Which was the last British-trained horse to win the Champion Chase at Down Royal?

Which was the last British-trained horse to win the Champion Chase at Down Royal? The Ladbrokes Champion Chase, formerly the James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase, is, as the name suggests, a Grade 1 steeplechase run over three miles at Down Royal Racecourse, near Lisburn, Northern Ireland in late October or early November. The race is a latter-day addition to the Irish National Hunt calendar, having been inaugurated, over a furlong further, in 1999, before being shortened to the current distance a year later.

After the first three, top-class renewals, won by Florida Pearl, Looks Like Trouble and Foxchapel King, the James Nicholson Wine Merchant Championship Chase, as was, was awarded Grade 1 status. Indeed, the Ladbrokes Champion Chase, as the race has been known since the 2019 renewal, now has the distinction of being the first Grade 1 event of the Irish National Hunt season.

Despite its relatively short history, the :Ladbrokes Champion Chase is firmly established as an early-season target for top-class staying chasers trained on both sides of the Irish Sea. Of 24 renewals, so far, six have gone the way of British-trained horses, all bar one of which were trained by Paul Nicholls. The 14-time British Champion National Hunt Trainer was responsible for Taranis (2007), Kauto Star (2008, 2010), Kauto Stone (2012) and, most recently, Frodon (2021). The first four of that quintet were ridden by Ruby Walsh and Frodon by Bryony Frost. Alongside Co. Meath-based Gordon Elliott, Nicholls is jointly the most successful trainer in the history of the race.

What’s the widest winning margin in the history of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe?

What's the widest winning margin in the history of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe? Befitting the most prestigious race run in Europe, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is designed to bring together the best middle-distance horses from around the world. Subject to a weight-for-age allowances, for three-year-olds, and a weight-for-sex allowance, for fillies and mares, horses compete on equal terms, unpenalised for previous victories. Consquently, runaway winners of the “Arc” are something of a rarity, although three horses collectively hold th record for the widest winning margin, which currently stands at six lengths.

The first horse to put his rivals to the sword by that distance was the unbeaten Italian-trained champion, Ribot, who justified odds-on favouritism in facile style in 1956. Already an easy three-length winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe the previous year, the Tenerani colt returned to Longchamp to beat a stronger field, headed by the the Irish Derby winner, Talgo, by even further on his second attempt.

In 1965, the French-trained Derby winner, Sea Bird, recorded another six-length verdict, which might have been further, but for drifting markedly left-handed in the closing stages. Last, but by no means least, Sakhee, trained in Britain by Saeed bin Suroor, dominated the opposition in 2001, powering clear for a six-length victory over the hitherto unbeaten filly Aquarelliste. It’s no coincidence that Sea Bird (145) and Ribot (142) remain the second and joint-sixth highest-rated Flat horses in the history of Timeform, respectively, while Sakhee (136) was also, unsurprisingly, rated in the “top class” bracket.

The Art of Naming a Race Horse

The Art of Naming a Race Horse Naming a racehorse sounds easy, right? Just pick a cool name, and you’re done. Well, not exactly. There are a bunch of rules to make sure no two racehorses share the same racing name. It’s not just the birth name, like Secretariat’s “Big Red,” but the official name used in horse racing.

Curious about how it all works? Let’s dive into the intriguing process of naming a racehorse and the regulations involved.

Let’s Discuss Age

Okay, so you’re probably thinking, “What in the world does age have to do with naming a horse?” But the answer is quite a lot. In the world of racehorses, every horse has its birthday celebrated on January 1. It doesn’t matter if it was actually born in April or October—come January 1, they officially age by one year. This might sound a bit odd, but it’s actually a clever way to keep horses grouped by age for competitive races and other events.

Right after a foal is born, there’s a ticking clock for registration. Within a year, each horse has to be registered with the Jockey Club. And let me tell you, it’s no walk in the park. The registration process includes having the foal’s DNA typed to confirm its lineage. Plus, both of its parents must also be registered and have DNA or blood type. But hold on—there’s more. The horse can’t be born through artificial insemination or embryo transfer. Is your head spinning yet?

Once the registration is all said and done, you would think that naming would be a breeze. But nope, by February of their two-year-old year, these equine stars must have their official racing name. This is where things get really tangled and complex—a bit like unraveling a ball of yarn!

Meeting Name Guidelines

When it comes to naming a racehorse, it’s a real adventure through a maze of guidelines and creativity. Picture this: you’re the owner of a brand new, sprightly foal, and you’ve got the exciting task of naming it. You don’t just pick one name and hope for the best; you submit up to six options to the Jockey Club. Then, they choose which name gets the nod. But what if you buy a horse and dislike its racing name? No worries. With some cash from the Jockey Club, you can pay for a name change.

Before you get carried away, remember names can only be up to 18 characters long, including spaces and punctuation. And there are rules! No “filly” or “colt” endings, no numbers unless spelled out and above thirty, and definitely no sneaky initials. Forget about naming your horse after a celebrity—unless you’ve got written permission. All Hall of Fame or Eclipse Award winners are out and don’t even think about anything suggestive or potentially offensive. Oh, and simply sounding like another name can get you booted from the list!

Despite the mountain of rules, some owners get cheeky with creative spellings to skirt around them. But if all your names get the red pen or you’re stumped like a deer in headlights, the Jockey Club will step in and name your horse for you. Once a name is selected, your horse proudly wears its official name tattooed under its upper lip, like a badge of honor, linked forever to its registration. That’s right—it’s more than a name; it’s an identity!

Now That You Know About Horse Naming, What’s the Next Horserace You’ll Watch?

So, with the 2024 Breeders’ Cup World Championships coming up, you’ve got the perfect chance to see these creatively named equine stars in action. Secure your spot with Breeders’ Cup Experiences Official Ticket Packages for unparalleled track views and VIP treatment. Watch as these masterfully named champions burst from the gates, and maybe you’ll discover your own favorite future champion!

And if you’re a real enthusiast, you may want to start analyzing the Breeders Cup odds 2024 right away. Who knows, you may even uncover the next record-breaking racehorse and have a hand in naming it!

Which is the only horse to have won the Cesarewitch Handicap twice?

Which is the only horse to have won the Cesarewitch Handicap twice? The second leg of the traditional “Autumn Double”, the Cesarewitch Handicap is run over two and a quarter miles at Newmarket in October. The title is derived from the Russian word “tsarevich”, the title awarded to the firstborn son of a tsar, and the race was so-named in honour of Alexander, the eldest son of Emperor Nicholas I, who ascended to the Russian throne in 1855.

The Cesarewitch is run on a wide, galloping, L-shaped course with a right-handed bend at halfway into what is, at a mile and a quarter, the longest home straight in the country. Consequently, despite the marathon distance covered, the general consensus is that horses drawn high in the Cesarewitch, which has a safety limit 34, are at a disadvantage. The last three winners were drawn 3 of 31, 9 of 21 and 6 of 32, but they were preceded by two winners drawn 20, of 34 and 30 runners respectively, and at least one horse drawn in the twenties has made the first three in all bar one of the last four renewals.

The Cesarewitch was inaugurated in 1839 and, in recent years, has posed a thorny puzzle for punters. Since 2000, just seven winners, four of which were sent off favourite, have been returned at single-figure prices and have been accompanied by winners at 66/1 (twice), 50/1 (twice) and 25/1. Indeed, one of the 66/1 winners was Aaim To Prosper, trained by Brian Meehan, who gamely repelled challengers in 2012, thereby supplementing his previous win, off a 20lb lower mark, two years previously to become the first, and so far only, horse to win the Cesarewitch Handicap twice.

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