@@postcardterry Just the most wonderful horse! I think I am right in saying that he was one of the late great Lester's favourite horses, if not favourite!
Thank you so much for posting this. For once, even Lester's brute strength couldn't drive Ardross home. I often wondered why he left it so late but looking at this, he seems to have been taken off his feet in the middle of the race. Ardross was one of the greatest racehorses. Trained initially in Ireland by Kevin Prendergast, he was sold as part of his father's dispersal sale to pay death taxes which were onerous at the time. KP always maintained he was a true 12 furlong horse whereas his new trainer Henry Cecil campaigned him as a stout stayer. But he showed his mettle here in Europe's greatest all-age race. Now - who's that whipping Piggott's ass at 2.53? :)
watch the race the year before, he didnt finish his race off because they laid close up on him, so this time they decided to hold him up, One of the best ways to get a stayer beat is to go too fast early on, that's what they did in 81 & it got him stuffed This ride got the absolute best out of the horse at a distance that was really too short for him
Piggott cried when he realised Ardross hadn't quite go there. Cecil was a genius, but I wonder whether Piggott and he disagreed about Ardross's best distance. To be fair in the staying races, he was nigh unbeatable, but for some reason Cecil would train him for the Ascot Gold Cup, then re-train him for the Arc. I think Piggott, Cecil & Charles St George (owner) had some sort of agreement about this. I understand Prendagast thought he was a middle-distance horse, but I think he had been placed in the 1980 English St Leger, so Cecil possibly persuaded St George to aim for the Ascot Gold Cup. However, Piggott knew the Prendagasts, and I wonder whether it was his wish to campaign for the Arc after the Gold Cup? This was a brilliant finish nonetheless.
Prendergast campaigned him almost entirely in staying races . I think the decision to run him in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes was an error and he missed the King George . I suspect in top form he would have been too good for Kalaglow et al
@@simonhindley65 I believe Piggott felt that Ardross could win an Arc off a strong pace. Although most French Racing is run at a canter until the final half mile, the Arc had been run at quite a furious pace a few times previously, and coupled with Cecil's abilities with good horses, I believe the plan was to keep him up with the pace, and kick on. Unfortunately, his draw meant he had to come in from a terrible position, and had to slot in further behind than Piggott wanted. The finish reminded me of many Piggott near misses from previous failed attempts, such as Sir Ivor, High Top, and Nijinsky. I believe a similar idea occurred to Gosden with Stradivarius, but the ground was a bog so...
@@malcolmnicholas5931 Spot on. Piggott thought if he was trained for it rather than cantering up in cup races all year he could win off a strong pace. Stradivarius needed top of the ground so never had a chance but agree..the thinking was the same and he had a strong turn of foot.
A perfectly timed initiative from Master in the saddle Yves Saint Martin who pressed his horse into the lead about a furlong and a half out and managed to keep a bunch of fast finishing rivals off on the wire. The aga khan must have had a head rat attack watching it same as the rest of them owners and trainers connected to the second, third, forth and fifth.
So sad. Lester was cruising on Ardross, but was slightly impeded when coming to make his Challenge. That momentum loss probably cost him the race. Losing by a Head. What a Stayer though. Don't see Stradivarius,or Any gold cup winner ever winner the Arc , which is pound for pound , by far the Greatest Race in the calender.
Yes, Graham, around 1.5 furlongs out you can see a soon-to-be-beaten horse to Ardross' left impede him. That loss of momentum forced Lester to 'restart' his challenge but with a crucial 1-2 seconds less to overhaul Akiyda. He was totally flying and only one stride too late. Timeform rate the winner and second the same when the filles allowance is taken into account (131 +3) v Ardross at 134, if I've calculated them right, but few would dispute that he was the superior horse and a very unlucky loser that day. I was screaming for Lester to get up on the line.
To me a very inlucky loser ardross genius of the jockey so unlucky class horses unlike today's standards golden age of racing we will never see anymore
The Mighty Mighty Ardross..My Favourite Horse..A Colossus of a Horse..The winner was a filly & getting weight from Ardross.
Spot on Graham Monro. Mighty Mighty Ardross ! A very rare beast indeed.
I can find no evidence that she was disqualified.
Akiyda was not disqualified.
I think you are confusing her with Aliysa the disqualified Oaks winner
@@postcardterry Just the most wonderful horse! I think I am right in saying that he was one of the late great Lester's favourite horses, if not favourite!
The mighty Ardross
I aint seen this for a lot of years so unlucky Ardross
Adross finished like a train, you're willing him to get there.
Thank you so much for posting this. For once, even Lester's brute strength couldn't drive Ardross home. I often wondered why he left it so late but looking at this, he seems to have been taken off his feet in the middle of the race.
