Stalbridge Colonist 1966 Hennessy Gold Cup

Stalbridge Colonist 1966 Hennessy Gold Cup

[@stephenholmes1036]

A great ride from Stan Mellor on Stalbridge Colonist a great horse

[@kurman4749]

Yes, Stephen, Stan was a great jockey and Stalbridge Colonist was a very good chaser who was trained by Ken Cundell. I remember having £2 on Stalbridge and Stan when they won the 1968 Mildmay Memorial Chase at Sandown at 7/1. It was the first meeting after the Foot and Mouth epidemic that stopped racing in Britain since October 1967

[@gary1961]

I've got clear memories of watching this race and talking to a fellow 5-year-old in school on Monday about the amazing finish. No wonder I've been into horse racing all my life if I was interested as a 5-year-old kid.

[@gerardlacey5428]

Just watching this re run,and you can,t help but feel Arkle was just pure greatness.we won,t see his equal.

[@jessejames3507]

It was the King George at Kempton the following month in which he broke the pedal bone and as a result of which he never raced again.

[@russellgipson7872]

I was there that day my grandad was bookmaker there he cried and said what a horse never again

[@iancarpenter6298]

stan mellor could ride the pants off the whip happy jockeys of today in a finish....that includes sir a p....r i p stan...to me the greatest...thanks for the memories...

[@andymatthews7617]

What about a certain jockey called Jeff king, fantastic in a finish, never seen a stronger jockey.

[@jameswarner7995]

​@@andymatthews7617yes,totally agree, my favourite jockey Jeff, never got the recognition he deserved.

[@stephenholmes1036]

Well said, Stan, Ron Barry etc proper horsemen

[@chatham43]

@charleshannam ....Kellesboro Wood.....I think "Jack" won a national in the Thirties......

[@tomtresco]

Fantastic memories, Stalbridge colonist the fastest finisher I can ever remember, What a myth wasnt far behind him for fast finishing

[@beverleymorris167]

You would be faster carrying 35lb less!!!

[@1oldirishman]

Thanks for that correction, Jesse. Stalbridge Colonist was a helluva horse, so the mighty Arkle lost no prestige in defeat.

[@beverleymorris167]

His speed couldn't win the next 2gold cups off levels

[@jakewalsh7220]

R.I.P. Stan Mellor - one of his greatest rides, taking the scalp of the mighty Arkle...

[@rohansrider]

Well, if you keep putitng weight on a horse, and then run him against good horses eventually he wil get beat.

[@beverleymorris167]

@@rohansrider First time out that season Arkle... stalbridge had run twice and was race fit, recieving 35lb.....what a horse Arkle was!!!

[@edmondscott7444]

No weight difference of 35 lbs. now.

[@Bet-Finder]

The best ever!

[@charleshannam]

How stlyish is Jonny Haine on Kellsboro Jack!

[@kevinalman8817]

Comparing champions from different eras is after all just opinions. All I can say is based on this run, Arkle would of won that seasons Gold cup by an absolute distance, judged by Stalbridge colonists narrow defeat in it. I cannot bring myself to believe any champion since Arkle, could of given 35 pound to horses good enough to compete at the business end of a race like the gold cup, and only just get beat. Like I say, its an opinion business, but for me, Arkle reigns supreme.

[@dennispage3641]

Kevin Alman It was also his first outing of the season, while normally he would have at least one tune up race before the Hennessy. I remember the disappointment I felt watching this race live, but looking back it was an amazing performance.

[@beverleymorris167]

@@dennispage3641 he would have won the next 3 gold cups, injury free. He could have deteriorated 2stone and still won. Shame ... still he was as David Nicholson described him a "phenomenon"

[@chatham43]

..Stalbridge finished 2nd in the following years Gold Cup. Shame Arkle was retired, because another Gold Cup was there for the taking.......

[@tbrighton11]

...Yes, he was beaten 1/2 a length by Woodland Venture and What A Myth won the Gold Cup in 1969 - Strictly on form the mighty Arkle would have won both those Gold Cups carrying 14+ Stone!

[@russellgipson7872]

My favourite horse always a grey nearly always the bridesmaid Stan Mellor rode him best

[@andymatthews7617]

GREAT MEMORIES, GREAT HORSES.

[@benclarke7763]

An underated gray chancing his luck again the big boy and coming true, taking the sparkle out of arkle.

[@beverleymorris167]

Don't you talk some shite

[@thomaslogue7773]

Getting 35lbs in arkles first race don't think he took the sparkle of ARKLE

[@chasedspleen]

This video shows you how brilliant Arkle was, as he won all his races despite, not because of, being ridden by Pat Taaffe. Taaffe looks like an amateur compared to Stan Mellor.

[@keithf_]

I think you're spot on

[@RobinCarmody]

This is 1966, not 1965.

