Four Ten
| Four Ten | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Blunderbuss |
| Grandsire | National Hunt Handicap Chase (1953) (1954)Cheltenham Gold Cup |
Four Ten (1946 – 1971) was a British
Background
Four Ten was a bay gelding standing 17
Strange originally used Four Ten as a hunter before training the horse himself for races on the amateur point-to-point circuit. The horse ran six times in point-to-points winning four times consecutively before falling in a hunter chase. Strange then sent him to the professional, John Roberts, who trained at Cheltenham in Gloucestershire.
Racing career
After his move to the professional ranks Four Ten made an immediate impact. At the 1953 Cheltenham Festival the seven-year-old carried 147 pounds to victory in the
In the early part of the following season, Four Ten further established himself as a high-class steeplechaser with an "impressive" win over three miles at Cheltenham in November, beating
In the 1954/55 National Hunt season Four Ten won three of his first four races including two wide-margin victories at Warwick Racecourse in December and January.[7] He then attempted to win his second Gold Cup on 10 March. The meeting was run in exceptionally harsh, wintry conditions with the Gold Cup being the only race allowed to take place on the third day. With Cusack again in the saddle he started the 3/1 favourite against eight opponents headed by Halloween, Galloway Braes and Early Mist but finished third behind the 33/1 outsider Gay Donald.[6]
In the following season Four Ten was trained by Alec Kirkpatrick near Andover, Hampshire.[2] He finished third to Halloween in the King George VI Chase and showed good form in January as he led from the start to win the Walter Hyde Chase at Kempton Park Racecourse, conceding 35 pounds to the runner-up. Commenting on the horse's tendency to jump to the left, Kirkpatrick explained that Four Ten would be better suited by a left-handed track and would probably contest both the Gold Cup and the Grand National.[8] He returned for a third Gold Cup in 1956 and was well-fancied[9] but after leading early in the race he finished unplaced behind Limber Hill.[6] In the following year he started a 50/1 outsider for the 1957 Grand National and fell at the third last.[10]
Four Ten won a total of nine races between his second Gold Cup attempt and his retirement. He was
Assessment and honours
In their book, A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Four Ten a "poor" Gold Cup winner.[11]
Pedigree
| Sire Blunderbuss (GB) 1934 |
Blandford (IRE) 1919 |
Swynford | John O'Gaunt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury Pilgrim | |||
| Blanche | White Eagle | ||
| Black Cherry | |||
| Drifting Flame (GB) 1924 |
Hurry On | Marcovil | |
| Tout Suite | |||
| Fine Mist | Sunstar | ||
| Lorgnette | |||
| Dam Undue Praise (GB) 1939 |
Felicitation (GB) 1930 |
Colorado | Phalaris |
| Canyon | |||
| Felicita | Cantilever | ||
| Best Wishes | |||
| Lady Scapegrace (FR) 1929 |
McKinley | Macdonald | |
| Mrs Despard | |||
| Kate Coventry | Argos | ||
| Ada Merling (Family: 2-o)[3] |
References
- ^ a b "Four Ten pedigree". Equineline. 2016-03-19. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
- ^ a b c d "Spetisbury was the talk of the racing world". Western Daily Press. 17 March 2011.
- ^ a b "Mabille – Family 2-o". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
- ^ "White and Gold" (12 March 1953). "Prince Brownie's Chance". Glasgow Herald.
- ^ "White and Gold" (9 December 1953). "Four Te to beat weight". Glasgow Herald.
- ^ ISBN 1-84018-381-0.
- ^ "White and Gold" (29 January 1955). "Four Ten confident choice". Glasgow Herald.
- ^ "Four Ten beats handicap". Glasgow Herald. 30 January 1956.
- Glasgow Herald. 28 February 1956.
- ISBN 0-340-58515-3.
- ISBN 9781901570151.