Thistlecrack

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Thistlecrack
World Hurdle (2016)
Liverpool Hurdle (2016)
Worcester Novices' Chase (2016)
King George VI Chase
(2016)
Awards
British National Hunt Horse of the Year (2016)

Thistlecrack (foaled 29 March 2008) is a British Thoroughbred racehorse who competes in

World Hurdle and Liverpool Hurdle. When switched to steeplechasing in the following season he made an immediate impact, taking the Worcester Novices' Chase before beating more experienced horses in the King George VI Chase
. His later career was beset by injury problems and he never won again, being retired from racing in March 2021 at the age of thirteen.

Background

Thistlecrack is a bay gelding with a small white

National Hunt rules.[3][4]

As a

gelded, Thistlecrack was returned to the same sales ring and was sold to John Snook for €43,000.[6] He was sent into training with Colin Tizzard at Milborne Port in Dorset
.

Racing career

Early career

Thistlecrack began his racing career at the age of five, when he finished third in a

14/1.[7]

2014/15 National Hunt season: novice hurdles

In the 2014/15 National Hunt season, Thistlecrack finished fifth in the

Sandown Park on 7 March. Carrying 151 pounds he stayed on without being able to quicken and finished fifth[10]
of the twenty-three runners behind Ebony Express.

All but one of Thistlecrack's previous starts at been at or around a distance of two miles, but on 10 April he was stepped up to three miles for the Grade 1 Sefton Novices' Hurdle at

Punchestown) and Blaklion (Persian War Novices' Hurdle, Bristol Novices' Hurdle). After being restrained by Scudamore Thistlecrack moved up to dispute the lead with Alpha des Obeaux at the second last. He was left well clear when his rival fell at the final hurdle and came home thirteen lengths clear of Vyta Du Roc despite being eased down in the closing stages.[11] After the race Colin Tizzard said "He wasn't right when he was well-beaten last time we stepped up in trip at Cheltenham. He's been very good otherwise. He's always been a good horse on our gallops. I was sure he would stay, his dam was a stout stayer. He's a thorough stayer and travels well."[12]

On his final appearance of the season, Thistlecrack was sent to Ireland for the

Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle
at Punchestown on 29 April. Starting at 8/1 he was crowded at the final hurdle but stayed on up the run-in to finish second, half a length behind Killultagh Vic. The favoured Shaneshill was eight and a half lengths back in third.

2015/16 National Hunt season: senior hurdles

On his first appearance of the new season, Thistlecrack was one of five horses to contest the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle over three miles at

dairy farm commented "now I’ve got a racing yard without cows in sight, it's lovely".[15] On 30 January Thistlecrack was made the odds-on favourite for the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham. On this occasion the best of his rivals, according to the betting, were Camping Ground (Relkeel Hurdle) and Ptit Zig (Noel Novices' Chase, Dipper Novices' Chase). Thistlecrack was always going well, took the lead approaching the last and drew right away to win by twelve lengths from Ptit Zig.[16]

On 17 March Thistlecrack started the even money favourite for the World Hurdle at the

RSA Chase
runner-up Shaneshill. He took the lead soon after the start and was never seriously challenged: he survived a mistake at the second last before pulling away to win easily by seven lengths from Shaneshill.

2016/17 National Hunt season: steeplechases

Thistlecrack made his first appearance over steeplechase fences in a three-mile Novice Chase at Chepstow Racecourse on 25 October in which he started the 1/6 favourite and won by four lengths from Aqalim after leading from the start. On 12 November at Cheltenham he won again, overcoming an early jumping error to win by three and three quarter lengths from Marinero. Two weeks later at Newbury the gelding started at odds of 1/6 for the Grade II Worcester Novices' Chase over three miles. He led from the start and won "very easily" by eight lengths from Bigbadjohn.[19]

Rather than continue to campaign the horse against other novices, Tizzard opted to match Thistlecrack against more seasoned steeplechasers in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park Racecourse on 26 December. Despite his lack of chasing experience he was made favourite ahead of his stablemate Cue Card and Silviniaco Conti who had won the race in 2013 and 2014. The other two runners were Josses Hill (Peterborough Chase) and Tea For Two (Kauto Star Novices' Chase). He produced a dominant performance, taking the lead at the ninth fence and drawing eight lengths clear in the straight before being eased down to win by three and a quarter lengths from Cue Card.[20]

On 28 January Thistlecrack started 4/9 favourite for the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham but sustained his first defeat in a steeplechase as he was beaten a short-head by the ill-fated Many Clouds who collapsed and died after the race. Despite his defeat he maintained his position as favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup but after sustaining a tendon injury in February it was announced that he would miss the rest of the season.

