Golden Cygnet - Supreme Novices' Hurdle 1978

Golden Cygnet destroys the opposition in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham

[@grahammonro6500]

What's with the three dislikes? This was one the Greatest ever performances by a Novice, and in an ultra competitive event. Shame on you. You cannot be fans of Horses.

[@raymondconroy5579]

Iam 70 now and he was the best i ever seen. He would have gone on to greatest,what a loss

[@stationofdreams1241]

Golden Cygnet, arguably the most iconic novice hurdler there has ever been.

[@quidnunc2436]

Golden Cygnet could have been anything, he had that much talent. I firmly believe that he would have set up a sequence of Champion Hurdle wins if it hadn't been for that sickening fall in the Scottish Champion Hurdle which tragically ended his life. Such a sad end to such a promising career.

[@frankschlanker]

To think he was giving Night Nurse 5lbs in that race, as a Novice, unbelievable!!

[@whatsdastory]

without a doubt one of the best national hunt horses to have graced a racecourse, the genius Vincent o Brien described him as the best hurdler he'd ever seen.

[@lesblakeman]

And he knew a thing or two

[@dhdavidholloway]

I was there and couldn't believe how fast he continued past the finish line. Different set up at Cheltenham now with the winners coming back past the stands

[@roberto4001000]

What a beautiful horse he was , gone but never forgotten the best hurdler of them all .

[@peteroconnor5005]

Fred Rimell, who trained the 2nd Western Rose said afterwards that he could not believe that his horse could have been beaten by such a huge margin if he had not seen it for himself. Golden Cygnet and Arkle was so brilliant that perhaps they were both freaks that nature throws up every now and then.

[@gazowenowen250]

Sir Vincent o Brien considered the best trainer ever said he was the greatest hurdler he had ever seen that says it all sad he showed how good he could of been

[@tobin2]

This is a great video I have never seen the full race before only the finish. What a great winner he was of this race it is a pity we never got the chance to see how good he could have become. Many thanks for uploading it.

[@angelocalabrese3812]

i cry every time i see end off

[@angelocalabrese3812]

i remember him

[@paulotoole9758]

@@angelocalabrese3812 i would rate him in the same league as Arkle.Kauto and Dessie

[@HIBERNIAN04]

IMO the best Hurdler I ever saw in over 50 years. Unfortunately broke his neck in The Scottish Champion Hdle a few weeks later. Could have reached the highest level. Fred Rimell thought his Western Rose was the bet of the meeting. Despite cruising home his time was faster than the Champion Hurdle later that day.

[@kyawkyawwin1]

Ditto.

[@josephthornton4408]

Still pulling for his head coming down the hill, in a fast-run race! You'll never see that again.

[@grahammonro6500]

Yes, absolutely agree.. He was pulling maddens arms out of his sockets 🤪.. What a Novice, What a Horse. He's as good as anything I've ever seen.. When you think he was carrying 12 stone as a novice against night nurse and sea pigeon.. Its mind blowing really..

[@Zarkava8]

I never thought I'd see a horse in the same class as Golden Cygnet but Constitution Hill is the real deal.

[@bobbell4461]

I was at Ayr when he was injured. He actually walked away from the fall but looked in distress and died at the vet hospital in Edinburgh three days later What might he have been

[@jamescreavin1893]

no doubt would have being the greatest hurdlers off all time a machine

[@angelocalabrese3812]

this is the one horse that true nh fans will ask about how good would he have been

[@liamg353]

I think but for his unfortunate demise in the Scottish champion hurdle he would have gone on to be one of the best if not the best hurdler of all time as he had Night Nurse (to whom he was giving 5lbs and Sea Pigeon from whom he was only getting 1lb) beaten when he fell at the last and remember went on to win the champion hurdle twice and was rated by Timeform as the top rated hurdler of all time.

[@davidcasey9504]

Was only a kid at the time but always remember the hype about him,defeat was absolutely out of the question

[@angelocalabrese3812]

ive always had a thing about this horse the faster the race the more he went on the bridle

[@angelocalabrese4108]

so sad his demise he was going to be the arkle of hurdling we will never know

[@andymatthews7617]

GOLDEN CYGNET 1ST, THE REST NOWHERE.

[@keithknight1686]

Best novice hurdler I have ever seen. What might have been?

[@andymatthews7617]

THE BEST EVER, NO QUESTION, WOULD HAVE BEATEN ANYTHING.

[@keithknight1686]

@@andymatthews7617 The same is being said about Constitution Hill.

[@andymatthews7617]

@@keithknight1686 it's got to go some to be at cygnets level, not for me.

[@keithknight1686]

You are too quick to pass judgement. We just do not know the level of form Constitution Hill is capable of yet. I agree Golden Cygnet had the world at his feet until fate intervened. I just hope Constitution Hill gets the opportunity to prove any of right or wrong.

[@andymatthews7617]

@@keithknight1686 well you never know, but when you were there and lived the adventures of this horse, it's going to take something magic from the hill to surpass the cygnet.

[@eamomurray2526]

Vincent O”Brien said he was the BEST hurdler he had ever seen.. what a tragic end to a star that only shone for a few race’s

[@andymatthews7617]

Only behind arkle.

[@stephenholmes1036]

​@@andymatthews7617Arkle was a chaser

[@andymatthews7617]

Overall as a racehorse, understand.?????

[@asburystantheeighth2786]

Comfortable? Sir Peter, i think the word is 'thrashing' or 'annihilation.'

