1980, 1981 & 1982 Champion Hurdles

BBC coverage of the 1980, 1981 and 1982 Waterford Crystal Champion Hurdles.
1980: Sea Pigeon (MH Easterby) JJ O'Neill 13/2
1981: Sea Pigeon (MH Easterby) J Francome 7/4 fav
1982: For Auction (M Cunningham, Ire) Mr C Magnier 40/1

[@goingbehind1093]

An incredibly cool ride from Francome. Genius...

[@keithf_]

Sea Pigeon is one of my all time favourite horses. Yes one of the very best rides you'll ever seen from a jockey. I will never forget what John Francome said after the race. He jumped off Sea Pigeon and said 'He's a Rolls Royce of a horse'. Great jockey, great horse. Thanks for bringing back such fond memories.

[@Sunburst75]

Sea Pigeon was my favourite horse back then, won so many races with that late surge. Jonjo was also brilliant. You never saw him lopping around the back tailed off like some nowadays.

[@shamuspfc]

It was legendary horses like Sea Pigeon, Birds Nest, Monksfield, Pollardstown, Kybo, Lanzarote, Bula, Comedy of Errors, Pendil, Night Nurse and Tingle Creek that got me hooked on racing from an early age. Great that footage is still accessible. Thanks for the memories you beauties.

[@lockhimup8328]

Those names brought back some memories...!!! I can go back to Red Rum, L'Escargot, Spanish Steps, The Dikler etc etc. Great times for racing.

[@shamuspfc]

@Joe Morton Terrific horse, but just a couple of years too early for me to have seen. Mid/late 70's was when I got into horseracing (born 1962).

[@barbaradyson6951]

@@shamuspfc you forgot Persian War.

[@shamuspfc]

Barbara Dyson: Great Horse, but before my time, which is why I didn't mention him🙂

[@shamuspfc]

@@barbaradyson6951 before my time, hence the omission. Great Horse though👍

[@greentombdive]

Much appreciated.

[@kevinadamson5768]

Some good old names on here, golden age of hurdles and this is what got me into NH racing.

[@Sunburst75]

Those were great horses and Peter's commentaries were brilliant.

[@kevinadamson5768]

@@Sunburst75 he was the best by miles .

[@Sunburst75]

@@kevinadamson5768 Definitely a legend.

[@robertdelacy3434]

@@Sunburst75 istabraq is the greatest ever

[@kevinadamson5768]

@@charlesmckinley8747 yes he won some top races but just couldn't manage the big one, mind you he had the likes of Night nurse and sea pigeon to contend with.

[@MichaelWestwood-iv8ry]

Sea Pigeon was beating much better rivals than Istrabaq ever faced.

[@arkle1964]

Astonishing run from Royal Boxer in 1980 to finish a decent fourth at 300/1 (not called Royal Oxer as is claimed at the start by Racing UK).

[@danpalmer7676]

Ekbalco could just not get up that hill could he.I like the nags who come there cruising and i still hope they might last home lol. The biggest culprit was poor old Harchibald,i still think of him in that Champion Hurdle......arghhhhhhhhh

[@barbaradyson6951]

Badsworth Boy is the only horse to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase 3 Times. Wasn't Sea Pigeon 11years old.

[@barbaradyson6951]

Martin blackshaw became a sculptor he did a life size statue of can't remember who one of the horses at one of the racetracks. When retired Sea Pigeon went into dressage.

[@goingbehind1093]

It was Philip Blacker. Martin Blackshaw was tragically killed in a car crash in France in 1989.

[@Martin.Lewis..]

@@goingbehind1093thank you for the correction on the comment. Far too many mistakes appear from Barbara Dyson…

[@gazowen7310]

Now your talking about hurdlers not the grade 1 for handicappers it is now proper champions

[@robertdelacy3434]

It's a good race this year

[@gazowen7310]

Only honeysuckle and song for someone

[@robertdelacy3434]

@@gazowen7310 epatante song for someone has no chance

[@gazowen7310]

@@robertdelacy3434 cracking each way bet wasn't convinced with epatante at kempton also silver Streak a big price

[@robertdelacy3434]

@@gazowen7310 she had one bad run shes faster than honeysuckle

[@edmondscott7444]

Can you delete the awful accompaniment almost impossible to hear conversations with stupid music get rid please ruins video.

[@horseracingstuff]

That's Racing UK not the uploader.

[@johnjenkins4392]

Unfortunately Racing UK bought the rights to all these golden era races from the BBC. At least they are still here for us all to keep viewing them. The BBC of today would let them go to rot, or dispose of them.

[@davidharrison9501]

onky istabraq was better than the mighty pidgeon