2002: Start of BIG things

On Tuesday 12 March 2002 I experienced my first Cheltenham Festival runners, WOW! what a feeling to just have a horse good enough to run at such a world renowned and prestigious event, not just 1 but 2.

Dungarvans Choice was to turn up in the Supreme Novices Hurdle, Grade 1, but he trailed home in 15th position behind Like A Butterfly.

 

TUESDAY 12/03/2002,

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL,

GERARD SUPREME NOVICE HURDLE,

GRADE 1,

1ST 26. LIKE A BUTTERFLY C. ROCHE C. SWAN 7-4f

Neck

2ND 24. WESTENDER M. PIPE A. McCOY 6-1

2 1/2 L

3RD 11. IN CONTRAST P. HOBBS R. JOHNSON 16-1

1/2 L

4TH 6. ETERNAL SPRING J. FANSHAWE J. GALLAGHER 12-1

Neck

5TH 16. SACUNDAI E. J. O’GRADY T. DOBBIN 16-1

6TH 14. NATIVE SCOUT D. HASSETT N. WILLIAMSON 14-1

7TH 17. SCOTTISH MEMORIES N. MEADE P. CARBERRY 50-1

8TH 21. STARS OUT TONIGHT H. KNIGHT J. CULLOTY 33-1

9TH 28. DUBAI SEVEN STARS M. PIPE L. COOPER 100-1

10TH 9. GOT ONE TOO N. HENDERSON M. FITZGERALD 16-1

11TH 23. TURKESTAN M. PIPE R. GREENE 66-1

12TH 19. SOLTERO MRS J. HARRINGTON B. GERAGHTY 40-1

13TH 12. JAYBEJAY M. PIPE T. SCUDAMORE 50-1

14TH 27. DETONATEUR I. WILLIAMS D. DENNIS 200-1

15TH 5. DUNGARVANS CHOICE N. HENDERSON J. KAVANAGH 25-1

16TH 19. HITMAN M. PITMAN B. FENTON 20-1

17TH 15. NEVER F. DOUMEN T. DOUMEN 33-1

18TH 13. MUTAKARRIM D. WELD D. CASEY 25-1

19TH 18. SNOB WELLS N. MEADE C. LLEWELLYN 100-1

20TH 20. SOSSUS VLEI P. WINKWORTH L. ASPELL 50-1

21ST 8. FORTO D. WILLIAMS R. THORNTON 150-1

22ND 7. FIREBALL MacNAMARA M. PITMAN T. MURPHY 100-1

23RD 2. ANSARI P. O’BRADY J. ELIOTT 50-1

FELL 3. BENARDON M. PIPE R. GUEST 16-1

FELL 22. THREE LIONS R. BROOKHOUSE B. KENIRY 150-1

FELL 1. ADAMANT APPROACH W. MULLINS R. WALSH 12-1

FELL 25. BEST WAIT T. HOGAN C. O’DWYER 100-1

U/R 4. COLUMBA D. HUGHES G. COTTER 66-1

 

I had been enjoying life a a member of the Elite Racing Club so much I decided to purchase a slightly bigger share in a single horse with Axom Limited, they are sister company of Elite Racing Cub, I invested some of my bank savings into shares of Deano’s Beeno, he was trained by many times champion national hunt trainer Martin Pipe. Deano’s was rated as one of the leading staying hurdlers in England, but he also had his quirks, as well as hating it around the Cheltenham course.

So when Deano’s Beeno lined up to begin the Bonusprint Stayers Hurdle, Grade 1 to be piloted by in the saddle by Rodi Greene, my nerves were really on edge. He ran a respectable race, coming past the post in 8th position, unfortunately just outside out the prize money behind French wonder horse Baracouda.

Little did I or anybody else know, but revenge on that winner was to come in the not too distant future.

 

THURSDAY 14/03/2002,

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL,

BONUSPRINT STAYERS HURDLE,

GRADE 1,

1ST 2. BARACOUDA F. DOUMEN T. DOUMEN 13-8f

Neck

2ND 1. BANNOW BAY C. ROCHE C. SWAN 2-1

13 L

3RD 9. IT TAKES TIME M. PIPE A McCOY 12-1

2 1/2 L

4TH 16. TELEMOSS N. RICHARDS B. HARDING 20-1

1 L

5TH 4. BOUNCE BACK M. PIPE B. GERAGHTY 40-1

6TH 14. SPENDID A. KING W. MARSTON 20-1

7TH 10. JAIR DU COCHET G. MACAIRE J. RICOU 9-1

8TH 7. DEANO’S BEENO M. PIPE R. GREENE 33-1

9TH 6. CARLOVENT M. PIPE T. SCUDAMORE 50-1

10TH 11. MONTALCINO I  V. WILLIAMS N. WILLIAMSON 33-1

11TH 3. BOSS DOYLE M. MORRIS D. CASEY 33-1

12TH 12. PELAGOS F BRUCE MILLER B. MILLER 200-1

13TH 8. EFFECTUAL I V. WILLIAMS B CROWLEY 100-1

FELL 13. SIR TALBOT J. OLD T. MURPHY 33-1

P/U 15. TEAATRAL C. EGERTON J. McCARTHY 66-1

U/R 5. BROTHER JOE P. HOBBS R. WALSH 12-1

 

