Red Splash

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Red Splash
SireCopper Ore
GrandsireForfarshire
DamLa Manche
DamsireWavelet's Pride
Sex
Chestnut
OwnerHumphrey Wyndham
TrainerFred Withington
Record5 wins
Major wins
Cheltenham Gold Cup (1924)

Red Splash (foaled May 1919) was a British racehorse who won the inaugural Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Background

Red Splash was a chestnut gelding with a white

socks[2] bred in England. He was not technically a Thoroughbred as his sire Copper Ore was descended from a mare of unknown pedigree. Red Splash's dam La Manche was a descendant of the influential Irish broodmare The Beauty.[3]

During his racing career, Red Splash was owned by Major Humphrey Wyndham and was trained by Fred Withington at Fritwell in Oxfordshire.[4] Withington was best known for training Rubio and Mattie MacGregor to finish first and second in the 1908 Grand National.[5]

Racing career

Red Splash showed early promise as a steeplechaser and won four times over fences in the 1923/1924

5/1[7] in a nine-runner field with his biggest rivals looking to be Forewarned, Gerald L, and Conjuror (third in the 1923 Grand National). After leading in the early stages, Red Splash dropped back but recovered to regain the lead at the second-last fence. The final stages saw a sustained three-way struggle as Red Splash fought off strong challenges from Conjuror and Gerald L to prevail by a head and a neck.[8][5][9]

Following his victory at Cheltenham, Red Splash was highly regarded, being described as showing "marked dash in leaping his fences" and likely to become a leading Grand National contender.[10]

In the following season, Red Splash suffered from injuries and training problems. He was off the racecourse for ten months before being well beaten in a minor event at Leicester Racecourse in January 1925. Plans to run in the Champion Chase at Aintree Racecourse in April came to nothing, and he never contested another major race.[5]

Assessment and honours

In their book A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Red Splash a "poor" Gold Cup winner.[8]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Red Splash (GB), chestnut gelding, 1919[1]
Sire
Copper Ore (GB)
1905 		Forfarshire (GB)
1897 		Royal Hampton Hampton
Princess
St Elizabeth
St Simon
Esa
Sybil d'Or Soleil d'Or Bend Or
Fair Vestal
Civility Highborn
Courtesy
Dam
La Manche (IRE)
1909 		Wavelet's Pride (GB)
1897 		Fernandez Sterling
Isola Bella
Wavelet Paul Jones
Wanda
Queen of France (IRE)
1900 		Buckingham Galopin
Lady Yardley
Queen of Brilliants Favo
The Beauty (Family 11-d)[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "Red Splash pedigree". Pedigree Online. 2016-03-19. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  2. ^ Red Splash image
  3. ^ a b "Flight – Family 11-d". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2013-06-26.
  4. ^ "Person Profile : Frederick Withington". Horseracing History Online.
  5. ^
    ISBN 1-84018-381-0
    .
  6. ISBN 9781781313909
    .
  7. ISBN 978-1-873626-15-3
    .
  8. ^
    ISBN 9781901570151
    .
  9. ^ "A head victory for Red Splash". Western Morning News. 13 March 1924. Retrieved 14 November 2015.(Subscription required.)
  10. New Zealand Herald
    . 7 May 1924.
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