[@ThefightingCelt]

Had Golden Cygnet not have died I have no doubt whatsoever that he would have won multiple Champion Hurdles. Monksfield, who won the the '78 and '79 Champion Hurdles was very good but this fella exuded class. His untimely death was a tragedy for horse racing .

[@davidmcmahon5234]

Trained by a master and a gentleman as well met him in Limerick a few times

[@declancarty679]

Great footage of a great horse jessiejames3507 - Like others here I wonder how you came to have such great coverage. My late father had another brilliant novice hurdler, who also won in fine style that year in Cheltenham. His name was Mr Kildare (the horse that is - not my Dad!!!). He won the Sun Alliance Nov Hurdle on the Tues. Would you by any chance have any footage of that race ? Would be brilliant if you had, or if you could point me in the right direction. Thanks

[@kevinmunday5782]

Wow

[@andymatthews7617]

This horse would have been a world beater, no horse would have beaten him,EVER.so sad he passed away when looking to trot up.

[@pauldrohan322]

That was scintillating, race over in a few strides. Same sire as Dawn Run.

[@thomasconnor3319]

A long time before I was alive but been told golden cygnet could of been something special and seeing this winning on the snuff like did she beat some good horses here or they was bang average that’s why she looks so good? Let me know please what people think like to know how good she actually was? 👍

[@flyingbolt99]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Cygnet All you need to know is there.

[@chatham43]

...wow...can I ask how you found this footage..surely you didnt have a VCR in '78.......

[@raekiesha]

I love these old races - thanks for putting this up. 1 question - why in 1978 Cheltenham Festival did the hurdlers go past the post and round the far turn. No, they turn before the final straight and the grandstands ?

[@iandonaghy6342]

Graham Harvey 1

[@tonyparkes9541]

they started to go past the stands on the hurdles old course in the 1966 1967 season till the 1979 1980 season

[@pearlyman8790]

Great footage of a talented horse do you have a copy of his last race the Scottish champion hurdle in full never seen it in full!thanks for sharing!!!

[@jessejames3507]

I put up the footage of the Scottish Champion Hurdle thru my other account along with the shortened version of the Supreme Novices. The Scottish Champion wasn't live on the day so the only footage available was the 43-second piece I put up 8 years ago that you've probably seen. Assume you have seen my other vids on him, the Fournoughts & the Fingal.

[@paulotoole9758]

@@jessejames3507 hi is there any footage of earlier Supreme's[Lloyd Bank's]

[@martindavison250]

Do you have any other 1978 races

[@andymatthews7617]

A TRUE SUPERSTAR, ONLY BEHIND ARKLE.

[@glenharrison4311]

Best iv'e ever seen

[@davidmcmahon5234]

He was cantering all over some of the best hurdlers even in the Scottish champion hurdle would have been a superstar no doubt about that 😉

[@julzyboy1973]

only 4/5 I bet a few punters had a fortune on it at those odds

[@davidfenn4444]

He was a very good horse indeed.

[@paulatkinson5718]

What an absolutely brilliant horse . Would have been a great champion but for terrible fate in Scottish champion hurdle AS A NOVICE. Goes with the ill fated Killiney as a horse we never got to see fulfill their potential 😢

[@davidcasey9504]

Would have been one of the greatest horses ever

[@georgerice6450]

Could you please tell me if these races can be downloaded the races you show about these great horses should be protected they are so important for people to be able to see these great horses they are are so important I remember all these great memories please protect all these races so many of these races have been lost in last sixty years and the great commentary from Peter we shall never see there like again

[@phantasyboy7968]

What a shit race to lose a horse like him in. A handicap as well. Hindsight is so easy but they really shouldn’t have bothered.

[@andymatthews7617]

He would have been only behind arkle as a racehorse.

[@beverleymorris167]

Greed is the word. Same as the greed that killed dawn run.

[@andymatthews7617]

@@beverleymorris167 I agree in a way, but he was very very unlucky to just clip the tip of the hurdle, didnt look like a major mistake, but I suppose it could have happened in training.

[@beverleymorris167]

@@andymatthews7617 👍

[@andymatthews7617]

@@beverleymorris167 😊

[@vincentcarney8671]

Could have been one of the best

[@101mossie]

GOAT

[@liamlowry]

The best hurdler, a brilliant horse. Should never run in the SCH .

[@andymatthews7617]

This horse would have been the next arkle, no question about it.

[@lesblakeman]

Armchair ride for "Boots" Madden

[@shaunspadah5790]

lord gulliver ran in aldanitis national

[@andymatthews7617]

Think about it.!!!!!!!!!!

[@leroyjoseph6896]

Extra furlong in those days

[@davidmcmahon5234]

Vftal Yk to met him in Limerick a

[@markknowlson569]

Vincent Obrien called him the greatest racehorse he ever saw.

[@markknowlson569]

Constitution Hill rated higher as a novice.

[@tonyphillips5525]

We will see

[@thomasgowdy7387]

Has to have soft ground c hill would not have run against golden cygnet on anything faster

[@tonyphillips5525]

They wouldn't take him on. Constitution Hill would have been sent chasing.

[@andymatthews7617]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣this horse would have given constitution hill a curling start and still beaten him easily, this horse would have been the best horse,EVER, think about that for a minute.

[@CharlieEverton-mv7yq]

Must make a observation concerning the exciting top class hurdlers who dominated the scene at this particular time,Their names will for me forever resonate MONKSFIELD LANZAROTE. SEA PIEGEON BROADSWORDCOMEDY OF ERRORS. BULA does a man have to say anymore,