Which was the first horse to run in the Kentucky and Epsom Derbies?

Which was the first horse to run in the Kentucky and Epsom Derbies? The first horse to run in the Kentucky and Epsom Derbies and, indeed, the first British-trained horse to run in ‘The Race for the Roses’, was Bold Arrangement, owned by Anthony and Raymond Richards and trained, in Newmarket, by Clive Brittain. Brittain was renowned for his adventurous, pioneering spirit and, although often accused of ’tilting at windmills’, became synonymous with high-profile success at home and abroad.

Bold Arrangement was sired by Persian Bold, a smart performer between a mile and a mile-and-a-quarter, including on turf. He won four of his nine starts as a juvenile, including the Group Three Solario Stakes, over 7 furlongs, at Sandown Park, under Pat Eddery. After a modest three-year-old debut at Doncaster in March, 1986, Bold Arrangement headed to Lexington, Kentucky for his first start on dirt, the Blue Grass Stakes, over nine furlongs, at Keeneland. Once again ridden by Pat Eddery, the colt came from way off the pace to finish third, beaten three-quarters of a length.

At Churchill Downs, Bold Arrangement was ridden by Kentucky Derby veteran Chris McCarron, deputising for the suspended Eddery, and sent off at 8/1. After four furlongs, Bold Arrangement was only eleventh of the sixteen runners, but loomed large leaving the far turn and kept on stoutly to finish second, beaten 2¼ lengths, behind Ferdinand. McCarron kept the ride at Epsom a month later but, sent off at 12/1, Bold Arrangement could only manage fourteenth of the sixteen finishers behind controversial winner Shahrastani.

What is a Monty Roberts blanket?

The Monty Roberts blanket takes its name from its inventor, American horse trainer, or ‘horse whisperer’, Marvin Earl ‘Monty’ Roberts. Originally designed in the early Nineties, the lightly-padded blanket is fitted, temporarily, behind the saddle and covers the hindquarters of a horse down as far as the hocks, or the equivalent of the human ankle. Other styles of stalls blanket exist but, in Britain, Monty Roberts has become synonymous with this type of equipment.  Online slots real money usa sites are popular in the modern age, but with sports that people like a wager on we can soon forget how such functional items play a role.

All starting stalls include rails, on either side, on the inside walls, on which jockeys can put their feet down. In the absence of a Monty Roberts blanket, contact with these rails can cause some horses to become claustrophobic and unruly. The purpose of the blanket, therefore, is to protect the ‘vulnerable’ areas of the horse, such as the ribs or stifle joints – the equivalent of the human knee – from unwanted brushing, or bumping, against the starting stalls. A rope is attached to a ring at the rear of the blanket, so that it can be pulled off by a stalls handler when the stalls open. Much in the same way that online casinos real money websites have measures that protect players, it’s only right that in the sport of kings steps are taken to also protect those magnificent beasts taking part.

How many horses have won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe more than once?

Traditionally staged on the first Sunday in October at Longchamp Racecourse in the Bois de Boulogne, west of Paris, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is one of the highlights of the international racing calendar. Run over a mile-and-a-half and open to horses aged three years and upwards of either gender, except geldings, the ‘Arc’ is a prestigious Group One contest, which regularly atrracts the crème de la crème of middle-distance from all over the world.

The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe was inaugurated in 1920 and has been sponsored by Qatar Racing, under the auspices of Sheikh Fahad Al Thani, of the Qatari Royal family, since 2008. It is, in fact, the most valuable race run on the Flat anywhere in Europe, offering €5 million in total prize money, of which €2.86 million goes to the winner. Horses aged four years and upwards carry 9st 5lb, three-year-olds carry 8st 12lb and fillies and mares receive a 3lb allowance. Consequently, for horses of the ‘Classic’ generation – that is, three-year-old colts and fillies – British trainers often consider the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe as a viable alternative to the St. Leger Stakes, which is run over two furlongs further at Doncaster in September.

All told, eight horses – in chronological order, Ksar (1921, 1922), Motrico (1930, 1932), Corrida (1936, 1937), Tantieme (1950, 1951), Ribot (1955, 1956), Alleged (1977, 1978), Treve (2013, 2014) and Enable (2017, 2018) – have won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe twice, but no horse has won the race three times.

Whatever happened to Folkestone Racecourse?

Nowadays property of Folkestone & Hythe District Council and destined to become part of the sprawling ‘Otterpool Park’ housing development, Folkestone Racecourse still stands in Westenhanger, west of Folkestone town centre, as it has done since 1898. In its heyday, Folkestone was the only official horse racing venue in Kent and staged both Flat and National Hunt fixtures throughout the year.

However, following its ‘temporary’ closure in December, 2012 which, according to previous owners Arena Racing Company (ARC) was to allow redevelopment of ‘outdated’ facilities, Folkestone never opened its gates again. In fact, the previously magnificent site has essentially been left to slowly decay into rack and ruin.

The tumbledown buildings, including the wooden-fronted main stand, are still standing, albeit only just, but the steeplechase fences and running rails. The attractive parade ring and paddock area, behind the main stand, has at least been maintained to some extent, but the racing surface has been reclaimed by grass and tall, ugly weeds, reminiscent of a large, unkempt field than a racecourse.

Racing Post journalist Lee Mottershead once wrote, hauntily, of Folkestone, ‘They once raced horses here.’ They did, indeed, and the brutal demise of a landmark that stood for over a century is heart-breaking and shameful in equal measure.

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