GAMBLES LANDED & EASTER HERO.

Apparently, on social media there has been a hoo-ha regarding the treble achieved by Dan Skelton at Newcastle last Tuesday. I do not associate myself with social media platforms, so I am unaware of the degree of hostility, though reading David Jenning's column in the Racing Post today, it is obvious that Dan upset the fragrant petals who if life had treated them differently would have taken holy orders, by not informing them personally of the gamble his owners were trying to accomplish. It is described as a 'monster gamble'. Dan, as fine a fellow as you are likely to ever meet, has not come across to me as someone who would have the balls to be first out-of-the-trenches and think it hardly likely he risked more than a fiver on the three horses involved, none of which on paper looked bankers.

As I have said in the past, part of the foundation stones of this sport were gambles landed and gambles that went astray. People have won fortunes from the betting ring in the same number as people have lost fortunes down the years and if fairly achieved the big gamble landed is a story worth retelling time and time again. It is said in racing that to win a small fortune from racing you must start with a large fortune and I suspect that when a gamble is successful it is merely a case of regaining cash lost in previous tilts at the ring. If all those maiden aunt and bedwetter-types who suggested Dan Skelton should be banned for life for being very good at his job had been involved in the 'monster gamble' they would have a different viewpoint altogether. A poster of Dan would hang in a secret alcove in their bed-sits and caves, their first and last actions of the day would be to kiss the paper image of Dan on the lips and bless him for being their saviour. Keyboard warriors are an abonination. Well, that is what I think of them.

Easter Hero won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1929 and 1930. There was no Gold Cup in 1931 and for the years including and between 1932-1936 the race was dominated by the immortal Golden Miller. There was no race once more in 1937. I mention this random slice of racing history as two of steeplechasers finest and most popular horses were connected not only by the succeeding years and the Gold Cup being abandoned the year after they last won the blue riband but by both leaving their mark on the history of the Grand National.

In 1928, 42 horses faced the start of the Grand National - only 2 finished the race, the 100/1 winner Tipperary Tim and the famed American horse - there is a statue of him at Laurel Park - Billy Barton who fell at the last looking the likely winner and was remounted to finish a distant second. In 1928 and prior to it, unbelievable as it must seem from the prospective of today, the Canal Turn was actually an open ditch. Easter Hero, a horse who liked to crack on, and who had jumped boldly until the Canal Turn, misjudged the fence entirely, landing on top of the fence, unable to free himself, causing the largest pile-up in the history of the race, with only handful surviving the melee. Of course, Popham Down distinguished himself to a greater degree 39-years later, with only one horse making it to other side of the fence that now bears his name, though officially 18 remounted and finished the race that day.

The following year, having won the Gold Cup on his previous run, Easter Hero went off favourite for the Grand National in which 66-horses ran in the race. It is recorded that the parade before the race stretched for nearly half-a-mile! Ten fell or refused at the first, so only 56 charged toward the second fence, with Easter Hero jumping with the boldness of a buck leading them a merry dance. He spreadeagled the field until Valentine's second-time round when his stride began to shorten and he looked a weary horse. He battled on with a courage deserving of a George Medal, in agony, no doubt, from the spread plate on a hind hoof. In the end, he was beaten six-lengths by Gregalach. Easter Hero carried 12st 7Ibs to the winner's 11st 4Ibs. 10 of the 66 finished the race, with no reported fatalities, even if the scene resembled a battle-field of the beaten.

Of course, after winning the Grand National in 1934, carried 12st 2Ibs, Golden Miller grew to hate Aintree (or Liverpool as the racecourse was known back then) and unseated the following year, unseated, remounted and refused the year after, refused the year after that, before the owner finally took the hint. He was one of the greats nonetheless, as was Easter Hero. The sport would do well to recognise them in a more standout manner than as names used as registered titles of races better known by the sponsoring company's name.