 5/2 favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup but, having been left in the lead by the fall of Ten Plus at the third last fence, was headed by confirmed mudlark Yahoo on the run to two out. Yahoo maintained the advantage until the run-in, but Desert Orchid rallied on the famous uphill climb to the line, quickening in the closing stages to win by 1½ lengths. Winning jockey Simon Sherwood said afterwards, “Without doubt he could have won three or four Gold Cups if Cheltenham had been right-handed.”

Aside from his victories at the highest level, Desert Orchid also won numerous handicaps, over a variety of distances, under seemingly prohibitive weights. In the Victor Chandler Chase, over 2 miles, at Ascot in 1989, he beat Panto Prince by a head conceding 22lb and the following April won the Irish Grand National, over 3 miles and 5 furlongs, at Fairyhouse by 12 lengths, despite conceding 26lb and upwards to each of his 13 rivals.