Thoroughbreds on the Big Screen

 

       Champions of the track that made the big screen. We have Australia's Phar Lap, the story of the brilliant Secretariat and the famous story of the courageous Sea Biscuit. We are travelling way back in time to the first movie inspired by Phar Lap. A 1936 story called Stormalong, directed by Ken Hall, it wasnt until 1983,where we actually see a movie made specificly about the Phar Lap legend ,called Phar Lap, The Heart of a Nation.

 Story of Stormalong 

       Thinking back to the years of my childhood, some things stay in your memory and one of these is a Sunday afternoon movie, called Stormalong. A screenplay based loosely on the legendary Phar Lap. I can remember my sisters and I watching this movie on numerous occasions and it had a long lasting affect on me. It could well be the reason of my liking for the underdog and the never give up attitude.
     Helen Twelvetrees was paid a record 1000 dollars a week, to play the lead female role . The movie was cut on its UK release, due to animal cruelty that occurred, during the stable fire scene and graphic ending. There is a story from the ending scene of Stormalong, told by horseman Lance Skuthorpe who was paid two quid a scene, he said " I tied a long strand of wire to one of the horse's legs, then got out of camera range. As Stormalong got near the winning post . I was to tug on the wire and make the horse stumble. I pulled the wire all right but forgot to let go. I shot over the horse's head and crashed to the ground."'
      I am sure, why it stays in my memory, is the graphic ending, where Stormalong is shot and killed by the evil assassins who want to prevent him from winning. Stormalong stumbles and falls but still manages to cross the line first. The horse dies and jockey Tommy Dawson lies badly injured. The ending is similar to a Frank Capra movie of 1934 Broadway Bill.

Phar Lap rare images 

1878 film of a horse in motion 

Story of Sea Biscuit 

     Sea Biscuit was a small horse with a tendency to like his sleep and food, becoming the butt of alot of stable jokes. He had an unimpressive start to his career due to injury and stable mismanagement but over the years of the depression in America he would become the most unlikely champion and symbol of hope, for Americans. In 1949, the first film adaptation of his life was made, starring Shirley Temple, The Story of Sea Biscuit. Then there was the 2003, Universal Studios movie, adapted from the Laura Hildenbrands, best selling, 2001 book. It was nominated for seven academy awards including best picture.

     Sea Biscuit was foaled on May 23rd 1933 in Lexington Kentucky. He was named after his sire Hard Tack, who was a son of Man'O'War. Hard Tack was a type of  cracker eaten by sailors. Hence the name Sea Biscuit. His original owner Sunny Fitzsimmons, thought him lazy and untalented so he concentrated on other horses in his stable. His first 17 starts were unimpressive never finishing in the money.
     His second season was a little better, winning 4 of his 12 starts but this was enough to take the eye of business man Charles Howard who in August 1936 purchased the horse and sent him to trainer, Tom Smith. This was to be the birth of a peoples champion as Smith with his unusual training techniques, helped awaken ,the little horse's zest for racing. He won 3 of his first 8 starts for Smith. In November of that year in California's, Bay Bridge Hcp,after missing the start, he charged around the field to win by a huge five length margin.
      This was the beginning of a legend and in 1937 he would become a favorite of California racing fans as he strung five wins in a row together, under big imposts, culminating in winning the Santa Anita Hcp, worth 125,000 dollars. In 1937 he won 11 of his 15 starts and became the highest stakes winner of the year but lost out to Triple Crown winner, War Admiral for horse of the year. This sparked the famous match race of 1938. In 1938, he would gain the title, horse of the year. Injuries were a continuing problem for him over the next couple of seasons and as a seven year old, he won the Santa Anita Hcp again before retiring to Ridgewood Ranch after 89 starts. It was his fighting qualities through injuries and his rise from obscurity, that endeared him to fans.

Sea Biscuit Tribute Footage 

Story of Secretariat 

     In 2010 we saw the making of a movie on the life, of maybe the finest racehorse of all time, Secretariat. The story is based around his owner Penny Chenery who took over her fathers stables and became so impressed with Secretariat she exuded so much confidence in his abilities. That her bragging stirred up controversy among experts and racing enthusiasts but her confidence was vindicated, when Secretariat completed the Triple Crown but it wasnt just that he won . It was the way he did it. In the final leg the Belmont Stakes he won by an amazing 31 lengths. Some still say this is one of the most amazing victories in racing history.

   If we look across the three stories of these champions of the past, who became legends. They are three, very different hero success stories. Secretariat being a success story through mastery ,brilliance and power. Where the Sea Biscuit story is more about courage and persistence and belief, leading to success. Turning a broken down horse into a cult hero with his bravery and fearlessness. In the dramatized Australian story, Stormalong, we find the story of the good hard working poor versus the evil syndicated mafia members . The horse being a martyr symbol in beating the enemy through determination and sacrifice. The victory coming after his death .

