In very soft going Mercer kept this John Dunlop trained colt towards the rear but steered him up the centre of the course to win a final big victory. The horse and jockey were cheered loudly all the way from the course to the unsaddling enclosure.
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Monument was a further length away in third while Rhodes Scholar, who appeared to be uncomfortable on the hard ground came home fifth. Despite very few of the crowd having backed him, Boswell was given a "cordial round of applause" as he returned to the unsaddling enclosure.
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In 1974, she won three consecutive sprint races at the Saratoga Race Course. Following the December 28, 1974 Miss Florida Handicap at the Tropical-at-Calder meet, La Prevoyante collapsed in the unsaddling area. She got back on her feet and was able to walk to the stables but collapsed again and died of a ruptured lung.
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Grundy's winning time of 2:26.98 broke the race record by almost two and a half seconds, the record stood until 2010 when Harbinger ran 2:26.78 over a slightly modified course. As sometimes happens, a race of this nature took a toll on both horses. Bustino and Grundy appeared totally exhausted as they returned to the unsaddling enclosure. Bustino never raced again.
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The horse was backed down from 10/1 to 4/1 favourite just before the off, and, shortly after entering the straight, Conolly sent the horse on for an easy three-length victory. Celebrations were cut short though. As the crowd mobbed the horse in the unsaddling enclosure, he panicked and kicked out, catching a bystander full in the face and killing him.
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At the fourth-to-last fence, known as the downhill fence, and when in fifth place, Kauto Star fell awkwardly, landing on his neck. However, he got to his feet, apparently unscathed. The race was won by the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Imperial Commander, with Denman in second and Mon Mome in third place. Unusually for a non-finisher, Kauto Star was applauded by those in the grandstands as he returned to the unsaddling area.
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Bold Ruler went to the early lead but was closely challenged by Bold Nero. The two set fast early fractions before first Bold Nero then Bold Ruler faltered. Bold Ruler hung on for third but was so tired after the race that he didn't want to return to the unsaddling enclosure. Gallant Man won convincingly and set an American record for miles of 2:26. This remained the stakes record until 1973 when Bold Ruler's son Secretariat broke it.
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Penna had decided to retire and return to Argentina, and some horses were sent to be trained in England by Peter Walwyn. Some success was gained and more were sent in 1978, amongst them Wildenstein's prized stayer Buckskin. All seemed well but at that year's Royal Ascot Buckskin was well beaten by Shangamuzo in the Ascot Gold Cup. In the unsaddling enclosure Wildenstein complained about jockey Pat Eddery's riding of the horse and an argument ensued the result of which was that Walwyn asked Wildenstein to remove his horses from his stable.
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Skírnir returns to Asgard and reports to Freyr, who asks him: Tell me, Skírnir, before unsaddling :Or stepping forth another pace :Is the news you bring from Jotunheim :For better or for worse? Skírnir replies: :In the woods of Barri, which know we both so well, :A quiet still and tranquil place :In nine nights time to Njörd's son :Will Gerd give herself. Freyr responds: :One night is long enough, yet longer still are two; :How then shall I contend with three? :For months have passed more quickly :Than half a bridal eve.
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After the race, Piggott was heard to describe the colt as "useless" in the unsaddling enclosure. The jockey's comments were seen as aggravating the strains in the relationship between Piggott and O'Brien which saw him replaced as Ballydoyle's retained jockey by Pat Eddery in 1981. Despite his unimpressive form, Monteverdi, ridden by Piggott, started third favourite behind Nikoli and Henbit for the 201st Derby on 4 June but was never in contention at any stage and finished unplaced. Piggott stated that the colt failed to stay the one and a half mile distance, saying that he "didn't get the trip".
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As a result of her hock injury, it was decided to give Noblesse a couple of months rest before preparing her for a tilt at Europe's richest race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October. Her preparatory race was to be the Prix Vermeille which is run over the same course and distance as the 'Arc'. Ridden by Lester Piggott in the 'Vermeille', Noblesse started a short-priced favourite but was beaten into third place and returned lame to the unsaddling enclosure. Since very little time remained to get her back fit and ready to run in the 'Arc', she was retired.
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The BBC retained the rights to broadcast the race live for 41st consecutive year and it was shown as a Grandstand Grand National special. Sue Barker made her debut as the anchor presenter, making her the fifth person and first woman to host the BBC broadcast. Barker presented the programme from the unsaddling enclosure, which was situated outside where the weighing room bar is today, with interviews with celebrity racegoers, connections of the competitors, former Aintree heroes and the winning connections after the race.Sunday Independent article 'Barker kept on the back foot on Pitman's turf' by Stan Hey Sunday 9 April 2000 The rest of the BBC team comprised Clare Balding as a roving reporter on the course and in the saddling boxes.
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The Flogas Novice Chase at Leopardstown on 2 February 2020 saw twelve-year-old Faugheen, ridden by Paul Townend, starting joint favourite. The other six runners were all horses five and six years younger than he was. Early in the race Faugheen settled into second place behind the other joint favourite, Battleoverdoyen, and then took the lead at two out. On the run-in he was challenged by Easy Game but held on to win by half a length and head to a rapturous welcome in the unsaddling enclosure. With this win, Faugheen had become only the third horse in recent decades to win a Grade One race as a twelve-year-old, the others being Sizing Europe (2014 Champion Chase at Punchestown) and Florida Pearl (2004 Irish Gold Cup).
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She was first or second in eleven straight races against her own sex; her second against the boys came in the Lawrence Realization. Vagrancy raced 42 times and hit the board in 31 of her starts. She won most of the most important stakes races in New York at the time for fillies, including the Ladies Handicap, the Alabama, the Test, the Coaching Club American Oaks, and the Gazelle. One of Vagrancy's most famous race was probably the Beldame Stakes in which she led for most of the race but was caught at the wire by Barrancosa; following a review of the photo, the race was declared a dead heat. From The Times: “William Woodward, of Belair Stud was chairman of the Jockey Club and breeder and owner of Vagrancy, flipped a coin in the unsaddling enclosure after the finish and thereby lost possession for the coming year of the Beldame Trophy.
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