Ardross was one of the greatest racehorses. Trained initially in Ireland by Kevin Prendergast, he was sold as part of his father's dispersal sale to pay death taxes which were onerous at the time. KP always maintained he was a true 12 furlong horse whereas his new trainer Henry Cecil campaigned him as a stout stayer. But he showed his mettle here in Europe's greatest all-age race.
Now - who's that whipping Piggott's ass at 2.53? :)
watch the race the year before, he didnt finish his race off because they laid close up on him, so this time they decided to hold him up, One of the best ways to get a stayer beat is to go too fast early on, that's what they did in 81 & it got him stuffed
This ride got the absolute best out of the horse at a distance that was really too short for him
@@quick46 Yes, fair point. That outside draw didn't help though in '81, Lester used up a lot of gas getting him across in the first half-mile...
Piggott cried when he realised Ardross hadn't quite go there. Cecil was a genius, but I wonder whether Piggott and he disagreed about Ardross's best distance. To be fair in the staying races, he was nigh unbeatable, but for some reason Cecil would train him for the Ascot Gold Cup, then re-train him for the Arc. I think Piggott, Cecil & Charles St George (owner) had some sort of agreement about this. I understand Prendagast thought he was a middle-distance horse, but I think he had been placed in the 1980 English St Leger, so Cecil possibly persuaded St George to aim for the Ascot Gold Cup. However, Piggott knew the Prendagasts, and I wonder whether it was his wish to campaign for the Arc after the Gold Cup? This was a brilliant finish nonetheless.
The mighty Le moss had beaten Ardross 3 times in a Row in the cup races the previous year.
Prendergast campaigned him almost entirely in staying races . I think the decision to run him in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes was an error and he missed the King George . I suspect in top form he would have been too good for Kalaglow et al
Ardross was absolutely a stayer. But there's only one Arc.
@@simonhindley65 I believe Piggott felt that Ardross could win an Arc off a strong pace. Although most French Racing is run at a canter until the final half mile, the Arc had been run at quite a furious pace a few times previously, and coupled with Cecil's abilities with good horses, I believe the plan was to keep him up with the pace, and kick on. Unfortunately, his draw meant he had to come in from a terrible position, and had to slot in further behind than Piggott wanted. The finish reminded me of many Piggott near misses from previous failed attempts, such as Sir Ivor, High Top, and Nijinsky. I believe a similar idea occurred to Gosden with Stradivarius, but the ground was a bog so...
@@malcolmnicholas5931 Spot on. Piggott thought if he was trained for it rather than cantering up in cup races all year he could win off a strong pace.
Stradivarius needed top of the ground so never had a chance but agree..the thinking was the same and he had a strong turn of foot.
Wouldn't get away with a finish like that from Piggott today. Must've hit Ardross on every stride...did everything but get off and carry him!
Brilliant ride by Saint Martin here, gets up Akiyda, who I don't think was the best horse in the race.
A perfectly timed initiative from Master in the saddle Yves Saint Martin who pressed his horse into the lead about a furlong and a half out and managed to keep a bunch of fast finishing rivals off on the wire. The aga khan must have had a head rat attack watching it same as the rest of them owners and trainers connected to the second, third, forth and fifth.
Nous étions à LONGCHAMP,
YVES SAINT MARTIN,
A DOMPTÉ
LE PLATEAU,
COURAGEUSE AU POSSIBLE
AKAIDA,
So sad. Lester was cruising on Ardross, but was slightly impeded when coming to make his Challenge. That momentum loss probably cost him the race. Losing by a Head.
What a Stayer though. Don't see Stradivarius,or Any gold cup winner ever winner the Arc , which is pound for pound , by far the Greatest Race in the calender.
Yes, Graham, around 1.5 furlongs out you can see a soon-to-be-beaten horse to Ardross' left impede him. That loss of momentum forced Lester to 'restart' his challenge but with a crucial 1-2 seconds less to overhaul Akiyda. He was totally flying and only one stride too late. Timeform rate the winner and second the same when the filles allowance is taken into account (131 +3) v Ardross at 134, if I've calculated them right, but few would dispute that he was the superior horse and a very unlucky loser that day. I was screaming for Lester to get up on the line.
Ardrosd last race
To me a very inlucky loser ardross genius of the jockey so unlucky class horses unlike today's standards golden age of racing we will never see anymore
@@karldavies7201Looking back, there certainly seems to be something missing these days.
A forgotten horse for me is Awaasif, she is the dam of SNOW BRIDE who then bred LAMMTARRA
Not one of Peter O´Sullivan´s finest moments.
It seemingly took him an age to realise that the eventual winner had surged into a clear lead.