Author: GC

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Arkle

If, like your correspondent, you were born too late to see Arkle in the flesh, it’s hard to grasp just how famous he was in his heyday. His extraordinary race record – he won 22 of his 26 steeplechases, against the best horses of his day – speaks for itself, but he had an aura about him, which transcended the world of horse racing and made him an icon of popular culture.

 

In fact, in 1966, Arkle was voted the most popular personality of the year, ahead of Bobby Moore and The Beatles, in a poll conducted by TV Times magazine. Notwithstanding his questionable Timeform rating of 212, which is 19lb superior to any other steeplechaser, bar his stable companion, Flybolt, since the mid-1960s, even today, the mere mention of his name inspires awe and admiration.

 

Bred by Mary Baker in Co. Meath, was sired by the classically bred, but moderate, Archive out of Bright Cherry, a top two-mile ‘chaser in Ireland. Bought as a three-year-old by local trainer Tom Dreaper on behalf of Anne Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster, the horse later revered simply as “Himself” made his racecourse debut in the Lough Ennel Plate at Mullingar, Co. Westmeath in December 1961.

 

Arkle won twice over hurdles in his novice season, including on his debut over the smaller obstacles at Navan in January, but between the start of the 1962/63 season and the end of his career, in December 1966, won 25 of his 29 races and over £95,000 in prize money. Ridden exclusively by Pat Taafe during that period, his notable victories included the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1964, 1965 and 1966, the Irish Grand National in 1964, the Hennessy Gold Cup in 1964 and 1965, the Whitbread Gold Cup and the King George VI in 1965. His four defeats included his final start, in the King George VI Chase in 1966, in which he fractured his coffin, or pedal, bone, but still finished second.

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Frankel

You may or may not agree with the so-called “historical recalibration” of the World Thoroughbred Rankings, which downgraded Dancing Brave, winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 1986, by 3lb, to leave Frankel, officially, the best horse since international ranking began in 1977. However, on his retirement to stud following his fourteenth consecutive victory, in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October, 2012, Frankel had won 10 Group 1 races between 7 furlongs and 1 mile 2½ furlongs and just £1,698 short of £3 million in prize money, so there is no doubt he was a extraordinary racehorse.

 

Bred by Juddmonte Farms and trained by the late Sir Henry Cecil, Frankel started favourite for all 14 starts and was sent off at odds-against just once, on his debut in a maiden race, over a mile, at Newmarket in August, 2010. Having readily beaten subsequent King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Nathaniel by half a length on that occasion, he won his next two starts by 13 lengths and 10 lengths, respectively.

 

Frankel recorded his first Group 1 win – a comfortable, 2¼-length victory over subsequent Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Roderic O’Connor – in the Dewhurst Stakes, over 7 furlongs, at Newmarket in October, 2010. His unblemished juvenile season led to him being named Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt. It was a similar story in 2011, too, when further Group 1 victories in the 2,000 Guineas, the St. James’s Palace Stakes, the Sussex Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes made him Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt and Cartier Horse of the Year.

 

In 2012, Frankel was untroubled to win all five starts – all in Group 1 company and all at long odds-on – which made him Cartier Champion Older Horse and Cartier Horse of the Year for the second year running. He became the most decorated horse since the Cartier Awards began in 1991.

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Tokyo Racecourse

Fuchu City is home to the Tokyo Racecourse, which was established in 1933. The racecourse is owned by the Japan Racing Association and has a seating capacity of 13,750, although it can hold up to 223,000 people. The highest attendance on record was in 1990, where 196,517 people attended on May 27th.

The grass course runs 2083m while the dirt course measures 1899m. There is a jump course that goes 1675m. There was also a track that was used for the 3200m races but is no longer in use since the race distance was reduced to 2000m.

The Tokyo racecourse hosts quite a number of major races; the Japan Cup, the Tenno Sho, the February Stakes, the Tokyo Yushun, the Victoria Mile, the Yasuda Kinen, the NHK Mile Cup and the Yushun Himba. These are all Grade 1 races, apart from the Yasuda Kinen, which is included in the Asian Mile Challenge. The Tokyo Yushun and Japan Cup are also part of the Japanese Derby. There are also Grade II, Grade III and Steeplechase races ran on the course.

Renovation works that took seven years to complete not only saw the addition of the ’emorial 60’ box seat and the upgrading of the ‘Fuji View Stand’ in 2007 but it also added a major item; an 8,066 square foot screen, the largest in the world at the time. Kansas City has since outdone it though, with an 8,736 square foot screen at Kauffman Stadium.

The Tokyo Racecourse is not an easy run, what with its wide curves and long sides. It is a demanding course, which is probably why it is unofficially known as the racecourse of racecourses.’

A day at the racecourse is not just about horses and betting. There are a number of activities on offer. There is lots of food and beer and the children even have an area where they can play and have fun. It is a family affair at the races.