Later career

After a ten-month absence Thistlecrack returned in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on 1 December 2017 when he started the 11/10 favourite but came home fifth of the six runners behind the 40/1 outsider Beer Goggles. On 26 December he attempted to repeat his 2016 success in the King George VI Chase. He appeared to be going well but made a jumping mistake at the second last and dropped from contention to finish fourth behind Might Bite. After the race he was reported to be "stiff and sore" and when scans revealed a stress fracture to his leg he was off the track for the rest of the season. Colin Tizzard's daughter Kim said "We were just getting really excited that the old Thistlecrack was still there and hopeful that he would go to the Gold Cup. Gutted for everybody, gutted for the staff and the owners but we have a horse and hopefully he'll do his box rest and be all right for next season."[21]

Thistlecrack made his comeback in a strong edition of the

Haydock Park on 24 November 2018 and ran well to take third place behind Bristol de Mai and Native River with Clan des Obeaux and Might Bite in fourth and fifth. In the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day he took the lead at the fourth last but was overtaken by Clan des Obeaux at the final fence and finished second, beaten a length and a half by the winner.[22]
In the Cheltenham Gold Cup on 15 March he stumbled at the 12th fence and dropped back before being pulled up by Tom Scudamore at the 17th obstacle.

On 29 November 2019 Thistlecrack started second favourite for the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury and finished second of the five runners, beaten a length by the winner Paisley Park. A foot injury kept him from running in the King George VI Chase and when he failed to recover he was ruled out for the remainder of the season.[23]

Thistlecrack remained in training for the following season but never returned to the track and his retirement was announced in March 2021. Colin Tizzard said "He was one of the best horses around in his era and we had some great days... on our gallop he was the best horse we ever had... He didn't deserve to be pushed anymore. He's been hacked around now and he'll stay here and we'll look after him, then when the weather warms up he'll go back to Heather's and have a summer off. Hopefully then he can have an active retirement."[24]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Thistlecrack (GB), bay gelding, 2008[1]
Sire
Kayf Tara (GB)
1994 		Sadler's Wells (USA)
1981 		Northern Dancer Nearctic
Natalma
Fairy Bridge Bold Reason
Special
Colorspin (GB)
1983 		High Top Derring-Do
Camenae
Reprocolor Jimmy Reppin
Blue Queen
Dam
Ardstown (GB)
1991 		Ardross (IRE)
1976 		Run the Gantlet Tom Rolfe
First Feather
Le Melody Levmoss
Arctic Melody
Booterstown (IRE)
1971 		Master Owen Owen Tudor
Miss Maisie
Vulgan's Rose Vulgan
Nevada Rose (Family 2-o)[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "Thistlecrack pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-05-05.
  2. ^ "Kayf Tara – Stud Record". Racing Post.
  3. ^ "Ardstown – Record By Race Type". Racing Post.
  4. ^ a b "Mabille – Family 2-o". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  5. ^ "Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 2016-03-25.
  6. ^ "Tattersalls Ireland August National Hunt 2011". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 2016-03-25.
  7. ^ "32red Premier Roulette NHF Race result". Timeform. 13 April 2014.
  8. ^ "Crewkerne Novices' Hurdle result". Timeform. 15 January 2015.
  9. ^ "Racing UK Novices' Hurdle result". Timeform. 14 February 2015.
  10. ^ "Full Result 3.10 Sandown | 7 March 2015 | Racing Post". www.racingpost.com. Retrieved 2022-08-14.
  11. ^ "Sefton Novices' Hurdle result". Timeform. 10 April 2015.
  12. ^ "Thistlecrack records shock victory in Sefton". RTÉ Sport. 10 April 2015.
  13. ^ "Long Distance Hurdle result". Timeform. 28 November 2015.
  14. ^ "Long Walk Hurdle result". Timeform. 19 December 2015.
  15. ^ Chris Cook (19 December 2015). "Thistlecrack's Long Walk stroll lifts Colin Tizzard's King George hopes". The Guardian.
  16. ^ "Cleeve Hurdle result". Timeform. 30 January 2016.
  17. ^ Greg Wood. "Brilliant Thistlecrack wins World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival". The Guardian.
  18. ^ Tony McFadden (23 March 2016). "BHA rates Thistlecrack the equal of Big Buck's". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016.
  19. ^ "Worceter Novices' Chase result". Timeform. 26 November 2016.
  20. ^ "King George VI Chase result". Timeform. 26 December 2016.
  21. ^ Cook, Chris (8 January 2018). "Thistlecrack to miss Cheltenham Gold Cup after sustaining stress fracture". The Guardian.
  22. ^ "King George VI Chase result". Racing Post. 26 December 2018.
  23. ^ Dench, Graham (17 January 2020). "Thistlecrack set to miss the Cheltenham Festival with recurring injury". Racing Post.
  24. ^ Stevens, James (2 March 2021). "'I still picture him powering up our gallops' - Tizzard ace Thistlecrack retires". Racing Post.

External links

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