[@timoverington5177]

I wonder what a ten bob forecast would have paid out…..

[@paulclark4616]

Another furlong on the flat & I reckon he'd have got back. He was closing.

[@darrensmith4279]

Paul clark..utter rubbish..u cant say things like that.look at stats

[@sagahammer]

1. Arkle was the greatest steeplechaser of all time. 2. This was a handicap and Stalbridge Colonist was carrying 35 lb or 2st. 7lb less than Arkle. 3. I won money on that race because I noticed that when Arkle run over 3 mile he was out of this world but the longer the distances he could be taken by a very good horse with a massive pull in the weights 4. To say that "Dessie" or Kauto Star would have given him a run is just plain ridiculous

[@dennispage7418]

sagahammer He would have won this had it not been his first run of the season. Something happened in this race which caused him to to break down in his next and final race. He was asked to do too much here, giving 35lb to Gold cup horses, and in hindsight, it was probably this race that finished him.

[@billmensale7552]

According to men who sat on both, Flyingbolt was better than Arkle; eg Barry Brogan: "In my view Flyingbolt was probably the best horse I ever rode - even better than Arkle. I honestly believe that he would have beaten Arkle in the 1966 Gold Cup if Tom Dreaper had allowed him to run" - "if Pat Taafe was alive he'd tell you the same" [from his autobiography/racing post interview]. Legend has it that Arkle sulked in his box for several days after this defeat... surely one of the rides of the century by Stan Mellor.

[@rohansrider]

Kauto Star was not a handicapper, unlike Denman and Dessie. He did not run the Hennessy.

[@sagahammer]

bill mensale Whatever the jockeys said. Arkle was in a different league to every horse that ever took part in a steeple chase

[@ThefightingCelt]

@@dennispage7418 Arkle's next race after this defeat was actually in the SGB chase at Ascot over 3 miles , which he duly won in canter . However , he did pick up the injury on Boxing Day in the King George at Kempton Park soon after , where of course , he lost to Dormant .

[@rohansrider]

Golden Miller did win 1 National but he failed to finish in all his other starts. He did not like Aintree at all.

[@Neptunehugh]

12 st 7 lbs on Arkle. Enough said.

[@tigerboy1966]

@tarqogan a bit like Kieran Fallon I suppose. Fallon looked bloody awful and would have won zero for style but he got the job done very effectively.

[@1oldirishman]

Does my memory deceive me, or did he finish this race, in which he was conceding lumps of weight to all the other horses, with a broken pedal bone in his foot? By far, the greatest steeplechaser in my lifetime.

[@beverleymorris167]

No that was after he won at Ascot in sbg chase giving 35lb....he won in a canter by 15 length. He then went to kempton which was a handicap then. He carried 12-7, giving weight all round, he broke his pedal bone, was just caught by dormant. Guts to burn

[@borneomick]

But what about Golden Miller?Don't forget the great feats of this magnificent horse.The National course and fences were something else back then.Plus FIVE Gold Cups!!He must have had a great chance against Arkle,if the facts are laid out correctly.

[@beverleymorris167]

Arkle would have destroyed golden miller.

[@alanmcdonald4423]

@@beverleymorris167 I like your posts and almost always agree with your knowledge. I know Arkle is the best I have seen in over 70 years of following racing, but given comparable facilities and feeding knowledge, I have often wondered how they would have raced in a match - slightly different to a bigger field. If ony it were possible to arrange the match..........

[@beverleymorris167]

@@alanmcdonald4423 if only...🤔..👍👍

[@richardbranton7396]

look style is not everthing.effectiveness counts .what the jockey does out in the"country" counts.easterby Walwyn rimell winter dreaper where not idiots ..taaffe mellor Broderick where not stylish but very effective and they rode for the biggest stables north south and irleand when there where very stylish jockeys like mould and haine about

[@beverleymorris167]

He wasn't stylish...but he was a great horseman.

[@rohansrider]

To put 12 stone 7lbs on Arkle's back was a disgrace. Indefensible.

[@babaza1972]

Rosalind Mercer that was top weight in those days

[@rohansrider]

@@babaza1972 Yes, I know, still not fair.

[@babaza1972]

Rosalind Mercer can’t argue with you, however shows how good Arkle was that he can concede all that weight to good horses and only just get beat.

[@ThefightingCelt]

@@babaza1972 Arkle had actually carried 12st 11Ib to victory in Ireland , his biggest weight carrying victory .

[@beverleymorris167]

He would never have lost On levels,!!

[@joeviner7100]

Pat Taaffe had such an ugly riding style, but time and time again he proved just how effective he was on all Tom Dreaper's horses.

[@alwaysfair4991]

Pat Taaffe was bloody awful in a finish.