Bacchanal (horse)

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Bacchanal
Sire
Aon Chase (2002)
Long Distance Hurdle
(2002)

Bacchanal (4 March 1994 – 25 January 2003) was an Irish-bred, British-trained

Aon Chase and twice finishing third in the King George VI Chase. He returned to hurdles to win the Long Distance Hurdle
in 2002, but was killed in a fall at Cheltenham in January 2003.

Background

Bacchanal was a chestnut gelding with a large white

William Hill Futurity
winner Dunbeath.

In October 1995, the

IR£12,5000 by Charles Gordon-Watson.[4] The gelding entered the ownership of Lady Lloyd-Webber and was sent into training with Nicky Henderson at Lambourn in Berkshire. Bacchanal was ridden in most of his races by Mick Fitzgerald
.

Racing career

1998/1999 National Hunt season: novice hurdles

Bacchanal began his racing career in January 1999 in a novice hurdle at

in April but finished last of five behind the odds-on favourite Cardinal Hill.

1999/2000 National Hunt season: hurdles

On his first appearance of the 1999/2000 National Hunt season Bacchanal started favourite for the Gerry Feilden Hurdle at Newbury Racecourse on 27 November in which he was opposed by the Sharp Novices' Hurdle winner Silence Reigns. He did not jump well and appeared to be under pressure from the third last, but stayed on to take the lead on the run-in and won by three quarters of a length from Hit And Run.[6] After racing exclusively over distances of around two miles, Bacchanal was stepped up in trip (and class) for the Grade 1 Cleeve Hurdle over two miles five and a half furlongs at Cheltenham Racecourse in January. He led in the early stages but lost his position and looked beaten before staying on again and failing by only a neck to catch the mare Lady Rebecca.

On 16 March 2000, Bacchanal ran for the first time at the

Tolworth Hurdle), Mister Morose (Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle, November Novices' Chase), Galant Moss (Liverpool Hurdle) and Silver Wedge (Tolworth Hurdle, Long Walk Hurdle, West Yorkshire Hurdle). Mick Fitzgerald positioned the gelding in second place behind Limestone Lad, with Silver Wedge also close to the lead. Bacchanal overtook Limestone Lad after the second last, survived a poor jump at the final flight, and despite hanging abruptly to the right on the run-in, stayed on to win by a length, with a gap of three lengths back to Behrajan in third.[7] After the race, Henderson praised the efforts of Yogi Breisner in helping the horse's jumping and said "I find this quite amazing as I always thought he wanted a bog, but he's always been a horse with huge potential and I'm thrilled with him".[8]

For the second year in succession, Bacchanal ran poorly at Punchestown in April, finishing fourth behind Rubhahunish when favourite for the

Champion Stayers Hurdle
.

2000/2001 National Hunt season: novice chases

In the 2000/2001 National Hunt season Bacchanal was campaigned in novice steeplechases. On his debut over the larger obstacles he won the Fulke Walwyn Chase at Newbury, taking the lead at the fourth last and winning by eighteen lengths from Wahiba Sands. At Kempton Park Racecourse in December he was stepped up in class for the Grade 1 Feltham Novices' Chase over three miles. He started the 9/4 second favourite behind the Paul Nicholls-trained Shotgun Willy, who had won his last six races whilst the other three runners were Crocadee (Henry VIII Novices' Chase), Bindaree and Take Control (later to win the Scottish Grand National). Bacchanal disputed the lead for most of the way and was left in front with a big advantage when Crocadee fell at the second last. He won by more than thirty lengths from Take Control with a gap of twenty-one lengths back to Shotgun Willy in third.[9]

At Ascot in February he started 4/11 favourite for the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices' Chase and won by thirteen lengths from Bindaree after taking the lead at the thirteenth of the twenty fences.[10] Bacchanal failed to add to his tally in spring, falling at the first fence in the Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree Racecourse on 6 April. That year's Cheltenham Festival had been cancelled as a result of 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak and a series of substitute championship races were run at Sandown Park Racecourse at the end of April. Bacchanal returned to hurdling for the Distance Championship Hurdle (a substitute for the Stayers' Hurdle) but finished tenth of the eleven runners behind Baracouda.

2001/2002 National Hunt season: chases

Bacchanal began his fourth season at Sandown in December when he started 4/9 favourite against two opponents and won by twenty-six lengths from Granit d'Estruval. At the end of the month he was moved up to the highest class for the

Hennessy Gold Cup).[11]

On 14 March, Bacchanal started 6/1 second favourite behind Looks Like Trouble for the 2002 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was in touch with the leaders in the early stages but began to struggle at the fifth last and faded to come home twelfth of the thirteen finishers behind Best Mate.

2002/2003 National Hunt season: chases

On his first appearance of the next season, Bacchanal returned to the smaller obstacles for the Long Distance Hurdle over three miles at Newbury on 30 November and started 7/2 third favourite behind

blinkers
for the first time. After racing in second place behind the eventual winner Behrajan, he was fatally injured when falling at the eighth fence.

After Bacchanal's death, Nicky Henderson said "It was just awful. The frustrating thing was the way he was travelling and jumping in the blinkers, it looked as if we'd found the answer. He was as good as gold. We think it happened as he was taking off and not as a result of the fall. It's desperate. The place is like a morgue today". The Lloyd-Webbers' racing manager described Bacchanal as "a very special friend... it's devastating that this should happen. He was a very popular horse with quite a following. It's very difficult to put into words how one feels but you just take the memories with you".[13]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Bacchanal (IRE), chestnut gelding, 1994[1]
Sire
Bob Back (USA)
1981
Roberto (USA)
1969
Hail to Reason
Turn-To
Nothirdchance
Bramalea Nashua
Rarelea
Toter Back (USA)
1967
Carry Back Saggy
Joppy
Romantic Miss Beauchef
Roman Zephyr
Dam
Justitia (GB)
1987
Dunbeath (USA)
1980
Grey Dawn Herbager
Polamia
Priceless Fame Irish Castle
Comely Nell
Royal Yacht (USA)
1981
Riverman Never Bend
River Lady
Regal Style Cornish Prince
Capelet (Family:5-g)[14]

References

  1. ^ a b "Bacchanal pedigree". Equineline.
  2. .
  3. ^ "Bob Back – Stud Record". Racing Post.
  4. ^ "Goffs sale October 1995". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  5. ^ "Peter O'Sullevan Novices' Hurdle result". Racing Post. 13 March 1999.
  6. ^ "Gerry Feilden Hurdle result". Racing Post. 27 November 1999.
  7. ^ "tayers' Hurdle result". Racing Post. 16 March 2000.
  8. ^ "Stayers': Bacchanal comes of age with brave win". tRacing Post. 17 March 2000.
  9. ^ "Feltham Novices' Chase result". Racing Post. 26 December 2000.
  10. ^ "Reynoldstown Novices' Chase result". Racing Post. 17 February 2001.
  11. ^ "Aon Chase result". Racing Post. 9 February 2002.
  12. ^ "Long Distance Hurdle result". Racing Post. 30 November 2002.
  13. ^ Jon Lees (27 January 2003). "Cheltenham: Yard `like a morgue' after loss of Bacchanal". Racing Post.
  14. ^ "Skypeeper – Family 5-g". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.