Belmont Stakes 1973

Aintree Tales

     On saturday we saw the running of the 2017 Grand National at Aintree. First run in 1839 and won by a horse called Lottery. Although some dispute this and believe the first running was actually in 1836 and won, by The Duke. Anyway this years 170th running of the national saw 40 horses start and all return safely home. This was the fifth year in a row there hasnt been any fatalities. During the last few years the fences have had structural changes with both height and framework,these have been made due to ongoing protests because of injuries and deaths of  many horses over the years. This years winner was One For Arthur ridden by Derek Fox starting at 14/1 .He is only the second Scottish horse to win the event . The race has seen many sensations and upsets over the years so we are going to track back in time this week and look at some tales of the past.
    We are going to begin in 1956, with the Queens horse Devon Loch, who had the race won but just before the winning post, he lept in the air and went flat down on his stomach, many thought he had broken down or had a heart attack. He layed, sprawled out on the track as the whole field went past him. Some say, he tried to jump a shadow but what ever the reason, later he got up and walked off the track, uninjured. This became a sporting metaphor in Great Britain, doing a Devon Loch meaning a last minute failure. Dick Francis, his jockey, was so shocked by what had happened , he gave racing away and became a famous mystery writer.

Devon Loch 1956

 
   We skip forward to 1967 Grand National where most of the field were hampered badly or lost their riders,allowing a 100/1 outsider Foinavon to become a surprise winner . The villains name was Popham Down, he had unseated his rider at the first jump, and then suddenly at the 23rd fence, veered across the leading group, causing mayhem. From this day on, the fence, now the seventh has been called Foinavon. 

1967 National and the famous fall at Foinavon

    The steeplechase is run over 6907 kilometres with thirty jumps . Fourteen are jumped twice with the second jump being The Fan . The sixth jump the biggest and most famous of them all Beechers Brook. Named after the jockey who fell at this jump in its first running. The eigth is the Canal Turn followed by Valentines. The fifteenth is The Chair and the longest jump the Water Jump is the sixteenth.
   Now we are tracking forward to 1973 and possibly the greatest national ever run and won by a legend who would go on and win the race three times as well as running second twice. His name was Red Rum or murder backwards. LOL ! He won in 1973,1974,1977 and was second in 75 and 76. What made this go down as a classic race was the enormous lead set up by the legendary Australian chaser, Crisp. Which ultimately set up the breaking of the race record by 19 seconds. Crisp nicknamed The Black Kangaroo was sired by a sprinter called Rose Argent. Crisp won chasers in Australia by big margins under huge weights and it was decided after his second Hiskens Hurdle win under 76.5 kilos to send him to Britain for the chase season. His initial start in England in the Queen Mother Champion Chase saw him win by 25 lengths.             
   Following this, it was decided to set him for the National at Aintree. He was issued with a massive weight of 76 kilos, a weight which is now forbidden. During the race he opened up a big lead with Grey Sombrero in second place and when Grey Sombrero fell fatally it left Crisp over thirty lengths in front. An enormous lead which was gradually wittled away by Red Rum but Crisp, still over twelve lengths in front jumping the last, looked to have it won until a terrible loss of concentration by his jockey Dick Pitman . He misjudged the elbow, having to stop riding Crisp and straighten him. The loss of  momentum and change of direction, ultimately costing victory and Red Rum finishing strongly, beat him on the line. In 2013 Crisp was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

1973 Grand National Red Rum and Crisp 

    
  This was the start of the legend which was Red Rum. Red Rum born 3rd May 1965 died 18th Oct 1995. He never fell in over 100 starts and in his final start in the national as a twelve year old won the national again. This performance  was voted, the 24th greatest sporting moment of all time . He is buried at the winning post at Aintree. The plaque reads ; Respect this place /This hallowed ground/a legend here/his rest has found/his feet would fly/our spirits soar/he earned our love for evermore.  

Eascinating facts about Red Rum  

 

Battle of tradition and horse safety !

       The last few years have seen major changes to fences in size and formation to try and avoid any horse and jockey casualties. I know here in Australia we have made a lot of changes over the past ten years that have seen our fences turn into just small synthetic brushes. Due to years of animal welfare protests and after many years of  jumps racing in the wilderness . I can finally see some light in the return of the new jumps racing style with fewer deaths. Aintree is a tradition and authorities are in a bind. Whatever they do will never be enough to satisfy critics of the race, who want it banned. And every change they make offends the traditionalists, who argue that the race's uniqueness resides in its degree of difficulty. Reduce the field and the length, strip away the peculiar features of the fences the height of The Chair, the fearsomeness of Becher's, the sharpness of the Canal Turn  and you are left with standard three mile chase and I can see this point . Australian jumps racing is definately a very simple affair now days.  The National became a cultural phenomenon  a truly national event  because of its bizarreness.

The big positive though is the improved safety of the animal and jockey. I suppose sacrifices have to be made.