1981 Waterford Crystal Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy

Date: Tuesday 17th March 1981 |
Course: Cheltenham |
Distance: 2m |
Going: Heavy |
Winning Time: 4m 11.4s |
Winner: Sea Pigeon (John Francome) [M H Easterby] |
Runners: 14

[@seapigeon2649]

Something you will never see again...horse jumps the last in the champion hurdle ..and the jockey gives him a tug...waits...then lets him go....you will never see a better ride ........ever.....some horse....some jockey....still remember it as if it was yesterday...and get the same shiver down my spine. Thank You Sea Pigeon

[@keithf_]

I agree. This is the best ride I've ever seen in a national hunt race. I too remember watching this as if it was yesterday. I loved Sea Pigeon. He was my favourite horse at the time. I was at York and backed him on the day he humped top weight round to win the Ebor. I remember too the words of John Francome after this Champion Hurdle. He said 'He's a Rolls Royce of a horse'. Yes, what a great horse he was.

[@ianardoh6955]

John Francombe was so cool to keep a tight reign on Sea Pigeon until the very last moment. Incredible performance by horse and Jockey. Probably my favourite hurdler of all time and a great flat horse.

[@kevindouglas8652]

He told all and sundry,what he was going to do,and did it.He had the nerve. Jonjo was injured.

[@thomassloan383]

My favourite horse of all time,,,,,

[@onenine73_]

Best dual purpose horse of all time - 7th in a Derby, back to back Chester Cup wins, won the 1979 Ebor (under 10st, a weight carrying record that still stands to this very day) he also just failed by a neck to give almost 2st to Le Moss (who went on to win 2 Ascot Gold Cups) - oh and during this time he was also winning handicap hurdles carrying in excess of 12st and all of this was prior to going on to win 2 Champion Hurdles.

[@kevindouglas8652]

He ran for the Bookies on many an Occasion. But Johnny Francome got a tune out of him here. At Ascot one day on the Flat over 1 1/2 miles 8 horse race,he won with No SP Returned.

[@onenine73_]

@alan wilson Wouldn't say he was not 100% genuine (although if you compared him to Night Nurse & Monksfield then you might view him that way I suppose). He just had a few quirks in that you had to ride him in a very specific way (the ultimate hold up horse that could make you look bad if you got there too early) who never ran a yard faster for the use of the whip. Jonjo rode him well but he was made for Francome and he might well of been a triple champion hurdler if he had ridden him in 1979. Have to say it is lovely to know that his colours will be back on the racecourse now under the Jonjo's Racing Club - just hope that they can get a horse that can do justice to wearing those silks.

[@keithf_]

onenine73 You imply that Sea Pigeon's 2nd to Monksfield in the 1979 Champion Hurdle might have been a victory had John Francome been riding. Sea Pigeon ran in five Champion Hurdles :- 1977 (4th) 1978 (2nd) 1979 (2nd) 1980 (1st) 1981 (1st). After 3 heroic failures he managed to win 2 Champion Hurdles. Now in my opinion, the main reasons why he was able to win those Champion Hurdles were two fold. 1) From 1980 onwards, the Champion Hurdle has been run on the Tuesday (the first day of the festival) instead of the Wednesday. 2) Also from 1980 onwards, the race has been shortened by a furlong from 2m 1f to 2 miles. For me, it was the fresher ground on the Tuesday coupled with the slightly shorter trip that allowed Sea Pigeon to excel. Now, it is also my belief that had those 2 changes in 1980 actually been made in 1978, then Sea Pigeon would have been a four-time winner of the Champion Hurdle. He was a great hurdler.

[@onenine73_]

@@keithf_ The story told by Jonjo was that his plan in '79 was to hold onto him until well after the last so as to not give Monksfield any chance to out battle him in a slugfest but as he went to get legged up on the horse, the owner Pat Muldoon's last words to him was 'just don't leave it too late'. If you watch after they jumped the 2nd last SP was 2-3L behind and Jonjo (mindful of the owner's comment) just changed his hands to get him to close a little bit but was caught out by how quickly SP picked up because he was already upsides Monksfield before they even came off the final turn which was just what he didn't want and I personally think that move cost him victory. I do totally agree that the shortening of the course/better ground played a big part in the turn around in 1980 (Monksfield may have also been showing the signs of too many hard races) but also bear in mind that Jonjo held on to him much longer until way after the last (he hit the front not that much further out than he did in '81). Good reason that period was called the golden age of hurdling, as could you imagine the Champion Hurdler now following SP's example by racing on the flat carrying top weight of 10st in an Ebor prior to a full jumps campaign - they certainly don't make them like that anymore.

[@stationofdreams1241]

A cracking good renewal of the Champion Hurdle with a high class field, a competitive race and one of the most iconic winners ever of the Champion Hurdle in Sea Pigeon.

[@chatham43]

..what a versatile horse Sea Pigeon was...thanks for the upload..

[@otagoracing]

How stylish was John Francome!

[@kevindouglas8652]

Johnny was a Junior European Champion Showjumper. He has hands made in heaven.And can still do it.

[@lessamuels3767]

And all before it became a corporate event that it is today...fond memories of Cheltenham festival when it was a pleasure to be there.....sadly it no longer is

[@michaellovell1368]

Such a delight to see this epic race again !! I was there that day and Sea Pigeon was wonderful. A top class field was left in his wake. John Francome up as well......a match made in heaven.

[@julzyboy1973]

Greatest jockey proves how great he is

[@gazowen7310]

What a horse an 11 year old and just toying with them

[@dawnkeir549]

thanks for all these classic old races

[@uhegbu]

This is another classic race, the creme de la creme of 2m hurdling.

[@robertevans8010]

Pollardstown Placed in a Grand National and running well in a Good Champion Hurdle what a good Horse he was, he won a Foxhunters at Liverpool as well

[@robertevans8010]

Of Course he won a Triumph Hurle at Cheltenham as well

[@TomahawkKid56]

Great race that. Contrast the crowds from those days to today, you could actually see the event then.

[@dawnkeir549]

such class

[@barbaradyson6951]

Apparently Sea Pigeon was the oldest horse to win champion hurdle. He was 11years old.

[@kevindouglas8652]

The trouble was,he never looked his age. I saw him at the Horse of the Year Show 1983,he was then 13,but he was absolutely outstanding,and never looked a day over 10. Peter Easterby was seriously thinking of running him again,because at home,they had the Stopwatch on him,and he was Flying. One unique Horse of a Lifetime.

[@barbaradyson6951]

what on earth happened to the sound it vanished. great.

[@karenblackadder9446]

Barbara Dyson In the gap in sound Peter O'Sullivan gave one of his greatest lines. "It's the old man Sea Pigeon coming to take it up"

[@kevindouglas8652]

@@karenblackadder9446 A few years later,he said the same about Wayward Lad on his final race at Aintree,Johnny Francome won on him as well. I had him 15/2.

[@gazowen7310]

Who are you pollardstown is it francombe said see you

[@gazowenowen250]

A top renewal disdain for opposition pollardstown daring run class horses he destroyed them

[@kevindouglas8652]

And Birds Nest and Badsworth Boy.