JP McManus, his owner, has announced that three-time Champion Hurdle winner Istabraq died at 32. He was initially trained on the Flat by John Gosden, and this son of Sadler’s Wells went on to become one of the greatest and most popular National Hunt horses of the modern era after joining Aidan O’Brien. Istabraq won 23 of his 29 races over obstacles, most famously becoming the fifth horse to win three Champion Hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival in 2000. He also won the 1997 Royal and Sun Alliance Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and four Irish Champion Hurdles, two Hatton Grace Hurdles and an Aintree Hurdle throughout his glittering career. His regular jockey, Charlie Swan, and Istabraq won 14 Grade 1 races together.
Istabraq retired to JP’s Martinstown Stud in 2002 after being pulled up in his bid for a fourth Champion Hurdle success at Cheltenham. He has since enjoyed a long and happy retirement in Co Limerick, celebrating his 32nd birthday in May.
JP told the world:
“Sadly, Istabraq passed away at 1.15 am this morning at the ripe old age of 32. He was a very special horse who gave us many great days of fun and enjoyment. Our thanks to Lara Hegarty, Johnny O’Brien, and all the staff at Martinstown who have taken such fantastic care of him over many years. We are pleased that we gave him a good celebration for his most recent birthday in May. He leaves Noreen, myself and the family with wonderful memories.”
His retirement resulted in a swathe of racing entrepreneurial types leaping onto the Istabraq bandwagon as it rolled past, and memory suggests that I was one of those, with my never-released documentary Champion The Wonder Horse. That title was changed for obvious reasons (I think we were even going to use the original theme, which can be heard HERE), and the title became Champion of The Turf, and then the Club secretary suggested it be changed again for many, many logical reasons. Once we settled on Istabraq – The Legend, the gravy train left the station, and I had to lose 300 VHS covers!
That same fickle train has also left La Gare Dujardin – and I suspect the train will never call at that stop again. The sadness is that this has, in all likelihood, been bought about by the spiteful behaviour of a rival. The problem is that the route chosen is likely to end the sport within the Olympic movement and drastically reduce sponsorship opportunities for those who simply want to work with Dobbin to become the best. By all means, take the miscreant to the authorities and say, “Here is the video. You will end her career now privately and I shall keep hold of the video to ensure you do.” End of. But to put it into the hands of some bouffant euro brief and then disseminate the material across all the major news channels after releasing it on social media smacks of more than some slight. Poor form – but what can you expect in 2024?
Talking of Europeans making a brouhaha, can someone please explain the first three hours of tonight’s Olympic opening ceremony? There were boats, bearded men, and more boats, and there was much discussion about why Dinglydangli got an inshore rescue boat, but Bongly Bangly had to share with four other nations. And where was the rest of team GB? One assumes they were stuck on a train to Paris. Then someone sang the Marseillaise from the top of a building in the rain, and then finally, a mechanical horse on a torpedo shot up the Seine – the first activity that grabbed my attention and it looked magnificent. Huzzah. Enfin, as we like to say in the SNCF repair shop. Various sporting coves like Rafa Nadal, Zinedine Zidane, Nadia Comăneci, Serena Williams and Carl Lewis got to run the torch, or be within five feet of it at the least. In the main, however, there seemed to be a great deal of jogging on the spot going on, to the extent that I could have outrun most of them at their overly-considered pace.
Eventually, the last pair got to the cauldron, which was suspended beneath a stylised balloon in The Tuilleries Gardens. Whoosh, they lit it – and then magnificently, it rose into the air, stayed hovering, and looked quite breathtakingly brilliant. As we sucked in our breath and reconsidered our overview of the event to date, we flipped over to the Eiffel Tower and there on the balcony on the premier etage was Celine Dion.
There aren’t many songs that make me weep instantly, but Edith Piaf singing “L’hymne à l’amour” is one of them. The “little sparrow” composed the lyrics to the song in a house she shared with the French-Algerian professional boxer and world middleweight champion Marcel Cerdan as a tribute to their love. Celine sang it last night, in her first public performance since the diagnosis of her dreadful illness, which makes it hard for the singer to control her vocal cords. It was beautiful and moving and should have shown everyone there what can be achieved with courage, self belief and the support of friends and family. See the balloon go up and Celine HERE
Talking of weeping at the sadness of potential loss – here are my tips for the televised racing
1:50 ASCOT Sodexo Live! Princess Margaret Stakes (G3) (Fillies) Cl1 (2yo) 6f ITV 8 run
MANDURAH is stepping up in class, and meets the key trends. DEFINITIVE had the benefit of a low draw when winning at Haydock some 3 weeks ago, but 23 days ago, but did meet traffic problems which she overcame. She looks smart, and for those looking to oppose the favourite, she could be a good alternative.
DEFINITIVE 3 pts e/w
2:05 YORK Sky Bet “Jump Jockeys’ Nunthorpe” Hcap Cl4 (4yo+ 0-80) 5f ITV 19 run
ZARZYNI 2 pts e/w
2:25 ASCOT Longines Valiant Stakes (G3) (Fillies & Mares) Cl1 (3yo+) 1m ITV 8 run
SOPRANO 4 pts Win – DOOM 2 pts e/w
2:40 YORK Sky Bet Dash Hcap Cl2 (3yo+ 0-105) 6f ITV 14 run
BERGERAC 4 pts Win – FERROUS 2 pts e/w
3:00 ASCOT Moet & Chandon International Stakes Cl2 (3yo+) 7f ITV 18 run
There is plenty to like about ORAZIO, given that his 3rd in the Wokingham LTO was without any pace on his side of the track. The way he finished suggests this step up to 7f should be something he appreciates, and the booking of William Buick suggests some stable belief that this is within his scope. BILLYJOH went into the notebook when he ran into the impressive English Oak in the Buckingham Palace. I figure that his 2 lbs is by no means an anchor.
ORAZIO 4 pts Win – BILLYJOH 2 pts e/w
3:15 YORK Sky Bet York Stakes (G2) Cl1 (3yo+) 1m2½f ITV 5 run
3:40 ASCOT King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (G1) Cl1 (3yo+) 1m4f ITV 9 run
GOLIATH 1 pt e/w @ 33/1
Not on TV:
4:00 YORK
4:50 ASCOT
ELNAJMM is short enough early doors, but he probably has many pounds in hand even on this massive 11lb rise from a tough handicapper.