On Wednesday July 17 2002 Soviet Song is set to make her debut, trainer James Fanshawe had her in good condition and ready to run for life. There was a very very strong whisper for another debutant in the same race, Airwave trained by Henry Candy, he was no stranger to a good 2 year old and getting it to win first time out. so when jockey Oscar Urbina went past Airwave to win very nicely indeed, everybody started to wonder just how good Soviet could be?

 

WEDNESDAY 17/07/2002,

KEMPTON,

EUROPEAN BREEDERS FUND MEDIAN AUCTION,

MAIDEN FILLIES STAKES,

1ST 14. SOVIET SONG J. FANSHAWE O. URBINA 6-1

1/2 L

2ND 2. AIRWAVE H. CANDY C. RUTTER 2-1f

5 L

3RD 3. AND TOTO TOO M. BELL D. HOLLAND 16-1

2 L

4TH 6. GOLDEN HEART D. ELSWORTH D. O’NEILL 20-1

1 L

5TH 7. GO POLAR J. CULLINAN J. SPENCER 33-1

6TH 1. AEGEAN LINE R. HANNON R. HUGHES 7-2

7TH 9. JAVA DAWN Miss D. McHALE F. SWEENEY 16-1

8TH 15. SWEET PORTIA I. BALDING M. DWYER 16-1

9TH 13. SERRAFINA B DE HAAN P. DOBBS 33-1

10TH 12. PURE SPECULATION M. BELL K. FALLON 10-1

11TH 10. NIGHT KISS R. HANNON R. MOORE 33-1

12TH 11. PENNY VALENTINE J. CULLINAN W. RYAN 33-1

13TH 8. ISOLDE’S IDOL C. WALL S. SANDERS 33-1

14TH 4. CANOE’S COVE R. JOHNSON S. CARSON 10-1

15TH 5. DOUBLEUCEEONE G. BRAVERY R. HILLS 11-1

 

She would return to Newmarket for her follow up run, taking her place in a Listed race, The Sweet Solera Stakes. Again it would end up with the same result, 1st Soviet Song the rest nowhere, I can still remember the commentator Mike Cattermole saying “Mark my words this is a good horse” how right he was to be.

 

THURSDAY 10/8/2002,

NEWMARKET,

SWEET SOLERA STAKES,

LISTED,

1ST ?. SOVIET SONG J. FANSHAWE O. URBINA ?

?

2ND ?. SUMMITVILLE J. GIVEN M. FENTON ?

?

3RD ?. MISS ASSERTIVE N. LITTMODEN I. MONGAN ?

?

4TH ?. JUDHOOR B. HILLS W. SUPPLE ?

?

5TH ?. ITEMISE M. JOHNSTON M. HILLS ?

6TH ?. SILCA BOO M. CHANNON C. CATLIN ?

7TH ?. MAIL THE DESERT M. CHANNON S. DROWNE ?

8TH ?. MISS MIRASOL K. RYAN J. CARROLL ?

 

Her 3rd run on Saturday 28 September 2002 was to be her first real test, she was coming up against true Group 1 rivals today, in The Meon Valley Fillies Mile at Ascot. Soviet was on song again winning the £116,000 prize race, after the race an overjoyed Oscar Urbina was virtually in tears during the tv interview after his biggest win as a jockey, not many people could understood the words he was saying that day in, speaking English with his Spanish accent and in the middle of such raw emotion.

 

RESULT TO FOLLOW BELOW

 

Winning this race would put her as one of the favourites for the 1000 Guineas betting next season coming.

Plenty to look forward to, Could I be a part owner of a classic winner after such a short time?

Deano’s Beeno was now beginning to pay his way, he came a decent 3rd place behind Bacchanal in the Grade 2, Cantor Sports Long Distance Hurdle on Saturday 30 November 2002, ridden by AP McCoy.

 

RESULT TO FOLLOW BELOW

 

On December 20 2002 Deano’s Beeno won the Grade 1, Cantor Long Walk Hurdle, winning a very nice £40,200 again AP McCoy was in the plate that day.

 

RESULT TO FOLLOW BELOW

 

So undoubtedly Soviet Song and Deano’s Beeno would be the ultimate stand out memories of 2002 by a clear mile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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