5 Best Horses Ever
My last betting blog about Frankel and Black Caviar got me thinking about the greatest race horses of all time.
As the Judge always says, I’ll try not to speak through my wallet here. But here are the 5 horses that I think can be considered the greatest of all time.
I have tried to mix in both codes and some different distances along the way. I am obviously biased against horses I haven’t seen because, well, I haven’t seen them.
So before all the old timers write in asking why I left “Himself” off the list, or reminding me of the time they listened on the radio to Sir Ivor hacking up in the Derby – this is just horses I’ve seen.
And no place for the recent Jonny-come-latelys of the last few years. No place for Sea the Stars, who beat Youmzain by the same distance as about ten other half-decent horses. No place for the mighty Frankel, who beats the same rubbish horses over the same trip every weekend. And no place for Kauto Star, who got lucky to find himself in a flat era for staying chasers.
1. Best Mate. “Bezzie” as I like to call him won three gold cups and had the heart of a lion.
2. Moscow Flyer. Part of the “Big Three” of 2 mile chasers, this was the best of the lot by a mile (or maybe 2 miles ha ha ha). The only horse that Istabraq was scared of, so they say.
3. Celtic Swing. Carried all before him as a 2yo but then was criticised for being campaigned “wrongly” by the jokers in the press. He got injured half-way through his 3yo year but I’d have loved to see what this kid could have done if he’d stayed healthy.
4. Rock of Gibraltar. Part-owned by Fergie, the jewel in Coolmore’s crown, winner of seven consecutive group 1s. If this horse was a human, we’d all say he was a “boat”.
5. Dubai Millennium. Tragically died of grass sickness at the age of five, this wonderful horse was identified by his owner Shiekh Mohammed as the best 2yo he’d ever had. Campaigned between the British flat season and the gulf, his career peaked as he won the Dubai World Cup (in Millennium year no less) in scintillating fashion.
